Smoked meatloaf

[bangstick]

I fired up the Camp chef Woodwind to smoke a coupe of meatloafs. My recipe isn't anyhing fancy, just a basic meatloaf recipe. The only difference is I add 1lb of ground deer (venison with 10% beef fat added) to 1.5lbs of ground chuck and I brown diced Vidalia onion with minced garlic, salt, pepper, butter and olive oil ahead of time and add that to the meatloaf after it has cooled. Then my regular compliment of salt, pepper, sage, beaten eggs, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce and milk goes into the meat mixture and I form them into loafs (each one being 2lbs).

meatloaf 1.jpg

• bangstick
• Sep 17, 2017

Then, I get'em on the smoker at "high smoke" (225 degrees) until the IT reaches 160 degrees (roughly 3 hours). During the smoking process, I begin adding the glaze in thin layers. The first layer goes on when the IT reaches 130 degree. I add it again at 140 degree and then for the last time at 150 degrees. My glaze is very simple. It's a combination of ketchup, dried mustard, brown sugar, and your favorite tomato based BBQ sauce. Waiting to add the glaze allows the smoke to penetrate the loafs before sealing it in with the glaze. The smoke adheres to the glaze very well too.

meatload 2.jpg

• bangstick
• Sep 17, 2017

I'm waiting for my jerky racks to come in. I used a standard baking cooling rack to smoke a meatloaf once before but the grid was too "coarse" and it made it very difficult to get the meatloaf off of the rack. So I improvised and poked holes in a couple of shallow aluminum baking pans. They worked well but I didn't get the caramelization on the bottom that I like. the jerky racks will be perfect since the grid is considerably "tighter."

Enjoy!

 

[SmokinAl]

Your meatloaf looks fantastic!

Very nicely done!

Point!

Al

 

[bangstick]

Thanks, Al!!

 

[griz400]

yes , very nice meatloaf .. nothing like a meatloaf sammie for lunch at work next day ,,, 

 

[gmc2003]

Not a big fan of venison, do you still get the gamie taste mixing it with beef fat and chuck? I only ask because my in-laws are big hunters and venison is always available. 

Chris

 

[bangstick]

Not a big fan of venison, do you still get the gamie taste mixing it with beef fat and chuck? I only ask because my in-laws are big hunters and venison is always available. 


Chris

Chris, I grew up eating deer meat and have come to learn if your deer meat tastes "gamie" it probably wasn't handled properly during processing. I add beef fat simply because deer meat is so lean. If I wanted to "add flavor," I'd add pork fat instead of beef fat. Plus, I like the textural difference in ground venison versus. Gives the meatloaf a different "chew."

 

[bangstick]

yes , very nice meatloaf .. nothing like a meatloaf sammie for lunch at work next day ,,, :Looks-Great: :points:

My favorite part of cooking meatloaf is the meatloaf sammies with the leftovers. Lol!

 

[geb3]

I fired up the Camp chef Woodwind to smoke a coupe of meatloafs. My recipe isn't anyhing fancy, just a basic meatloaf recipe. The only difference is I add 1lb of ground deer (venison with 10% beef fat added) to 1.5lbs of ground chuck and I brown diced Vidalia onion with minced garlic, salt, pepper, butter and olive oil ahead of time and add that to the meatloaf after it has cooled. Then my regular compliment of salt, pepper, sage, beaten eggs, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce and milk goes into the meat mixture and I form them into loafs (each one being 2lbs).

meatloaf 1.jpg

• bangstick
• Sep 17, 2017

Then, I get'em on the smoker at "high smoke" (225 degrees) until the IT reaches 160 degrees (roughly 3 hours). During the smoking process, I begin adding the glaze in thin layers. The first layer goes on when the IT reaches 130 degree. I add it again at 140 degree and then for the last time at 150 degrees. My glaze is very simple. It's a combination of ketchup, dried mustard, brown sugar, and your favorite tomato based BBQ sauce. Waiting to add the glaze allows the smoke to penetrate the loafs before sealing it in with the glaze. The smoke adheres to the glaze very well too.

meatload 2.jpg

• bangstick
• Sep 17, 2017

I'm waiting for my jerky racks to come in. I used a standard baking cooling rack to smoke a meatloaf once before but the grid was too "coarse" and it made it very difficult to get the meatloaf off of the rack. So I improvised and poked holes in a couple of shallow aluminum baking pans. They worked well but I didn't get the caramelization on the bottom that I like. the jerky racks will be perfect since the grid is considerably "tighter."

Enjoy!

Try using parchment paper, works great just a few small cuts in the paper and it works perfect every time!!

 

[motocrash]

Chris, I grew up eating deer meat and have come to learn if your deer meat tastes "gamie" it probably wasn't handled properly during processing. I add beef fat simply because deer meat is so lean. If I wanted to "add flavor," I'd add pork fat instead of beef fat. Plus, I like the textural difference in ground venison versus. Gives the meatloaf a different "chew."

Agreed on the processing.I have found the major thing is if it's an instant kill it tastes great.If it runs a few hundred yards it is gamy as hell (adrenaline).

 

[bangstick]

Try using parchment paper, works great just a few small cuts in the paper and it works perfect every time!!

I thought about that and while it would cure the "sticking" issue, I still wouldn't get the all-around bark I'm looking for. I appreciate the tip though.

 

[bangstick]

Agreed on the processing.I have found the major thing is if it's an instant kill it tastes great.If it runs a few hundred yards it is gamy as hell (adrenaline).

I can't say I've ever tasted a difference between deer I've killed DRT and ones I've killed that ran after being shot. I do a lot of bow hunting so DRT shots only occur if I make a poor shot and hit one in the spine. Otherwise, they all run off after I run an arrow through them and I haven't noticed a difference in taste.

Now I have tasted a difference between bucks and does, especially during the rut. Bucks have a much stronger (gamier) taste than does.

 

[johnmeyer]

I use the Qmatz from Jeff, with a drip tray directly underneath. This gives me smoke and bark all around and I don't get the soggy bottom that I always used to hate on my mother's meatloaf. She made the worst meatloaf I've ever tasted, and I refused to eat meatloaf for the next fifty years until I got served some in a restaurant and found out that it can be really good. I then found a fantastic recipe from Cook's Illustrated (this sort of thing is what they do best), and after making that a few times, converted it to doing in my MES 30 smoker. I just had some two days ago, and cannot wait to reheat the vacuum-packed leftovers. Smoked meatloaf is even better a few days later.

Because it "stalls" just as badly as a pork butt, I only smoke it for 2:30 and then put it in the oven to finish. To give it a better crust, I use the convection setting on my big oven.

 

[gary s]

That is a nice looking meat loaf

Gary

 

[bangstick]

That is a nice looking meat loaf

Gary

Thanks Gary!

 

[Nimrod' pursuit]

I may just not be understanding this. Can you explain the onion and garlic and adding after its cooled? so not until after the meatloaf is done on the smoker and cooled?

 

[Nimrod' pursuit]

nevermind. You brown them and then add to your meatloaf mix after the onion etc has cooled. I just needed to think

 

[bangstick]

Correct. I brown them first before adding to the meatloaf.

A buddy of mine suggested smoking the onion and garlic and then adding it to the meatloaf. I might give that a try.

 

[Mastercaster]

A plate with a couple of slabs of that meatloaf and a healthy helping of mashed potatoes on the side is nothing but righteous.

 

[phathead69]

I can't say I've ever tasted a difference between deer I've killed DRT and ones I've killed that ran after being shot. I do a lot of bow hunting so DRT shots only occur if I make a poor shot and hit one in the spine. Otherwise, they all run off after I run an arrow through them and I haven't noticed a difference in taste.

Now I have tasted a difference between bucks and does, especially during the rut. Bucks have a much stronger (gamier) taste than does.

I'm from east tn but I hunt an ohio farm. For the last 12 yrs I have been lucky enough to get a deer or deers from ohio each yr. One deer is always ground adding beef fat for the sake of being able to fry it. We havnt bought beef burger in the last 12 yrs so got pleanty of taste bud experience with the deer meet from burgers to chili to spaghetti sauce. Only deer from ohio with the slightest game taste was a mature buck with a wound to its lower rear leg. I have had many roast and burger from east tn deer that was as good as any of my ohio deer but also many that had mild to strong game taste. My theory is here where im at the food is mostly browse and the ohio deer is mostly crop with broswe mixed in.