Take cooking up a notch with my smoked Weber Q meatloaf. It’s packed with mushrooms, cheese and bacon, and the lip-smacking sweet honey BBQ glaze is to die for.

It’s time to break out of your comfort zone and really get into cooking something special on your Weber Q.

So today, we will break in those smoker boxes we got for Christmas.

When smoking food, there is no better recipe to learn than meatloaf.

It’s really easy, and the flavours will add a new dimension to which you’ve never tasted.

Remember that meatloaf is incredibly universal and can be adapted to any flavour profile, including beef and pork.

What Key ingredients do I need for Weber Q meatloaf?

Before buying your ingredients, there are three key components to keep in mind.

Fat = Flavour: Your ground beef must be no less than an 80/20 ratio. Which is just a fancy way of saying 80% ground beef and 20% fat. Keep this in mind when choosing your ground pork also.

If your ground beef is too lean (not enough fat), the end result will be a dry and crumbly meatloaf. (Yuck!)

Breadcrumbs: Are our friend in meatloaf. Not only do breadcrumbs aid in moisture retention, but they also stop our meatloaf from turning into a giant hamburger.
Egg: Acts as our binder, holding the meatloaf together.

Understanding the need for these three key ingredients allows you to run wild and get creative.

Today, I’ll show you how I put my smoked Weber Q meatloaf together.

Feel free to use my recipe or really get your creative juices flowing and create your own.

What wood chips are best for smoking meatloaf?

For this cook, I used hickory woodchips for their rich bacony flavour.

Hickory is universal and can smoke beef, pork, lamb and venison.

Others have recommended using hickory to smoke fish, but personally, I am not a fan of the flavour it produces.

Check out my easy to follow guide below and experiment to find your ideal flavour.

What equipment do I need to turn my Weber Q into a Smoker?

You only need two items to get smoking on a Weber Q.

First up, you’ll need your chosen wood chips and smoker boxes to hold the wood chips. I purchased mine from weber directly.

If you’re interested, you can check out their range of wood chips and smoker boxes.

If you find that Webers prices are a bit crazy, check out dean from Weber enthusiast.

He shows you how to make your own smoke packet from aluminium foil.

And while you’re there, check out some of his recipes, and please show your support by subscribing to his Youtube channel.

Ingredients to make a smoked Weber Q meatloaf

I previously discussed the three key ingredients needed to make a smoked Weber meatloaf.

Now I will delve into the ingredients I used to make up the beautiful flavours you’re about to experience.

Meatloaf Ingredients:

500g ground beef 80/20 ratio
500g ground pork (not too lean)
Mushrooms (white)
Red onion
Bacon (middle or streaky)
Cheddar cheese
Garlic
Ketchup
Salt & black pepper

Glaze Ingredients:

BBQ sauce
Tomato paste
Apple cider vinegar (sub with balsamic vinegar)
Honey
Maple syrup

How to prepare the meatloaf?

Before starting, it’s important to remember to handle the ground beef/pork as minimal as possible.

The heat from your hands will be transferred to the meat, making it mushy, reflecting on the texture of your meatloaf.

When mixing your ingredients, do it quickly and efficiently.

To begin, slice the mushrooms as desired. I cut mine into halves so as not to overload the meatloaf.

Slice your bacon into 1/2 cm squares and thinly dice 1 large red onion and 3-4 pieces of fresh garlic.

In a large pan/skillet, add 3 tbsp of olive oil, then add the mushrooms, onion, and bacon and sauté for 5-7 minutes over med-high heat.

Add the diced garlic to the pan and continue sautéing for a further 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Put the ingredients into a small bowl, including any liquid.

This will be used in the meatloaf for added flavour. Then set aside for 10-15 minutes to cool.

Next, In a large bowl, add your ground beef/pork. Then add 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper.

Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese to the same bowl, 3/4 cup breadcrumbs, and one beaten egg.

Finally, add the sautéed mushrooms, bacon, and onion.

Using your hands, quickly mix all ingredients together.

Next, line a loaf tin with baking paper, add the meatloaf mixture, and evenly spread it out.

This will compact the meatloaf to avoid the risk of falling apart and help it to cook evenly.

Put the meatloaf in the freezer for 1 hour.

Preparing the glaze for meatloaf

The glaze you’re about to make is amazing. Whether you make meatloaf in the oven or Weber Q, I’m sure this will be your new go-to from now on.

The honey adds sweetness while the maple syrup sits in the background with a hint of aftertaste.

If you’re not a fan of maple syrup, simply leave it out, but you won’t know what you’re missing.

Add the wonderful aroma from the hickory smoke, and you will experience a new dimension of flavours.

In a small bowl, add 1/2 cup of bbq sauce, 1 tbsp of tomato paste, 1 tbsp of cider vinegar.

Then add 1 tbsp of honey and 1/2 tbsp of maple syrup. Mix together using a fork and set aside.

The glaze is done!

How to cook meatloaf in the Weber Q Part 1?

Fill your homemade smoke packet or smoker boxes with your desired wood chips.

Place the convection tray and smoker boxes onto the grill facing the centre inwards and pre-heat your Weber Q on high with the lid down.

Pro Tip: There’s an old wives tale that wood chips must be soaked in water before use. This is simply not true! Water serves no purpose other than to create steam. Water “DOES NOT” penetrate the wood and will overshadow the wonderful hickory flavour that must be infused into the Weber Q meatloaf.

Remove the meatloaf from the freezer and tip the loaf tin upside down onto a wire rack or trivet. Then dispose of the baking paper.

Optionally sprinkle a decent amount of your favourite BBQ rub. I’ll be using one of my favourites “Kansas style smoky BBQ”.

Brush on the BBQ honey glaze making sure to cover the sides and ends of the meatloaf.

When you begin seeing lots of smoke coming from your Weber Q, it’s time to start smoking our meatloaf.

How to cook meatloaf in the Weber Q Part 2?

Place the meatloaf onto the Weber Q and insert your wireless meat thermometer into the centre of the meatloaf.

A great alternative is the Inkbird instant-read meat thermometer if you don’t have one.

Pro Tip: Just remember if you’re looking, it’s not cooking! Keep your lid down as much as possible.

Close the lid and follow the instructions below depending on what Weber Q you’re using.

Family Q: turn the centre gas control knob off and the large gas control knob to the middle position.

Baby Q: Turn the gas control knob down to the middle position.

The woodchips will smoke the Weber Q meatloaf for approximately 30-40 minutes before you will begin noticing the smoke dissipating.

Try to maintain a temperature between 170°C (340°F) and 180°C (355°F).

Turn the gas control knob down if the temperature goes above this range.

The meatloaf needs to reach an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) and should take around 1 1/2 hours to 1 3/4 hours to be cooked.

Pro Tip: Once the temperature reaches 35°C (95°F) internally or 45 minutes into the cook, brush on the glaze for a second time.

Once your smoked Weber Q meatloaf is ready, remove it and set it down on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes.

Tent with aluminium foil, slice, then serve.

What can I serve with meatloaf?

Meatloaf can be served with almost anything, and luckily, we’ve got you covered with some delicious side recipes here.

Creamy garlic & chives mashed potatoes – This is my number one go-to mashed potato recipe. It pairs wonderfully well with smoked Weber Q meatloaf.
Homemade potato salad with egg and bacon
Caesar salad with homemade Caesar dressing

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