Smoked meatloaf with quail eggs

Meatloaf is good in general, cooked in the oven but imagine how perfect this can get when smoked. We love a good old meatloaf and I do love adding little extras to it -you do know me by now and how I like a little twist or two. This time for this meatloaf recipe, I added the smoking and some boiled quail eggs, that's all. Mmmm!

Well, my mum makes drob (haggis) she makes at easter and she adds boiled eggs inside. It is not only prettier but delicious and extra nutritious too. I will publish that recipe super soon.

I was inspired to smoke this meatloaf by my smoked pork joint recipe and the homemade sausages - we kinda like smoked stuff haha.

It doesn't have to be a special occasion to make this meatloaf, but it is great for parties, and it makes a great source of protein. ultimately, it is a very healthy meatloaf recipe since there are no nasty ingredients added to it.

It is all about wholesomeness and homemade food and this is how I think it should be.

Jump to:

• What is smoked meatloaf?
• 🤔What meat is best to use for smoked meatloaf?
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 How to make smoked meatloaf
• 💞 Substitutions
• 🤹‍♂️ Variations
• 📦 Storage
• 🤩 Cooking options
• 📍Top tip
• 💭 What is the best wood to smoke a meatloaf?
• ❓Recipe FAQs
• 👪 Serving suggestions
• 🍖Other meat recipes you may like
• Smoked Meatloaf With Quail Eggs

What is smoked meatloaf?

Smoked meatloaf is a flavorful variation of the traditional meatloaf dish where the meat mixture is cooked using a smoker or grill. It involves combining ground meat with various seasonings, breadcrumbs, eggs, and other ingredients, shaping it into a loaf shape, and then smoking it slowly over low heat. The smoking process gives a unique smoky flavor to the meatloaf, enhancing its taste and providing a delicious twist to the classic recipe. The result is a moist and flavorful meatloaf with a rich, smoky aroma that definitely adds an extra level of enjoyment to the dish.

🤔What meat is best to use for smoked meatloaf?

Smoked meatloaf often features ground beef as its primary meat choice and many traditional meatloaf recipes employ higher-fat ground beef in an attempt to retain moisture, resulting in a heavy and excessively greasy end product. An alternative approach is to opt for leaner ground beef while relying on appropriate cooking techniques and complementary ingredients such as fresh onions, eggs, and milk to introduce moisture. By reducing the fat content in ground beef, the inherent beef flavor can take center stage and absorb the smoky essence during the cooking process, all without the need for additional grease which I am not a fan of. Using ground beef with an 85% lean or even 90% lean ratio strikes a satisfying balance between fat and beef.

For a delightful twist, consider experimenting with bison or other meats like pork, veal, poultry, or even wild ground meats (game) when preparing this smoked meatloaf recipe, just make it exciting!

Is smoked meatloaf different from regular meatloaf?

The main difference between smoked meatloaf and regular meatloaf truly is the cooking method. Smoked meatloaf is cooked on a smoker or grill, while regular meatloaf is baked in the oven.

🥘 Ingredients

This smoked meatloaf recipe only requires a few ingredients, here they are:

• mince or ground beef - I use a 5% fat beef
• Quail eggs - these need to be boiled for this recipe
• garlic - fresh garlic will taste the best, but garlic powder will do as well
• salt - I used kosher salt but Himalayan pink salt is as good
• pepper- I used long pepper and it tastes really good
• dried herbs - add your favorite. I have added thyme, rosemary, and oregano
• eggs - helps bind the meatloaf together with the breadcrumbs
• homemade ketchup - I use a homemade one to keep this recipe a made-from-scratch one - it is important to me but use store bought one if you wish
• panko breadcrumbs
• mushrooms - these prevent the meatloaf from drying and make it tasty and keep it juicy - just as we want it
• leeks - add extra flavor - soo good!
• onion - even if you do not like onions add those - just grate them instead of chopping so these will blend in and just add to the flavor and the moisture
• spring onion/scallions - these are to mix and cook together with the leeks and the mushrooms
• Worcestershire sauce -don't skip it!

See the recipe card for the exact quantities and substitutions section below for some more tips and ideas.

🔪 How to make smoked meatloaf

This smoked meatloaf recipe is a delicious spin on the classic meatloaf since it is smoked and hence delivers a wonderfully smoky flavor.

1. Gather all the listed ingredients
2. Boil the quail eggs
3. Cook the mushrooms, onion, and leek mix
4. Mix all the ingredients
5. Put the mixture into the cooking dish
6. Add the quail eggs halfway
7. Add the remaining meatloaf mixture
8. Cook as desired (see cooking options below).

Hint: You do not have a grill? See the FAQs section below for more tips on achieving the smokey flavor. We are using this BBQ to cook and smoke this meatloaf.

💞 Substitutions

• Gluten-free - instead of panko breadcrumbs, you can use any gluten-free breadcrumbs
• Mushrooms - if you do not like or cannot eat mushrooms, leave those out and choose slightly fattier meat (20% fat instead of 5%)
• Quail eggs - use regular eggs if you do not have quail eggs on hand
• Vegetarian - you can make this vegetarian by adding more breadcrumbs and increasing the mushroom amount and the fresh eggs - see this lentil loaf as an alternative, also a high protein loaf option, totally meat-free.
• Vegan - mushrooms, tofu, chia seeds, vegan bacon

🤹‍♂️ Variations

• Make it spicy - add chili flakes or banana peppers to the mixture;
• Deluxe - add nuts (peanuts or cashew nuts) to make it super fancy;
• Extra flavor - add Worchester sauce, allspice, or nutmeg for extra flavor.

📦 Storage

Once cool, store in an airtight container, and refrigerate.

🤩 Cooking options

• BBQ

This is my go-to method since I have this cool BBQ that does smoking as well. I simply cook it in a heat-resistant (metallic) tin so the meatloaf will have a nice shape too but it could be placed on a cast iron plate too.

• Smoker

Place the pan in the smoker and smoke for 2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 72°C or 160°F.

• Oven

Place in the tin and cook in a preheated oven for 40-45 min at 180°C or 360°F.

❓Recipe FAQs

👪 Serving suggestions

This meatloaf pairs well with this delicious Haricot Beans And Tomato Salad or this Crusty Baked (Potato) Spuds or this wonderful Sweet Potato With Mushrooms, Green Beans, And Green Leaves.

🍖Other meat recipes you may like