Best Ever Meatloaf

2 slices bbq meatloaf on a plate with mashed potatoes.

5 from 40 votes

Best Ever Meatloaf is a comforting dinner to make on the grill that will feed a crowd or make the most amazing leftover meatloaf sandwich.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Beef

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy meatloaf on the grill, grilled meatloaf, meatloaf for a crowd, meatloaf recipe

Servings: Servings

Calories: 585kcal

Author: Milisa

Ingredients

3 pounds lean ground beef
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
½ cup milk
1 cup bread pieces or bread crumbs
3 large eggs beaten
1 ½ cups sweet and tangy bbq sauce divided
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
⅓ cup Steak Rub
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

Instructions

Prepare a grill fire to 350° using hickory chunks or chips for smoke flavor.
Cook onion and garlic in a skillet over medium heat, stirring often until softened. Set aside.
Add milk to a small bowl and add crumbled bread into the milk, mix until well combined. Set aside. This is a must for using leaner meat to keep the meatloaf from being dry and tough.
In a large bowl, add the ground beef, beaten eggs, sautéed onions and garlic, bread mixture, bbq sauce, Worcestershire sauce, steak rub and salt.
Mix well with a wooden spoon or with clean hands. until well combined.
Place a grill pan onto a rimmed baking sheet. Form the meatloaf mixture into a rectangle loaf.
Cook over indirect heat on a hot grill with the grill lid closed for 30 minutes.
Brush the top of the meatloaf with bbq sauce and continue to cook until internal temperature of meatloaf reaches 165° using a digital meat thermometer, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes total cooking time.
Remove from grill and let the meatloaf rest 5 minutes.
Use a sharp knife to make thick slices.
Serve with additional bbq sauce if desired.

Notes

Make Smaller Meatloafs: This makes one large meatloaf. You can cut the recipe in half for a smaller meatloaf or make into 2 meatloafs. The second meatloaf can be shared with someone needing a meal or frozen for later.

Shaping the Meatloaf: For grilling, we like to make the meatloaf into a wide, thinner shaped meatloaf so that it cooks faster and also gets smokier. If shaped more like a traditional loaf shape, cooking time will be longer.

Oven Method: Use the same cooking time and temperature for a conventional oven or pellet grill.

Variations: If you would rather have a more traditional meatloaf recipe with a sweet ketchup glaze, mix brown sugar with ketchup in place of the bbq sauce or try chili sauce.

Storage: Store leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. Freeze in 2 layers of plastic wrap plus a layer of aluminum foil up to 3 months.

Reheat: Place meatloaf slices in a skillet lightly coated in olive oil and cook over medium-high heat, flipping to heat from both sides.

ADD-INS

Vegetables: Add diced bell peppers and sauté with the onions.

Bacon: Top the meatloaf with bacon that has been partially cooked, so that it gets crisp.

Pork: Use half ground pork in the meat mixture if desired.

Nutrition