Lessons from 1st Meatloaf Smoke

[Clay Cope]

Tried my first meatload tonight on the WSM and learned a ton.

1st off, you guys we not kidding about use very little smoke wood. I only had hickory on hand tonight, should have used some fruit wood for sure. I only used 2 small chunks, and wow was it strong. Also, not all of the grease drained away. The holes I punched in the foil was not very effective. I'll definitely use more of a pan style setup next time. My meatload was pretty mushy. I can see the potential though.

The bright side, I smoked my first fattie tonight. Pretty darn good. I didn't care for the rub I used, but I'll definitely be doing this again.

 

[Matt_G]

Use parchment paper instead of foil.

Makes a world of difference. Grease drips away and you get a smoke ring on the bottom too.

Did you get the recipe from here? Which one?
The meatloaf recipe here comes out quite nice and it's a great starting point for variations.
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/meatloaf.html

 

[Rick Kramer]

Pierced foil and parchment paper are fine but not necessary. Form your loaf, chill, then place the loaf directly on a hot grate. If you're using a good lump charcoal, wood isn't even needed. Keep it simple!

Rick

 

[W Payton]

I have a metal pizza pan that has a lot of holes in the bottom that I use for my smoked meatloaf.I think I bought it at Wal-Mart, and it works great.

 

[Greg]

i've done the parchment paper and directly on the grate. right on the grate works best when the loaf is chilled, like rick stated.