#1 Soak the Cedar Plank

• First, soak the cedar plank in water for at least 30 minutes. Naturally, the plank will try to float, so you may need to use something to weigh it down. We normally use our mortar bowl, which is made of stone. We soaked our plank for approximately 1 hour prior to smoking.

#2 Prep the Meatloaf for Smoking

• Place the two slices of bread into a bowl. Pour the milk over the slices; turn the bread to coat with the milk. Allow the bread to sit and absorb the milk for about 5 minutes while chopping the vegetables and slicing the cheese for the meatloaf.

• After chopping, squeeze the excess milk from the slices of bread with your hand like you would a washrag (Glamourous I know). Then break the bread into bite-size bits.

• In a large mixing bowl, use wet hands (see notes) to knead together the ground beef, ground pork, onion, bell pepper, egg, bread, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper, to taste.

• Once the meatloaf mixture is mixed well, dump the mixture out onto a clean work surface. I found that a large sheet of freezer paper works well at keeping the counter clean and it also aids in rolling the meatloaf mixture into a loaf. You could also use parchment or wax paper.

• Use wet hands or a rolling pin, press the meatloaf mixture into a ½–inch thick square shape on the clean work surface.

• Place the slices of cheese into the flattened meatloaf mixture. Then roll the flattened meatloaf over, tucking the cheese inside, to form a loaf.

• Place one hand on each end of the loaf and gently squeeze to shape the meatloaf mixture to shorten the loaf as needed. This is when the freezer paper comes in handy, to help roll the meatloaf mixture over.

#3 Make A Bacon Weave (see video below):

• Start by laying 7 or 8 slices of bacon tight against each other, horizontally in rows on a sheet of parchment paper or butcher’s paper. If the bacon is larger at one end than the other, alternate the direction the bacon slices end to end can compensate for any curve so that the weave will be more square. The width of the bacon slices should match the length of the strips.

• Begin to build the weave by folding back every other strip half onto itself. Lay one strip of bacon perpendicular to those folded strips, flush up against the back of the folds. Unfold the folded row of strips back over the perpendicular slice of bacon.

• Next, fold back every other strip that wasn’t folded back before. Lay one strip of bacon perpendicular to those strips, tightly up against the back of the folds. Then unfold the folded strips back over the perpendicular strip of bacon.

• Repeat the process, continuing to weave the bacon, alternately folding and unfolding the horizontal over the perpendicular strips of bacon. When the weave is complete, there should be the same number of strips going down as there are going across.

• Chill the bacon weave until needed.

• Place the meatloaf onto the bacon weave, and roll it around. Lay the meatloaf directly in the center of the soaked cedar plank, seam side down.

#4 Prep the Grill For Smoking

• For this meatloaf, David used his Weber Performer and set up the grill for the two-zone indirect heat technique with an empty drip pan directly underneath the plank of meatloaf. The drip pan will help keep the inside of your grill clean from all the grease that drains from the meatloaf.

• Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F. To maintain this low temperature, use only half as much charcoal as usual. (A half chimney-full.)

#5 Smoking the Meatloaf

• When the coals are ready and the smoker is at 250 degrees, place the meatloaf into the grill directly over the drip pan. Then insert the thermometer probe (if using a probe thermometer) into the center of the meat.

• Add a few cherry wood chunks on top of the hot coals. Close the lid and cook.

• Bring the temperature back up to 250 degrees F, using the vents to regulate the temperature.

#6 Low and Slow

• Smoke the meatloaf until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 155 to 160 degrees F. This should take about 2 ½ to 3 hours.

• Monitor the grill temperature and keep it as close to 250 degrees F as possible. Resist the temptation to open the lid unless you need to add more charcoal or wood chunks to maintain temperature and smoke.

#7 Never mind the Stall

• The surface evaporation of the meatloaf causes the meatloaf’s internal temperature to plateau. Pit Masters refer to this as “the stall.” Don’t panic. That fatty bacon will start to melt. Just maintain your grill temperature and wait out the stall.

#8 Prepare and Glaze The Smoked Meatloaf

• After about two hours of smoking, the meatloaf temperature should be edging close to the ideal done temperature of 155 to 160 degrees F. At this point, you want to make the glaze.

• Whisk the ketchup, brown sugar and Worchestire sauce in a small pot over medium-low heat, Whisking the sugar has melted and the ingredients are well blended. Remove the glaze from the heat and take it to the grill.

• Remove the lid from the grill and brush the glaze over the hot meatloaf. Close the lid and continue to cook the meatloaf.

• #9 Check for Doneness

• Continue glazing the meatloaf every 15 minutes or so, checking for doneness each time you open the grill with an instant-read thermometer. While a probe thermometer is great, it helps to check other areas of the meatloaf to ensure even cooking.

• Continue to cook the meatloaf until and apply as much glaze as you want until the meatloaf has reached an internal temperature 155 degrees F. Keep in mind there will more than likely be some carry-over heat, so removing the meatloaf as soon as it reaches 155 degrees F is recommended.

• #10 Remove the Smoked Meatloaf, Rest & Serve

• When the meatloaf is done carefully remove the meatloaf with cedar plank underneath to a cutting board or platter large enough to sit the hot cedar plank onto.

• Allow the meatloaf to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Oven-Baked Meatloaf

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

• Prepare the meatloaf as instructed below. Wrap the meatloaf in the bacon weave or simply wrap with some strips of bacon.

• Place the meatloaf onto a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish lined with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes.

• After 45 minutes, mix the ingredients for the glaze and brush it on the meatloaf.

• Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and bake until the internal temperature of the meatloaf reads 155 to 160 degrees F with an instant-read thermometer.

• Remove from the oven. Let it rest for 15-minutes. Slice and serve!

Meatloaf Notes:

• You may not use all of the bacon. However, some of the leftover bacon may be needed if the weave doesn’t completely wrap the meatloaf.

• The size of the bacon weave may vary. If your bacon weave was too small to fit all the way around the meatloaf. To compensate for the uncovered portion of the meatloaf line some bacon strips across the naked portion of the loaf. Tie the bacon weave with butcher’s twine to help secure it, if needed.

• Although we have not tried this method from BarbecueBible.com, I feel that is worth mentioning. To make the bacon weave larger, cover it with plastic wrap and gently roll it with a rolling pin to tighten the weave. The rolling helps to expand the dimensions of the weave slightly.

Recipe and image courtesy of Bacon-Wrapped Smoked Meatloaf | The Mountain Kitchen

Bacon Weaving Video