Smoked Beef and Pork Meatloaf Muffins
Try this Smoked Beef and Pork Meatloaf Muffins recipe
Try this Smoked Beef and Pork Meatloaf Muffins recipe
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbs butter
- 1/2 up green onions chopped (ends and greens)
- 1 carrot, grated or chopped (i used 4 baby carrots)
- 3/4 onion, chopped fine
- 3/4 up celery chopped
- 1/3 up jeff’s barbecue sauce (purchase recipes here)
- 1.5 lbs ground chuck (80/20)
- 3/4 b hot ground sausage (jimmy dean potter, etc.)
- 2 tbs jeff’s rub (purchase recipes here)
- 1 cup of bread crumbs
- 1/3 up parsley leaves chopped
- large size muffin pan (pan)
- Carbohydrate 0.987437500001217 g
- Cholesterol 187.827708337694 mg
- Fat 8.02062708497829 g
- Fiber 0.0419999980926514 g
- Protein 5.45099791668391 g
- Saturated Fat 3.73263833437511 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (162g)
- Sodium 86.3800000116816 mg
- Sugar 0.945437501908565 g
- Trans Fat 0.971682083448487 g
- Calories 97 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the 2 TBS of butter into a large pan or skillet over medium heat.
- Let the butter melt.
- Add the green onions, celery, carrots, onions, and garlic to the melted butter. Let it cook for about 4-6 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Once the carrots get slightly soft, (won’t take long if you grated them) add the ½ cup of Jeff’s barbecue sauce to the vegetables and mix together well.
- Note: After about 4 minutes, if the carrots are not soft, cover the vegetables with a lid for a couple of minutes to help speed things along.
- Set the vegetable/sauce mixture aside to cool for about 10-15 minutes. It will need to be room temperature or less before adding it to the meat.
- Place 1.5 lbs of ground chuck (80/20) and ¾ lb of ground breakfast sausage (Hot) into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the slightly beaten eggs, bread crumbs, chopped parsley, Jeff’s rub, and sautéed vegetables to the mixing bowl and mix the meat and other ingredients together until combined.
- After it’s mixed well, form into a loaf and set it out on the cutting board.
- Separate the loaf into 6 equal portions and place each portion into an area of the large size muffin pan.
- Press the meat into place and flatten the top.
- Cover the top of the muffin pan with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight to firm it up.
- After 2 hours or the next morning, remove the muffins from the muffin pan and arrange them on a Bradley rack or cookie sheet.
- Note: if you have trouble getting them out, use a butter knife along the sides to help loosen them up. You could also line each hole with foil or wax paper to make it easier to get the meatloaf out.
- Setup your smoker or cooker for cooking indirect at about 225°F using your electric, charcoal, gas or wood smoker.
- If your smoker came with a water pan, be sure to use it.
- Place the meatloaf muffins into the smoker directly on the smoker grate or to make it easy, use the Bradley rack and just lay the entire rack on the smoker grate.
- Maintain 225 °F of the entire time and keep the smoke going for at least 1 hour but for better smoke flavor, just keep the smoke going for the entire time.
- About 30 minutes before the meatloaf is finished or at about 150°F, brush a layer of Jeff’s barbecue sauce all over the top and sides of the meatloaf muffins.
- The meatloaf is done when it reaches 160 °F in the center.
- When the meatloaf is done cooking, serve immediately with mashed potatoes, corn, mixes vegetables, etc.
My Unexpected Meatloaf Adventure: From Weeknight Dinner to Backyard BBQ
Let me tell you, life as a busy mom is a whirlwind. Between school runs, work deadlines, and the never-ending laundry pile, finding time for anything beyond basic survival feels like a luxury. Dinner, especially, often feels like a battle I’m constantly fighting. Yet, somehow, amidst the chaos, I discovered a recipe that has revolutionized my weeknight routine and even made its way into my weekend BBQ plans: Smoked Beef and Pork Meatloaf Muffins.
I stumbled upon this recipe while scrolling through my favorite food blogs – the kind that offer delicious, family-friendly meals with minimal fuss. Initially, the idea of “meatloaf muffins” sounded a little odd. Meatloaf, in my mind, was always a hefty, traditional loaf, the kind my grandmother used to make, complete with its own special gravy. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and I was desperate for a quicker, easier meal option. I figured, what the heck, right? I had some ground beef and sausage in the fridge and a collection of vegetables that needed using up. The ingredients were simple, and the recipe looked straightforward.
The process itself was surprisingly easy. The recipe walks you through prepping the vegetables, then combining them with the ground meats, eggs, breadcrumbs, and seasonings. The genius of this recipe lies in its format. Instead of a large, time-consuming loaf, I ended up with six perfectly sized individual meatloaves. These little guys baked up beautifully, taking on a wonderful smoky flavor from the Bradley smoker (though you can use other methods). They’re perfect for portion control. My kids love them! What’s more, they’re incredibly versatile. They’re amazing hot off the smoker, perfect for a casual weeknight meal, but they're just as good reheated the next day for a quick lunch. I’ve even surprised guests by serving them as an appetizer, simply garnished with a little fresh parsley.
But it’s not just the ease of preparation that makes this recipe special. The taste is incredible. The smoky flavor combined with the richness of the beef and pork, alongside the subtle sweetness from the vegetables and a touch of barbecue sauce, creates a delicious symphony of flavors. It’s a meal that pleases everyone in my family, even my picky eaters. The kids devour them, my husband raves about them, and even I find myself sneaking an extra one or two from the fridge.
The best part? These meatloaf muffins are incredibly adaptable. I’ve experimented with different seasonings, adding a pinch of chili powder or a dash of Worcestershire sauce to give them a bit of a kick. I’ve swapped out some of the vegetables, adding bell peppers or mushrooms to change things up. The possibilities are endless! In short, this meatloaf recipe is my new go-to. It’s practical, delicious and easy to adapt for different tastes and dietary needs. This meatloaf has been a real game-changer in my kitchen, and I couldn't recommend it enough to any busy mom—or anyone else looking for a flavorful and fuss-free meal.
These little meatloaf muffins have become a staple in our family, and they've done more than just solve my weeknight dinner dilemmas; they’ve added a spark of joy to our meals. It’s the kind of recipe that makes you feel like a culinary rockstar, even when you're exhausted and running on empty. And, let's be honest, in the crazy life of a working mom, feeling like a rockstar, even in the kitchen, is something truly special.
From weeknight dinners to backyard BBQs, this recipe is a winner! Try it, and I’m sure you’ll agree.
