Traeger Meatloaf
Published August 22, 2021 • Updated June 11, 2026
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Cooking this meatloaf on a pellet grill adds a subtle smoky flavor and tender texture that I wasn't able to achieve in the oven. My family asked me to make it again the very next night, and it's been our go-to low-carb dinner ever since.
I started making this on my Traeger after years of oven meatloaf, and the difference convinced me on the first try. Smoking at 225°F lets the smoke actually penetrate the meat instead of just coating the outside, which is something I never got from the oven no matter how long I cooked it.
Why this version stays juicy (without breadcrumbs)
The biggest challenge with keto meatloaf is finding a binder that doesn’t wreck the texture. I tested almond flour early on and the loaf came out dense and gummy. Pork panko fixed that completely. It absorbs moisture the way breadcrumbs would, but without turning the mixture heavy or adding carbs. If you’ve tried my keto BBQ cheeseburger meatloaf, you already know pork panko works. It works even better here because the long smoke gives it time to meld into the meat.
I use a 50/50 split of ground beef and ground pork. Beef alone is fine, but the pork adds fat that acts as insurance against drying out during the 2-3 hour cook. Heavy cream and one egg bind everything without making it spongy, and finely diced onion melts into the mixture instead of leaving chunks behind.
If you like meatloaf in general, I have a few other low-carb versions worth trying. My pizza meatloaf is a fun weeknight spin, and keto shepherd’s pie scratches the same comfort-food itch when I want something different.
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Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (90/10) -
1 pound ground pork
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2 cups pork panko
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1/3 cup diced yellow onion
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1/3 cup heavy cream
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1 large egg
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1/4 cup chopped parsley
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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2 teaspoons salt
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1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat Traeger
Preheat pellet grill to 225 degrees F with lid closed to capture smoke.
Meatloaf mixture
Add ground beef, ground pork, pork panko, egg, onion, parsley, heavy cream, garlic, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Mix with a spoon or clean hands until combined.
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 cups pork panko
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Mold meatloaf into a loaf
Mold meatloaf into a loaf shape and place on a perforated grill tray.
Grill
Place grill tray with meatloaf in the Traeger with the lid closed and grill for 2-3 hours or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 160 degrees F.
Let rest
Remove meatloaf from the grill and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best wood pellet for meatloaf on a Traeger?
I've tried several and keep coming back to Traeger's signature blend (hickory, maple, cherry). The blend gives a rounder, deeper smoke than any single wood. Fruitwood alone tastes fine but the flavor sits on the surface instead of working into the meat. For a milder profile, apple pellets are my second pick. I'd avoid mesquite for this recipe because it can overpower the pork.
Should I cook meatloaf directly on the grate or use a perforated tray?
I use a perforated grill tray every time. Early on I tried a solid loaf pan and the bottom came out greasy and soft because the fat and steam had nowhere to go. The perforated tray lets air circulate underneath so you get a light bark on all sides. If you only have a solid pan, set a wire rack inside it to lift the loaf off the surface.
Can I freeze and reheat smoked meatloaf?
I freeze slices individually wrapped in plastic wrap, then store them in a freezer bag. They keep well for about two months. To reheat, I thaw in the fridge overnight and warm slices in a 300°F oven for 10-12 minutes loosely covered with foil. The microwave works in a pinch, but you lose some of the bark texture. I've reheated this way dozens of times and the smoke flavor holds up.
Can I swap the heavy cream for something else?
I've had readers try beef broth with a tablespoon of cream cheese and report great results (the cream cheese melts right in and adds fat without thinning the mix). I've also tested it with sour cream, which works but makes the texture slightly denser. The heavy cream gives the most neutral result, so I keep it as my default.
Should I pull the meatloaf at 160 or 165 degrees?
I pull mine at 160°F because it continues to climb a few degrees while resting. By the time I slice it (after a full 10 minutes of resting), it's right at 163-165°F. If you pull at 165 and then let it rest, you're looking at closer to 170 internal, which starts to dry out the edges. My thermometer is the most important tool for this recipe.
Can I make mini meatloaves on the Traeger?
I've done this when I want faster cook times. I shape them into 4 smaller loaves and they finish in about 60-75 minutes at 225°F instead of 2-3 hours. The smoke-to-meat ratio is actually better with minis because more surface area is exposed. I still use the perforated tray and pull at 160°F.
Can I add extra garlic or other mix-ins?
More garlic is always right. I do 3 cloves minimum and sometimes push to 4. For mix-ins, I've added diced bell peppers and blocks of cheddar cheese (both work). The key is dicing everything small so it melts into the mixture rather than creating pockets that break the loaf apart. I'd avoid anything too wet like tomatoes unless you reduce the heavy cream slightly to compensate.
How long does it take to smoke a meatloaf on a Traeger?
I plan on 2-3 hours at 225°F for a standard two-pound loaf, but I cook to temperature, not the clock. Every grill smokes a little differently, so I start checking around the 2 hour mark and pull it the moment it hits 160°F internal. A leaner mix can run faster and a cold day can run slower, which is exactly why I never trust the timer alone on this smoked meatloaf. My instant-read thermometer makes the call.
Served this at a backyard dinner for six people who between them own four different grills. The smoke ring stopped everyone before I could explain what it was. Three of them had their phones out for the cook time before they'd gotten through a first slice. One guy spent a few minutes pressing on each piece, poking at it, and eventually said it was like a smoked brisket that someone had gotten confused about what shape to make. Then I told them it was 1.5 net carbs a serving and there was an actual silence. Two of them aren't even keto. Didn't seem to matter. This is what I'm making when I need to show up with something that does the talking.
Just got a Traeger a few months ago, and this is the first meatloaf recipe I've seen written specifically for a pellet grill. A few questions before I start.nnAt 225, roughly how long should I expect? I rely on visual cues in the oven, and I know that doesn't really carry over to a smoker. Should I be going by internal temp instead? If so, what am I aiming for with the beef and pork combination?nnI also don't have a perforated grill tray. Is that going to be a problem, or would a regular grill-safe pan work? And should the lid stay shut throughout, or is it okay to crack it a couple of times?
At 225, is it supposed to be this juicy?
That's the whole point of 225. Low heat keeps the fat from escaping before the meat sets, so it stays locked in. The pork and heavy cream push it further in that direction.
The ground pork with heavy cream is the part I almost skipped, and now it's why this stays on the list. Something about the interior gets almost buttery when you slice through, haven't gotten that from other meatloaf. Four or five batches in and I still haven't touched the ratios, which never happens with me.
My daughter has had a lifelong grudge against meatloaf (too mushy, she says) and didn't realize what I was plating until halfway through dinner. She called it 'that smoky Traeger thing' and asked when we're making it again.
Mushy meatloaf is almost always a loaf pan problem. Fat and steam have nowhere to go, so the bottom sits in its own liquid the whole time it cooks. The perforated tray fixes both in one move. "That smoky Traeger thing" is going in my vocabulary. Once she figures out what she's been eating, I don't think she'll care.
Ran out of ground pork so I doubled the beef. Was worried about the texture but the heavy cream saved it. Ate it two nights in a row. Grabbing pork this weekend to make it properly.
All beef works, just comes out a bit denser in the center. Once you make it with the pork you'll notice it goes silkier through the whole slice. The fat distributes differently.
I was skeptical about meatloaf on a pellet grill (seemed like a lot of effort for something I could just bake). The smoke pulled into that pork panko crust in a way that made the whole thing taste like it had been cooking all afternoon. Going in the rotation.
The pork panko holds smoke in a way regular breadcrumbs can't. Oven meatloaf just doesn't do that.
My husband is not a meatloaf person. He's made that very clear over 12 years. I made this on the Traeger last Sunday and he came back to the kitchen twice before dinner was even plated. The smoke does something to the crust that an oven just can't replicate, and I think that's what got him. He asked if we were having it again this weekend. I hadn't even cleaned the grill pan yet.
Ran out of hickory pellets so used cherry instead, and the slightly sweeter smoke pairs with the pork really well (surprised me). Also switched to 80/20 beef instead of 90/10, the extra fat at 225 kept the interior from drying out. Going cherry from here on.
Cherry's already in the Traeger signature blend anyway, so that tracks. Good call on the 80/20 at 225 too. Lean beef dries out fast at low temps.
My husband said he doesn't like meatloaf. He had two slices before I sat down. The smoke at 225 does something to the pork and beef that the oven just can't.
Ha, two before you sat down. Mine did the same thing to my family. The fat in the pork stays in at 225 instead of pooling out like it does in the oven.
Really tender and way smokier than I expected at 225. Only thing missing is a pull temp. Kept second-guessing myself until I hit 160F on the thermometer.
160 is exactly right. It carries a few degrees while it rests, so pulling at 165 means it's already past. Ten minutes rest and you land right at 163-165 anyway.
Made a double batch on Sunday to get through the week and the leftovers are holding up better than I expected. The pork panko keeps it from drying out when you reheat it, which is the meal prep test I always fail. Four days in the fridge and it still slices clean. Going in the weekly rotation.
The pork panko is what does it. Breadcrumbs would've dried out by day two. Double batch is the only way I make it now.
Thought meatloaf was just gone from my life when I went keto. Made this on the Traeger and now it's on my Sunday table every week.
Sunday meatloaf is a good problem to have. The smoke gets into the whole loaf in a way an oven just doesn't.
First time making meatloaf on the Traeger and I was nervous I'd ruin it. The smoke at 225 came through really well (not heavy, just enough), and the pork panko kept the texture from going dense the way regular breadcrumbs usually do for me. My one note is that the glaze started to set up pretty fast on mine and got a little tacky before I was ready to slice, so I wish I'd watched it more closely toward the end. Four stars because everything else was really solid, and I'll make it again with a closer eye on the topping.
Glaze goes on at 155 internal and you've got maybe 5 minutes. Once it looks set, pull it.
The perforated tray is doing more than you'd think (it lets smoke circulate under the loaf), so don't substitute a solid pan.
Learned that one early on. Solid pan made the bottom greasy and kind of steamed instead of smoked. The tray is worth it.