Grilled Meatloaf Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 10/3/22
Tested by Mary Jo Romano
Glazed Grilled Meatloaf Recipe

The Spuce/Maxwell Cozzi

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4 to 5 servings

You might not expect to find a meatloaf on the grill, but when the weather's great and the grill is available, why not? 

This flavorful meatloaf is an easy preparation, and it is cooked on the grill. Try to keep the grill temperature steady at a medium heat of around 350 F/180 C and use a heavy-duty disposable aluminum pan or double thickness of heavy-duty foil.

Top the loaf with purchased barbecue sauce or the optional glaze, or use a homemade barbecue sauce. You'll find the optional glaze recipe in the tips and variations.

Serve this meatloaf with mashed potatoes and steamed green beans. Add a pie with ice cream for dessert for an entire meal.

“Full of onions and flavor, the meatloaf is juicy and cooks evenly and quickly on the grill. The longer loaf fit perfectly into my indirect heat zone. The BBQ sauce glaze added a nice coating. Grilling meatloaf, a terrific way to keep the heat out of the kitchen on hot summer days.” —Mary Jo Romano

Glazed Grilled Meatloaf/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef (85% to 90%)

  • 1/2 pound ground pork

  • 1/3 cup ketchup

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 cup soft breadcrumbs

  • 1 cup finely chopped onions

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Barbecue sauce, for glaze, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients to make glazed grilled meatloaf

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

  2. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for indirect heat. Adjust the heat on the active burner to medium heat (350 F to 375 F). In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, egg, breadcrumbs, onions, salt, and pepper. Mix until well blended.

    ground beef with seasonings in a glass mixing bowl

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

  3. Form the meatloaf in the center of a double sheet of heavy-duty foil. Fold up the sides of the foil to contain any juices released during grilling. Alternatively, use an aluminum loaf pan.

    meat loaf on foil

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Brush the meatloaf with barbecue sauce, if using, and transfer to the grill.

    meatloaf brushed with glaze on a charcoal grill

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Grill over indirect heat zone until the meatloaf registers at least 160 F on an instant-read thermometer, Note: 160 F is the minimum safe temperature for ground meat. The minimum safe temperature for ground pork is 145 F.

    Glazed Grilled Meatloaf

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

Recipe Tip

•Before shaping the meatloaf and the foil tray, evaluate the available space on your grill to be sure it will fit.

•Bring the formed meatloaf to the grill on a baking sheet and remove the grilled meatloaf to the same baking sheet for easy transport in and out of the kitchen.

Recipe Variations

  • Optional glaze for meatloaf: Combine 1/3 cup of ketchup with 2 tablespoons of prepared mustard and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.
  • Instead of barbecue sauce, brush the top of the meatloaf with ketchup or chili sauce.
  • Use a chopped frozen seasoning mix (onions, celery, peppers, carrots, etc.) in place of the chopped onions. Thaw or briefly sauté before adding to the meat mixture.
  • Replace the soft breadcrumbs with about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of oats or fine dry breadcrumbs.
  • Oven method: Bake the meatloaf in a preheated 350 F oven for about 1 hour; brush with the glaze and bake for another 15 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
481 Calories
23g Fat
25g Carbs
42g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 5
Amount per serving
Calories 481
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 8g 42%
Cholesterol 161mg 54%
Sodium 769mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 42g
Vitamin C 4mg 18%
Calcium 85mg 7%
Iron 5mg 27%
Potassium 752mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)