Cranked Up Meatloaf

As published in Grilling With House of Q
Copyright Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved.

BONUS! Chef Tom from All Things Barbecue in Wichita, KS featured this recipe on their YouTube channel. Look for the video below!

This meatloaf recipe is probably the most popular recipe from BBQ Brian’s cookbook. It is easy to do and so delicious when glazed with Apple Butter BBQ sauce! But there are two key things to point out….

Create your own variation!

Be creative and add what you think goes good in your meatloaf. Think back to what Mom made or even Grandma! They made great meatloaf didn’t they? Add those defining ingredients into your recipe.

Change the shape – make it a burger!

House of Q changed this recipe into a burger and took it to BBQ competitions. It is a game changer and let’s put it this way – IT’S AND AWARD WINNER!

Crankedup Meatloaf square

Cranked Up Meatloaf

Print Recipe
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Grill, Smoker
HoQ Product Apple Butter BBQ Sauce, Competition Beef Rub, Competition Rib Rub, Five Star Competition BBQ Sauce, House Rub
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Servings 4
Author House of Q

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground pork
  • 1 cup medium or hot salsa
  • 2 cups tortilla chips crushed (we prefer multicoloured ones)
  • 2 cups grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 Tbsp House of Q House Rub
  • 1 lb bacon cut in thin slices
  • House of Q Apple Butter BBQ Sauce Or any choice of House of Q BBQ sauces

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the pork, salsa, tortilla chips, cheese and rub until well mixed. Turn the mixture onto a clean work surface, and using your hands, form the meat into a large loaf about 8 to 10 inches long.
  • Wrap the meatloaf with the bacon strips so the loose ends are underneath the loaf. (Or if you prefer, arrange the bacon in a lattice pattern on a clean work surface, set the meatloaf on top and roll the meat over the bacon, pressing the strips into the loaf to completely cover it.) Set the bacon-wrapped meatloaf on a plate, and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for an hour or more to allow the flavours to come together.
  • Prepare your grill (or your smoker) for indirect cooking on medium heat. Place a sheet of aluminum foil under the grate on the cool side of the grill. Remove the meatloaf from the fridge, remove the plastic wrap and place the loaf on the cool side of your grill (or smoker) and cook for 60 to 90 minutes. When the internal temperature of the meat reaches 140°F to 145°F, brush the meat with BBQ sauce if you like. Continue cooking until the meatloaf reaches 160°F and the bacon is crisp. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for a few minutes.
  • Slice the meatloaf into individual servings. Serve with more Apple Butter BBQ Sauce.

To Make it into a Burger

Cranked Up Meatloaf 1

House of Q likes this recipe so much we used it as a base for a competition BBQ entry at a burger contest. This contest, the Canadian National BBQ Festival in Whistler draws top burger cooks from the area including world champions! BBQ Brian and his cooking team changed this recipe and formed the meat into a burger patty. There was lettuce underneath, cheese on top and slice of tomato… it won first place!

They key to making this into a burger patty is that you need to wrap in bacon with 3-4 strips and then slowly cook the burger so the bacon is cooked properly. Once the bacon is rendered onto the burger patty, then you can sear or give the burger more of a charred crust. And in any event, always brush with some House of Q BBQ sauce – the choice as to which is yours!

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