Why You Should Start Smoking Ground Meats

In the pantheon of smoked meats, there are some true heavy-hitters. Top of the heap in terms of difficulty and payoff is that Texas favorite, beef brisket, a cut that's bad for the grill but great for the smoker. Not to be outdone, pork shoulder offers flavorful, tender, unctuous meat when slowly coaxed in a smoker. Then of course, there are ribs, chicken, sausages, and even fish. There are also plenty of overlooked cuts that take to smoking with aplomb, such as beef chuck roast and pork loin. But what about a cut that is at once several cuts? That's right, we're talking about ground meat and, according to Adam Truhler from The Grilling Dad, it is probably one of the best cuts you're not smoking.

We spoke with Truhler, a true grilling and smoking aficionado who wants to see you take your BBQ game up a notch, to find out more about the finer points of smoking ground meat. It was an experiment by his father that unlocked a new smoking level for him. "When I was in college my dad started smoking meatloaf," Truhler remembers. "The first time I ate it was like a revelation. I already loved meatloaf, but this took it to a whole new level. Burgers, brats, and meatloaf are all made from ground meats which absorb smoke very well and very quickly on all types of smokers."

Smoking ground meat may seem a bit antithetical to some given most cuts of whole meat thrown on the smoker are tough and fatty. But sausages like Texas hot links and bratwurst are frequently smoked, and that's just ground meat in a casing. Outside of the casing, the world of smoking ground meat opens up even further. What's more, you don't even need a fancy smoker, as a kettle grill can be transformed into a smoker with ease. 

Truhler cautions that there are some things to keep in mind when it comes to smoking ground meats, namely timing. As he points out, the very nature of them being ground means there is more surface area to absorb the flavor of the smoke rapidly. "This makes them easy to smoke, but it can also be very easy to over-smoke them," says Truhler. "You've been warned!"

The codicil here is that "over-smoking" meat is subjective. Truhler is referring to the fact that the longer the meat smokes, the smokier it will taste, but you may like that. For ground meat, aim for just a few hours of smoking between 180 and 225 degrees and an internal temperature of 140 to 160 degrees, depending on your preferred level of doneness.

If you're all in with smoking ground meat, but need a nudge to get you started, we're here to help. For starters, why not take a page from Truhler's past and give meatloaf a go? You probably already have a favorite recipe that would transfer to the smoker nicely, but make sure you don't use a loaf pan for it. A free-form meatloaf is the way to go as it allows the smoke to fully surround and flavor the dish. From there, you can take things up a notch with the infamous Bacon Explosion, a meatloaf like creation that sees Italian sausage — sans casing — shaped into a meat torpedo, wrapped in bacon, rubbed with a seasoning blend, and smoked to crispy, juicy perfection. It's a joyously customizable dish, so feel free to add in some ground beef if you like, stuff it with melty cheese, or stud the Bacon Explosion with jalapenos. 

Cevapi — aka cevapcici — may be foreign to some, but these Balkan casing-less sausages are delightfully spiced and just begging for the smoke. A simple mixture of beef and pork is flavored with garlic, cumin, oregano, and paprika, formed into loose links, and smoked for a quick 30 to 40 minutes. These can be served with ajvar, a red pepper and eggplant spread, as an appetizer or as the filling for a sandwich.