Since this week’s WFMW is about summer food, I thought I’d link back to this recipe that I posted a few weeks ago, since this just screams summer to me. This is the recipe that made me believe that I could love meatloaf…I had not eaten it for years until my parents convinced me to try this, and it totally won me over. It’s a little bit of a process, but totally worth it! It’s the perfect dinner for having company over in the summertime.
Grilled Meatloaf
3 lb ground beef
2 tsp broiled steak seasoning (I didn’t use this because I didn’t have it)
1 c ketchup
1 ½ c Ritz cracker crumbs (or just crush one sleeve of Ritz – it’s really close)
2 eggs
3 tsp garlic salt
pepper
1 green pepper, cut into rings
1 large onion, thinly sliced rings
Bacon slices (I use 12)
Mix the first 6 ingredients (it’s easiest if you mix the beef in last) thoroughly until firm. Using a rectangular grill basket sprayed with Pam, cover the bottom with slices of bacon; top bacon with sliced onion. Place meatloaf on top of onion, pressing it evenly to all corners of basket. Lay thinly sliced green pepper rings on top of meatloaf. Top again with bacon slices. Secure cover on basket, all the way down to the top of the meatloaf. Grill about 20 minutes on each side or until done to taste. The grill cover should be used during the entire cooking time. It feeds 6-8.
- first of all, are you using one of these? they’re great.
- put meatloaf basket on a cookie sheet and spray with pam.
- put a layer of bacon on the bottom (i usually use 6 slices; not sure why i didn’t this time)
- cover with sliced green peppers
- put all the meatloaf mixture on top of that, and form so it fits in the basket.
- cover with a layer of onions…doesn’t it look like modern art?
- aaaaaand another layer of bacon.
- put the top of the basket down flat on the contents.
- if some is squishing out the sides, just shove it back in…it’ll be fine.
- ta-da! 40 minutes later, it looks like this.
- dig in!
For more great summer recipes, go to We Are THAT Family.












Ok, I think I need to see photos of how this is done. I’m not sure how to put the meat in the basket. Does it crumble out as it cooks?
Well, with the bacon and layer of onions on the bottom of the grill basket, you get a pretty good base to set the meat on. The consistency of the meatloaf keeps it stuck together pretty well, but as you form it in the basket, try to push any pieces that come through the side wires back onto the loaf. Remarkably, it all stays together pretty well since you cover the top part with pepper rings and bacon. Make sure when you close the basket that you lower the top piece down onto the meat so it’s packed in tight. When we make this I’ll take pictures!
We have a new grill and I have been threatening to grill everything in sight…. but I hadn’t thought of grilling meatloaf!
I posted a super-easy Strawberry Pie recipe for WFMW today… it’s one of my favorites!
[...] pictures of how to assemble grilled meatloaf are up on Three More Bites, too, if you’re [...]
Okay…I’ve been waiting for these pictures. I tried this recipe last week and really liked. My brother, Adam, says he “hates’ meatloaf, but I convinced him to try it and he’s a believer! He loved it!
But, we had one minor problem. The grease from the bacon dripped a bunch and made my grill flare up and the bacon burned. I noticed in your pictures that your bacon didn’t burn. Thoughts?