Smoked Meatballs in the Smoker or BBQ

These smoked meatballs are an easy BBQ recipe made with ground beef, cheese, breadcrumbs, and simple seasonings, then cooked low and slow in a smoker or BBQ grill. They come out lightly smoky and tasting like mini cheeseburgers.

this recipe

Why You’ll Love These BBQ Meatballs

BBQ meatballs are one of those recipes I keep coming back to because they are easy to make, full of flavor, and always a hit with family and friends. They cook low and slow at 225°F, which gives them time to pick up smoky flavor while the cheese melts right into the meatballs. They are just as good for a party appetizer as they are tucked into buns or served for an easy dinner during the week.

Another reason I love this recipe is how quickly it comes together. In about 35 to 40 minutes, you have a pan of cheesy smoked meatballs with a savory BBQ-style flavor that stands out from store-bought. If you want an easy side to go with them, our Smoked Baked Potatoes are always a good pick. The skin turns out almost like a chip, which makes them a fun sidekick for BBQ night.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Smoked Meatballs

Nothing fancy here. We used common ingredients you may already have in your pantry or can easily be found at the grocery store.

• Ground beef gives these smoked meatballs a rich, hearty base that works well with your choice of smoking wood.
• Ranch seasoning, lemon pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder build layers of savory flavor and give the meatballs their signature taste.
• Italian breadcrumbs help create a tender texture while holding everything together.
• Honey Dijon mustard adds just the right touch of tang and sweetness to balance the smoked meatballs.
• Shredded mild cheddar cheese melts into the meatballs and gives them a cheesy finish in every bite.
• The egg helps bind the mixture so the meatballs stay together.

Check out the recipe card below for exact ingredient measurements, times, and temperatures.

Best Smoker Temperatures for Meatballs

When it comes to smoked meatballs, 225°F is my favorite temperature.
It gives them enough time to pick up smoky flavor without cooking too fast, which helps keep them tender. Since meatballs are smaller than bigger cuts of meat, they do not need a higher temperature to cook through, and going low and slow gives you a little more control.

This is something I’ve learned from making all kinds of recipes in our smoker and BBQ grill. Our burnt ends are cooked at 250°F because the chuck roast is a much thicker cut and can handle a little more heat. Smoked sausage, on the other hand, does better at 225°F, just like these meatballs. The lower temperature and slower cooking time help keep the casings of the sausages from splitting and allow more time to soak in the smoke.

Knowing how different foods react to temperature really matters when you are smoking. A thick cut like Tomahawk steaks can take more time and a little more temperature, while smaller or more delicate foods usually benefit from a gentler cook. Another technique I like to use when you want to have that smoky flavor and a crispy crust is to start low and finish high. Our Smoked Crispy Chicken Wings are a good example. The wings start at 250°F so they can take on the smoke flavor first, then raise the temperature to 400°F at the end to get the skin crispy.

For these smoked meatballs, 225°F is the sweet spot. They usually take about 35 to 40 minutes, and I cook them until they reach 155°F. Then let them rest for a few minutes due to carryover cooking. If you cook them too hot, they can firm up too quickly and lose some of that tender texture.

Best Wood for Smoked Meatballs

The wood you choose can really shape the final flavor of smoked meatballs. For this recipe, I prefer using pecan wood. It adds a mild, slightly sweet, nutty smoke that works really well with the beef, cheese, and seasoning blend. It gives the meatballs that extra layer of BBQ flavor without overpowering them.

If pecan is not what you have on hand, oak is another great choice for a clean, classic smoke flavor, and maple works well too if you want something a little softer and slightly sweeter. If you’re using hickory, go a little lighter, since its stronger smoke can take over pretty quickly on meatballs.

One thing I’ve learned from cooking in the smoker or BBQ grill is that smaller cuts and ground meats do better with a milder wood. Since meatballs cook fairly quickly, they do not need heavy smoke for hours like beef short ribs or a pork butt. A lighter wood gives the meatballs plenty of smoky flavor without overpowering the rest of the flavors in the meatballs.

If you want a deeper look at different smoking woods and how they change flavor, Sean shares more in his Smoked Sausage post. By the way, apple is not just for pie😉, it’s a must when you do a smoked meatloaf.

How to Make Smoked Meatballs

• Preheat the smoker. 225°F is the cooking temperature in your smoker, and for you, BBQ grillers, you’ll need an indirect heat setup, too.
• Mix the ingredients. Combine the ground beef, seasonings, breadcrumbs, honey Dijon mustard, cheddar cheese, and egg in a large bowl, mixing until just combined.
• Shape the meatballs. Use a medium cookie scoop to size the meatballs equally so they cook evenly.

• Smoke the meatballs. Place them in a heat-safe pan and smoke for 35 to 40 minutes, or until they reach 155°F internally.
• Let them rest. Rest the meatballs for about 10 minutes because there is carryover cooking, which will increase their temperature to 165°F before serving.
• Serve warm. Enjoy them as an appetizer, party food, or easy dinner.

For full measurements, cooking notes, and the complete recipe, scroll down to the recipe card.

Tips for Tender Cheesy Smoked Meatballs

If you want smoked meatballs to stay tender, a few simple tips really help. The first is cooking them at 225°F. That lower temperature gives them time to pick up smoke flavor without cooking too fast. Here are some more tips I’ve learned over the years:

• Do not overmix. Mix the meat gently until combined. Overmixing can make the meatballs dense, so I always stop once everything is evenly worked together.

• Give them a little space. Leaving a bit of room between the cheesy meatballs helps the smoke move around them more evenly, which matters on a quicker cook like this.
• Use a mild wood. I like pecan because it adds classic BBQ flavor without overpowering the seasoning blend.
• Cook by temperature, not just time. A cast iron braiser or pan makes this cook easy to manage, and a remote meat thermometer takes out the guesswork. That matters even more when you make bigger versions like the deluxe variation.

Smoked Meatball Substitutions and Variations

One of the reasons we make these smoked meatballs so often is that they are easy to change up. The base recipe is simple and dependable, but there are plenty of ways to tweak it depending on your taste, what you have in the fridge, or who is coming to dinner.

You can swap the ground beef for pork, turkey, or chicken, and if you do not have Italian breadcrumbs, regular breadcrumbs with a little Italian seasoning work just fine. The honey Dijon mustard can be replaced with regular, stone-ground, or spicy mustard, and the mild cheddar can easily be switched for Colby Jack, Provolone, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack.

We have made a few different versions over the years. The spicy version with Pepper Jack and ground chili pepper is always a favorite for my spicy team. If you want something a little heartier, make them a little bigger. The deluxe version with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and bacon turns the smoked meatballs into a full main course. And if you are making them for kids, using their favorite cheese and a milder mustard is a great way to make them more kid friendly.

No matter which direction you go, the most important thing is to watch the internal temperature so the meatballs do not overcook. Different meats and mix-ins can change the cooking time a bit. So, using a remote meat thermometer is the best way to get them just right.

Equipment for Smoker Meatballs

These meatballs can be made in the smoker, on a BBQ grill with an indirect heat setup, or in the oven, so there is plenty of flexibility depending on how you want to cook. The smoker will give you the most wood-fired flavor, a BBQ grill gives you a similar result, and the oven is a great option when the weather is not cooperating.

I used a natural charcoal BBQ grill smoker, an indirect heat setup, and a Staub Braiser, but an aluminum pan or cast iron pan will also get the job done. No matter which method you use, the biggest thing is to keep an eye on the internal temperature. This is why I suggest getting a good remote meat thermometer. Pecan is my favorite because it adds a mild, slightly sweet, nutty smoke that works really well with the beef and cheese. If you are new to smoking, oak is another great choice because it gives you that classic BBQ flavor without getting too strong.

Have you made these smoked meatballs? Drop a comment below and let me know how fast they disappeared. Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating, it helps others find The Kitchen Bucket List recipes, too.
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📖 Recipe

Smoked Meatballs in the Smoker or BBQ

Karina

The Kitchen Bucket List shares how to make smoked meatballs that are easy enough for a weeknight but worthy of a cookout with friends. They are cooked in the smoker or BBQ grill and are perfect for appetizers, sandwiches, pasta night, or an easy dinner.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American, BBQ, Smoker

Servings 4 People

Equipment

• Smoker (Or a BBQ grill with an indirect cooking setup)
• Braiser 3.5 Qt. (Cast iron/aluminum pan)
• Pecan wood (Preferred smoking wood or wood pellets)
• Remote meat thermometer (Instant read thermometer)

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon Ranch seasoning
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅓ cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon honey Dijon mustard
• ½ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 1 egg

Instructions

 

Preheat the smoker or grill

• Set your smoker or BBQ grill at 225°F. If you are using a BBQ, set up for indirect cooking under the pan so the meatballs cook low and slow instead of getting too much direct heat.

Mix the meatball ingredients

• In a large bowl, add the ground beef, Ranch seasoning, lemon pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian breadcrumbs, honey Dijon mustard, shredded cheddar cheese, and egg.
• Mix until all ingredients are evenly combined.

  NOTE: Do not overmix.

Shape the meatballs

• Use a medium cookie scoop, about 1½ tablespoons, to portion the cheesy meatballs so they are close to the same size. This helps them cook evenly and makes it easier to keep track of the internal temperature.
• Place into a heat-safe skillet or aluminum pan, leaving a little space between them so the smoke can move around them evenly. If you have a remote meat thermometer, place one of the sensors in a meatball.

Let's get smoking

• Once the BBQ or smoker is at temperature, place the skillet or the pan directly on the grill grate.

  NOTE: BBQers, once you're at temperature, add the pecan wood before placing the meatballs.
• Smoke with the lid closed for 35 – 40 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 155℉.

Rest before serving

• Remove the pan and let the smoked meatballs rest for about 10 minutes. They will continue to carryover cook and should come up to about 165°F.
• Serve and Enjoy! Once they are rested, serve the smoked meatballs warm as an appetizer, for game day, or as part of an easy BBQ dinner.

Notes

• Cook at 225°F for the best balance of smoke flavor and tender texture.
• Use a medium cookie scoop to keep the meatballs close in size for even cooking.
• I like to pull the meatballs at 155°F, then let them rest as they carryover cook to 165°F.
• Pecan wood is my favorite for this recipe because it adds a mild, slightly sweet smoke flavor.
• A cast iron braiser, cast iron skillet, or aluminum pan all work well for smoking the meatballs.
• If making extra, they reheat well in pasta sauce or in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes.

Keyword cheesy meatballs, pecan wood, pecan wood for smoking, smoked meatballs, smoker meatballs

Food Safety

You will be working with raw ground beef. Take all the standard precautions, like washing your hands and avoiding cross-contamination. USDA has more food safety information if you need it.

HAPPY SMOKING!!!