Smoked (or Oven-Baked) Meatloaf, Reimagined

Melt 3 tbsp butter in the 12-inch stainless skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the diced onion with a pinch of salt. Cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and just coloring at the edges.

Add the minced mushrooms. Cook 8–10 minutes, stirring, until all moisture has evaporated and the mass looks dark and paste-like.

Add the garlic; cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Push everything aside, drop the tomato paste into the bare spot, and let it cook undisturbed about 90 seconds until it darkens to brick red. Stir into the mixture and cook 1 minute more.

Off heat, stir in the Worcestershire, soy sauce, fish sauce, and anchovy paste. Scrape the duxelles into a bowl and cool fully to room temperature.

Combine the toasted, torn bread, milk, and cream in a large bowl. Smash with a fork into a smooth paste and let sit 5 minutes.

Whisk the beaten eggs, Parmigiano, parsley, thyme, Dijon, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika into the panade until smooth. Stir in the cooled duxelles.

Add the chuck and pork. Fold and lift gently with your hands — like tossing a salad — for 60–90 seconds, just until combined with visible streaks of panade remaining. Pinch off a tablespoon, flatten, and cook it in a small skillet; taste and adjust salt and pepper.

On a parchment-lined half sheet, shape a free-form loaf about 9 in long, 4–5 in wide, 2.5 in tall with a rounded top. Smooth with wet hands. Refrigerate uncovered 30–60 minutes.

PATH A — SMOKER: Fill the Masterbuilt 1080 hopper with lump charcoal and add 1–2 chunks of cherry or apple a third down. Set to 275°F and stabilize 15 minutes to thin blue smoke. Set the loaf on a wire rack over a sheet pan on the grate and smoke unglazed about 1 hour, to ~120–130°F internal.

PATH B — OVEN: Preheat the Breville to 325°F convection (or 350°F conventional). Bake the loaf unglazed on the rack-over-sheet setup for 35 minutes.

Brush on half the cooked glaze. Smoker: continue 30 minutes. Oven: bake 15 minutes.

Brush on the remaining glaze. Smoker: cook 15–25 minutes more; oven: 10–15 minutes more. Pull when the thickest part reads 158°F on an instant-read thermometer. Oven version: optionally broil 60–90 seconds for extra lacquer — watch closely.

Brush the hot loaf with the 1 tbsp cold butter, then tent loosely with foil and rest 15–20 minutes — carryover will carry it to 160°F+ and juices redistribute. Finish with a few flakes of salt and slice 3/4 in thick with a sharp serrated knife in clean strokes.