Meatloaf and Sausage on New Bradley

[beer-b-q]

Okay, after a slow start we are finally smoking...

Sorry for the Oversize Pics, the day started off with camera problems and hasn't gotten much better...

I am smoking 2 Meatloafs and Some BBQ Sausage today.

Here is Qview of the Preparation of the Meatloaf

Ingredients In Packages;




Ready for Mixing;










The Meat Mixture;


Meat With Dry Ingredients;


All Mixed Together;


Made into Loafs;


Sausage I'm Using;


Smoker Heated and Ready:


Smoking up a Storm;



Sausage In Smoker;


Meatloaf In Smoker;


This is the recipe I used for the meatloaf;

[font=&quot]Meat Loaf Recipe[/font]

• [font=&quot]2 lbs. Ground Beef[/font]
• [font=&quot]2 lbs Ground Pork[/font]
• [font=&quot]1 Medium onion finely chopped[/font]
• [font=&quot]1 Green Pepper Finely Chopped[/font]
• [font=&quot]2 Cloves Garlic Minced (optional)[/font]
• [font=&quot]1 C. fresh bread crumbs or saltine cracker crumbs[/font]
• [font=&quot]2 Eggs Lightly Beaten[/font]
• [font=&quot]¾ C. Ketchup[/font]
• [font=&quot]¼ C. Milk[/font]
• [font=&quot]½ C. Sliced Mushrooms[/font]
• [font=&quot]½ C. Sliced Black Olives[/font]
• [font=&quot]½ C. Green Salad Olives[/font]

Directions:

1. Place the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Shape mixture into a loaf and place in heated baking pan.
3. Smoke at around 250 degrees for probably 3 to 4 hours until an internal temperature of 165 degrees has been reached.
4. Don't overcook or the meatloaf will be dry. You may serve this meatloaf either hot or cold.
5. This recipe also freezes well, so it can be a good idea to double the recipe and make 2 loaves of meatloaf at once. It will take a bit longer to cook 2 meatloaves, but use an internal meat thermometer to test for doneness.
6. Cool 2nd meatloaf completely before covering in freezer wrap and storing in your freezer for another night. Thaw in your refrigerator and reheat in 350 degree oven.
7. Cover the meatloaf with aluminum foil while reheating to make sure the meatloaf doesn't dry out.

I will be posting more Qview when it is finished...

 

[pandemonium]

looks great so far might have to try that recipe i like olives.

 

[beer-b-q]

Update on the Progress with the Bradley Half Way Done:

 

[irishteabear]

Looking good.

 

[beer-b-q]

Well the sausage finally got done, just waiting on the meatloaves....

Not real sure that I like the Bradley. Seems to take a long time to cook, I believe the element is way too small...

Hopefully as I get used to it it will get better...

 

[irishteabear]

Check the temp of the Bradley. Depending on which rack you use, it may not be 220. Mine is off by anywhere from 20 - 50 degrees. The recovery time is more than a charcoal, propane or stickburner takes. The sausage looks really good.

 

[beer-b-q]

The sausage is delicious, I tried some with a Raspberry Jalapeno BBQ Sauce.

 

[ronp]

The sausage looks great, Paul, how are the meat loafs coming?

 

[beer-b-q]

I pulled them at 11:45 after 6hrs 45 min and put them in the oven...


They got to 140 but never any higher and they look raw in the very middle...

I ran them at 220 for 5hrs then kicked it to 250 because they were not going anywhere...
The highest I could get the digital controller to set was 280, it is supposed to go to 320 according to Bradley...

I think there digital control is total junk and the heating element @500 watts is way too small,
it should be at least 1000 watt element...

If I were doing a brisket it would take 2-3 days at the rate it did meatloaf and sausage...

I think it would be okay if all you wanted it for was cold smoking...

Not happy with Bradley...

Will probably go back to using my big Propane unit and New Braunfels SFB...

 

[ronp]

Thanks for the update Paul, sorry you are disapointed with the Bradley. I agree for me that is unacepetable.

Did you check the temps with a digital? I am sure you did though.

What's next?

 

[mballi3011]

Sorry for the outcome with the Bradley but the sausage looks really good. But the oven worked O take it for the meatloaf.

 

[beer-b-q]

Guess I should have said Kitchen Stove Oven... Yeah, Finished it off with it...

Today I am going to check each shelf temp against their digital temp with my digital thermometers...

Something is deffinately way off with it... Dawn(Irishteabear) said hers was sometimes off off by anywhere from 20 - 50 degrees...

That shouldn't be in the tech world we live in, what good is paying more for digital if it doesn't work...

 

[beer-b-q]

Well here is the Qview of the Disaster Meatloaf. Taste wise it was great, by having to finish in the oven.

I give Bradley a D on performance for now...

By having to place in oven to finish it got a little darker than we wanted....

 

[irishteabear]

With the heating element being in the bottom of the smoker, the racks towards the bottom will be a different temp than the ones higher up. I find there is a temp difference even in my Brinkmann between the two racks.

Electric smokers have a bigger recovery time than other types of smokers do, so you need to account for that in your total cook time estimate.

I'd suggest you check out the Bradley user's forum at http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/ That is where I started learned how to use the smoker itself.

 

[beer-b-q]

I joined over there right after I got the Bradley 4 rack SS off Craig's list needing repair.

Unfortunately I bought the 6 rack before finishing the repairs on it and about 2 days before one of the members posted about the temp problems with the 6 rack because it has the same element as the 4 rack...

Several other members recommended upgrading the element to 1000 watts.

Others said to add a pid because Bradley's Digital Doesn't hold the temp close.

It shuts the element completely off and then has to drop way down before kicking it back on...