Smoked meatballs with gravy have just moved up on my list of favorite foods! Tender ground beef, perfectly seasoned with a hint of smoky flavor, takes the ordinary meatball to a whole new level of deliciousness!
Whether served as an appetizer, a main dish, or a sandwich, these smoked-infused meatballs are guaranteed to become a family favorite.
Not a fan of brown gravy? No problem. These delicious smoked meatballs pair equally well with tomato sauce. Can you say meatball sub?
After one taste of these smoky, juicy, tender meatballs, you’ll wish you’d made a double batch!
If you love meatballs, make sure to check out our baked Italian meatballs and chicken marsala meatball recipes.
Ingredients to make Smoked Meatballs and Gravy
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make our Smoked Meatballs with Gravy recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Do I have to use ground beef?
No, you don’t. I used ground chuck for my smoked meatball recipe, but you can use ground chicken, turkey, pork, veal, or a combination of ground meats, including Italian sausage.
Can I change the sauce up?
Absolutely. To make the sauce richer, add heavy cream to the gravy. To make Swedish-style meatballs, add sour cream to the gravy.
For a change of pace, add your favorite BBQ sauce to the brown gravy. Or just toss them with your barbecue sauce to make BBQ meatballs.
If you’re not a fan of brown gravy, you can use your favorite marinara sauce to make Italian meatballs or sweet and sour sauce to make Asian-style meatballs.
How to make Smoked Meatballs and Gravy
- Remove the ground beef from the refrigerator to let it come to room temperature.
- Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F.
- Tear the bread slices into small pieces and place them in a small bowl. Cover the bread with milk and set it aside so the bread can soak up all of the milk.
*if using bread crumbs, place them in a bowl and cover them with milk; stir and set aside and allow the bread crumbs to absorb milk
- Add the black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and sumac to a small bowl.
- Mix to combine the seasonings.
- Place the ground meat in a large mixing bowl, then add the egg, milk-soaked bread, and seasonings to the bowl.
- Use your hands or a large spoon to mix the ingredients together. Mix just enough to combine.
*Overmixing the meatball mixture can make them tough.
Add your favorite wood chips to the smoker tube. We used cherry wood for this recipe.
- Use an ice cream scoop or tablespoon to scoop out the meat mixture and shape them into balls. Then, place them into a disposable aluminum pan.
- Add the beef broth to the foil pan.
- Place the uncovered foil pan into the smoker and cook for 45 minutes or until an internal temperature of 150 degrees F has been reached
- Remove the pan from the smoker
- Remove the meatballs from the pan and cover them with aluminum foil to keep them warm while you finish the gravy.
*We love our electric smoker, but you can use a Big Green Egg, Traeger pellet grill, charcoal, or gas grill to make this easy smoker recipe.
- Pour the beef broth from the foil pan into a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the broth to a simmer.
- Place two individual tablespoons of butter and roll them in flour, pushing the flour into the butter. Add the beurre manie (the butter pieces rolled in flour) to the pan.
- Whisk to combine the beurre manie with the beef stock and heat until the gravy thickens.
*For a richer gravy, add ¼ cup of heavy cream and let the sauce simmer until it’s thickened to your preference. - Remove the pan from the heat and add the meatballs to the pan with the hot gravy.
I’m not often surprised by dishes I make at home, but these tender, flavorful meatballs really tantalized my tastebuds.
Let’s just say there were no leftovers.
If you’re looking for an easy and delicious dish for your next game-day get-together, brunch, or potluck, our smoked meatballs make ah-mazing sliders.
Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for 4-5 days. They can also be frozen well sealed in a freezer-safe container or ziplock freezer bag for up to 2 months (with or without gravy).
Recipe FAQ’s
If you over-mixed the meat while combining the ingredients, that can toughen them. Also, using lean ground beef could make them tough and dry.
No, you don’t. You can use panko, regular bread crumbs, or cracker crumbs. Just make sure to soak them in milk before using.
I like using fruit woods like cherry or apple wood for a milder, sweeter smoke flavor. Hickory wood adds a strong, classic, smoky flavor. You can also use pecan or oak wood chips.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Smoked Meatballs with Gravy
Equipment
- Smoker
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef 80/20
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 slices bread or ½ cup of non seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- 1 cup beef broth low sodium or regular
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 12 slider rolls Hawaiian rolls or dinner rolls
Instructions
- Remove the ground beef from refrigerator to let it come to room temperatute.
- Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F.
- Tear the bread slices into small pieces and place them in a small bowl. Cover the bread with milk and set it aside so the bread can soak up all of the milk.*if using bread crumbs place them in a bowl and cover them with milk; stir and set aside and allow the bread crumbs to absorb milk
- Add the black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and sumac to a small bowl, then mix to combine.
- Place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl breaking it apart.
- Add the egg, milk-soaked bread, and seasonings to the bowl with the ground beef. Use your hands, or a large spoon to mix the ingredients together. Mix just enough to combine.*Overmixing will make the meatballs tough.
- Use an ice cream scooper or tablespoon to scoop out the ground beef mixture and shape them into meatballs.
- Place the meatballs into a foil pan.
- Add the beef broth to the foil pan.
- Add your favorite wood chips to the smoker tube. We used cherry wood for this recipe.
- Place the uncovered foil pan with the meatballs into the smoker and cook for 45 minutes or until an internal temperature of 150 degrees F has been reached
- Remove the pan from the smoker
- Remove the meatballs from the pan and place them into a serving bowl. Cover them with aluminum foil to keep them warm while you finish the gravy.
- Pour the beef broth from the foil pan into a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the broth to a simmer.
- Place two individual tablespoons of butter and roll them in flour, pushing the flour into the butter. The butter should be just a little soft.
- Add the beurre manie (the butter pieces rolled in flour) to the pan and whisk it to thicken the gravy.For a richer gravy, add ¼ cup of heavy cream and let the sauce simmer until it's thickened to your preference.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the meatballs to the pan with the hot gravy.
- Serve over egg noodles or rice or on slider rolls for a great hand-held snack.
Kevin says
What can I use as a substitute for Sumac..?
Chef Dennis Littley says
There really isn’t a perfect substitute for the sumac, but it can be left out. It’s not a deal breaker.
Dawn says
Sounds yummy!
Between steps 5 and 6, sprinkle seasoning mix over ground beef?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks! Add them in step 6
Add the egg, milk-soaked bread, and seasonings to the bowl with the ground beef. Use your hands, or a large spoon to mix the ingredients together. Mix just enough to combine.