[FTC Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Certified Angus Beef® brand in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. The recipe and opinions are my own.]

Ask anyone to name their favorite comfort foods and more likely than not meatloaf and mac-and-cheese will top the list.

While both dishes are relatively basic in both preparation and presentation -- especially in the age of Instagram food pron -- something truly magical happens as soon as they hit the table. Life could literally be falling apart around you yet suddenly you’re back in your childhood home enjoying mom’s “Meatloaf Monday” or in your college dorm room diving into instant mac-and-cheese (completed with neon orange “cheese” powder) after a night out on the town.

Already mouthwatering meatloaf is stuffed with ooey gooey homemade mac-and-cheese before hitting the grill for some smoky BBQ goodness. The end result? A whole lot of wonderful memories all stuffed into a smoked, sliceable loaf!

SMOKED MAC-AND-CHEESE STUFFED MEATLOAF

Ingredients

Mac and Cheese

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

2 cups grated sharp cheddar

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 package (8 ounces) elbow macaroni, cooked

Meatloaf

2 pounds Certified Angus Beef® brand ground beef

2 eggs, beaten 

3/4 cups seasoned Italian breadcrumbs 

1 teaspoon Kosher salt 

1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ dry rub seasoning 

1/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

Additional Tools

Parchment paper

One wire cooling rack (optional)

Instructions

Prepare grill for two-zone cooking, placing one charcoal chimney full of ashed over charcoal on one side of the grill to create a hot and cool zone. Adjust the bottom vents to bring the grill temperature to approximately 350°F.

As the grill comes to temperature, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour to the butter and whisk until smooth. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly until fully incorporated. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese, salt, and pepper to the saucepan. Continue to stir the mixture until the cheese has melted. Add the cooked pasta to the saucepan and stir until the pasta is completely coated with the cheese sauce. Remove the saucepot from the heat, cover, and allow it to sit while you prepare the meatloaf mixture.

In a large bowl, add the ground Certified Angus Beef®, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, and milk and mix well until fully combined.    

Lay one sheet of parchment paper on a cutting board and spread meatloaf mixture into a ½-inch thick rectangle. Spread an even layer of macaroni and cheese across the top of the meatloaf mixture, leaving a 1-inch border on one short side of the rectangle, a 1-inch border on both longer sides, and a 3-inch border on the remaining short side.

Starting on the 1-inch border short end, begin forming the meatloaf by lifting the parchment paper and rolling the meat over the mac-and-cheese to create a cylinder. Once rolled, press the center and side seams to seal. Season the loaf on all sides with the dry rub mixture.

Add 2-3 chunks of your favorite smoking wood to the charcoal for maximum smoke flavor. Gently move the stuffed meatloaf onto a cooling rack (this will make it easier to remove the meatloaf from the grill once it is cooked) and place it on the cool side of the grill.  Cover the grill and allow it to smoke until the center of the beef has reached an internal temperature of 160°F, approximately 45 minutes. 

Remove the stuffed meatloaf from the grill, brush it with barbecue sauce, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.