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Pan of beef and eggplant Smoked Moussaka.

Smoked Moussaka with Ground Beef and Grilled Eggplant

Carne Diem Culinary
We take this classic Greek dish and throw it on the smoker to take it to the next level of flavor town. Our Smoked Moussaka has layers of grilled eggplant, seasoned ground beef and lamb, and a tangy feta custard to top the dish off.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Servings 6 Mortals or 4 Demigods
Calories 433 kcal

Equipment

  • 9x13 pan or large cast iron pan
  • Skillet
  • Grill, Smoker, or Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Eggplants Sliced Lengthwise ¼ inch thick
  • cup Italian Style Bread Crumbs

Meat Mixture

  • 1 pound Ground beef or lamb
  • 1 Yellow Onion diced
  • 3 Garlic Cloves minced
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Oregano
  • ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper or Allepo
  • ½ cup Red Wine
  • 14 ounces Can Diced Tomatoes Preferably Fire Roasted
  • 1 teaspoon Sugar
  • ¾ cup Beef Broth

Cheese Topping

  • ¾ cup Greek Yogurt
  • 3 Eggs beaten
  • ½ cup Creme Fraiche
  • 4 ounces Crumbled Seasoned Feta
  • 1 Tablespoon Flour
  • ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg

Instructions
 

  • Heat your grill or smoker to 350 degrees. Lightly oil the grates and grill the eggplant for about 3-5 minutes per side, until cooked through and after cooking off some of their moisture.
  • Grease a 9x13 pan and place the cooked eggplant in an even layer on the bottom, overlapping slightly if necessary.

Meat Mixture

  • In a large skillet combine the meat, onion, and garlic and cook over medium heat until the onion is soft and the meat is cooked through.
  • Add in all of the spices, salt, and sugar and stir to combine.
  • Add in the diced tomatoes, with liquid, red wine, and beef broth. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. This step typically takes 45 minutes to an hour, so it is a good time to fire up your smoker if you did not already do so to grill the eggplant.
  • When most of the moisture is cooked off, layer the meat mixture on top of the eggplant in the 9x13 dish

Cheese Topping

  • Combine the yogurt, creme fraiche, feta and nutmeg and mix well.
  • Add the flour to the beaten eggs and stir to combine.
  • Add the egg mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir well to combine, then cover and place in the fridge until needed.
  • When ready to cook, top the meat mixture with the cheese mixture and spread evenly on top.
  • Sprinkle the top with the breadcrumbs.
  • Bake/smoke the moussaka, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. If using a pellet smoker or oven you can leave uncovered the whole time. If using a charcoal or wood burning smoker you may choose to cover half way through cooking to prevent it from taking on too much smoke flavor.
  • Remove from the oven/smoker and let sit for about 5 minutes before dividing and serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 25gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 154mgSodium: 580mgPotassium: 860mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 378IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 219mgIron: 4mg
Keyword beef, breadcrumbs, Cast Iron, creme fraiche, eggplant, feta, Greek, Greek yogurt, grilled, Lamb, Oregano, Smoked, Smoker
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