A classic, moist venison meatloaf recipe using ground deer meat and ground pork, along with lots of seasonings to make this a top notch comfort food dish.
Meatloaf is a classic dish to make with ground beef, but dare I say that I like it with ground venison even more? While this recipe takes a couple tweaks to help balance out the wild game flavor and ensure that there is enough moisture, the result is a crispy outside with a tender and moist inside that will have everyone going back up for seconds!
For another hearty venison dish, try this Dutch Oven Venison Stew.
Making meatloaf without a loaf pan
You read that right! I made this meatloaf without the use of a loaf pan and it's my preferred method. For one, the clean up is a breeze when baked on a bit of aluminium foil.
But the main reason for not using a loaf pan is that it allows for more of the loaf to brown up nicely while the inside stays most. The result is a little more tender (fragile too) but meatloaf isn't meant to be pretty! By having more of the meat exposed to the heat directly, it will spend a little less time in the oven, as well.
If you prefer, you can make this deer meat loaf in a standard loaf pan.
Secret to a moist venison meatloaf
Moisture and Fat!
Ground venison on its own is incredibly lean, which is great. But this means that for certain recipes you may want to add a bit of fat to them to ensure they are juicy and flavorful. Ground pork pairs very well with venison and gives it a nice taste and a bit of fat to keep everything from drying out.
Aside from fat, finding other ways to add moisture is key. By adding milk soaked breadcrumbs, oil with the sauteed onions and garlic, and other liquids, you will come out with an amazingly tender venison meatloaf.
Ingredients
- ground venison
- ground pork
- breadcrumbs
- milk
- olive oil
- onions
- garlic
- worcestershire sauce
- ketchup
- white vinegar
- eggs
- stone ground mustard
- salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
How to make ground venison meatloaf
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl, add breadcrumbs and milk and allow to soak for 5 minutes.
While the breadcrumbs are soaking, dice onions and mince garlic. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
To breadcrumb mixture add mustard, vinegar, ketchup, and worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.
Add in ground venison, ground pork, 2 eggs, and sauteed onions and garlic. Work the mixture together with your hands until everything has just come together but don't over mix.
Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Pour meat mixture on top and gently form into a loaf shape. Place into the preheated oven for 55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Remove from oven and wait 5 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Note
You'll notice that I didn't add a glaze to this meatloaf recipe. This is simply how my family likes it and has always made their ground beef meatloaf. If you want to add a glaze, you totally can add one. Remove the meatloaf from the oven around 15 minutes before it's done and brush on your favorite glaze.
A classic glaze recipe could include ½ cup of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.
What to serve with venison meatloaf
- ninja foodi mashed potatoes
- instant pot green beans
- spicy mac and cheese
- cheesy leeks and potatoes au gratin
- creamy mushroom pea risotto
More delicious ground venison recipes
- easy ground venison lasagna
- ground venison tacos
- venison shepherd's pie
- best ground venison burgers
- venison ragu
Venison Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground venison
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, add breadcrumbs and milk and allow to soak for 5 minutes.
- While the breadcrumbs are soaking, dice onions and mince garlic. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
- To breadcrumb mixture add mustard, vinegar, ketchup, and worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.
- Add in ground venison, ground pork, 2 eggs, and sauteed onions and garlic. Work the mixture together with your hands until everything has just come together but don't over mix.
- Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Pour meat mixture on top and gently form into a loaf shape. Place into the preheated oven for 55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove from oven and wait 5 minutes before slicing.
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