This savory Venison Meatloaf recipe is delectably tender, perfectly seasoned, and lacquered in a rich and tangy sauce! This recipe will quickly become a favorite use of deer meat!
Honestly, you can use most beef meatloaf recipes with ground venison, and they will taste great. However, the best venison meatloaf recipes are the ones specifically tailored to the rich flavor of venison.
I find the herbal flavor of sage to be a great compliment to wild game meat while a bit of sweetness and tang from tomato paste and brown mustard brightens the flavor of venison. But it is the tangy glaze that really makes this recipe amazing. One bite and you will see why this is one of the most popular venison meatloaf recipes online!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ground venison - To avoid excessively dry meatloaf, make sure your butcher blends your deer meat with fat. An 80/20 fat blend ratio is ideal for meatloaf and venison burgers. If your ground deer meat does not contain any fat, mix the lean meat with 50% ground pork or ground beef for this recipe.
- Plain breadcrumbs - Panko breadcrumbs can be substituted.
- Beef broth
- Large eggs
- Yellow onion
- Fresh parsley - You can substitute one tablespoon of Italian seasoning.
- Tomato paste - Tomato sauce can be substituted.
- Brown mustard - Dijon mustard is a good substitute.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Table salt
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Ground sage
- Brown sugar
How to make venison meatloaf
To make this homemade venison meatloaf recipe, begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. While the oven preheats, crumble the ground meat into small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Top with breadcrumbs.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining meatloaf ingredients, then add to the bowl with the crumbled venison. Mix everything well to combine.
Add ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce to a small bowl and mix together to form the meatloaf glaze.
Spread a spoonful of glaze on the bottom of a loaf pan, then add the meatloaf mixture and press into a loaf shape. Then spread the remaining glaze over the top of the meatloaf.
Place in the preheated oven and cook the meatloaf at 350 degrees for 75 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 160 degrees when tested with an instant-read thermometer in the center of the meatloaf. The cooking time will be shorter if you don't use a loaf pan and you flatten it in a 9x13 baking pan instead.
What to serve with it
When making any meatloaf, there isn't a more classic side dish than mash potatoes. I don't think any meatloaf dinner is complete without them. Mashed potatoes can be prepared on the stove top while the meatloaf bakes in the oven. Choose any of the following vegetables to round out the meal:
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftover venison meatloaf should be stored in an airtight container, or covered in plastic wrap, for up to one week in your refrigerator. Reheat the meatloaf in individual servings in a microwave until warmed through, or gently warm in a skillet set over medium-low heat.
Venison Meatloaf
Equipment
- Bread loaf pan
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 2 pounds ground venison (blended with fat)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- ⅔ cup grated onion
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon brown mustard
- 1 ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ rounded teaspoon ground sage
Meatloaf Glaze
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Gently crumble venison into small pieces and place into a large bowl. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top.
- In a separate bowl combine the remaining meatloaf ingredients and stir to combine the meat mixture. *
- Pour seasoning and liquid mixture into bowl with venison. Gently mix to combine with clean hands.
- Combine all ingredients for the glaze and paint a couple tablespoons onto the bottom of a loaf pan. Place the meatloaf into the loaf pan and pour remaining glaze over the top of the meatloaf.
- Place meatloaf in the oven for 75 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- Let meatloaf rest for 5 minutes and serve.
Notes
Nutritional Information
Don't forget to check out the rest of my mouthwatering venison recipes too!
This recipe was originally published on June 15, 2018.
Bridget deJong
This is the best recipe! My adult son begs for me to make it for him.