Not Your Mom's Meatloaf

The weather is getting cooler and hopefully you’ve had the opportunity to put some venison in the freezer this season. It’s the time of year for comfort food and meatloaf is a favorite for many families. But instead of your mom’s old meatloaf recipe (not that there’s anything wrong with that), here’s a unique take on the classic recipe using ground venison. This recipe comes from our friends at Weston Products. They are wild game experts and this venison recipe is another success.

Ingredients

Marinade
1/4 cup port wine
2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sea salt

Meatloaf
1 lb venison, cubed
1/4 lb fatback, cubed
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 shiitake mushroom, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil

Red Currant Cumberland Sauce
1/2 cup port wine
1/4 cup red currant jam
1 cup beef stock
zest from one orange
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

Start by marinating your venison. Place it with the marinade ingredients in a vacuum-sealed bag or marinating dish and then refrigerate it at least overnight.

Preheat your oven to 325.

Sauté the mushrooms in butter until soft and fragrant, then set aside. Next, add more butter to the pan and sauté shallots until just translucent. Add garlic and sauté for one more minute. Add the shallots and garlic to the mushrooms and whisk them together with eggs and olive oil. Set aside.

Start with your meat and fat as cold as possible. Grind it through the coarse plate of your meat grinder. Next, mix the meat with the egg mixture then grind it again, this time through a fine plate. Fold the breadcrumbs into the ground meat and then press it into a loaf pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for about an hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees.

While the meatloaf bakes, place the sauce ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend well. Transfer the sauce into a small saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes.

Slice and serve the meatloaf immediately with the warm Cumberland sauce drizzled over the top.

This recipe and photos are courtesy of the wild game fanatics and cooking experts at Weston Products. For more innovative wild game recipes and ideas, check out blog.westonproducts.com. For smokers, grinders and other essential tools for wild game cooks, visit westonproducts.com

Venison Meatloaf in Cumberland Sauce

Ingredients

Directions: