Classic venison meatloaf with ketchup glaze gives your family comfort in a dish! Perfect on a cold winter's night with potatoes and veg.
I know not everyone loves meatloaf. Sometimes it's one of those meals pictured in shows and movies as a "clean your plate" meal that kids hate. There's nothing but love for meatloaf in our house! Ground meat is an economical dinner option, especially when you do your own butchering.
Most people think of beef when they think meatloaf, or a classic "meatloaf mix" of pork and beef. We go wild game here - venison! This will indeed work with any type of ground red meat, so no worries if you aren't into game yet. You can also use any of these options in Cabbage Rolls or Venison Tacos.
Key Ingredients
Ground meat - I'm using venison here, which is quite lean. If using beef, make sure and select lower fat so your meatloaf isn't swimming in grease.
Breadcrumbs - Bread crumbs or torn bread work well to hold meatloaf together, along with an egg.
Milk - Adds some needed moisture!
Onion - Along with other seasonings, this is where the flavor comes in.
Glaze - Ketchup is enhanced with mustard, Worcestershire, and a touch of sugar.
How to Make Classic Meatloaf
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Whisk egg into milk.
Step 2: Add breadcrumbs and seasoning to soak.
Step 3: Add remaining ingredients to the bowl.
Step 4: Use hands to combine well.
Step 5: Press meat mixture into loaf pan.
Step 6: Top with glaze and bake!
FAQs
I think it really is just part of the meatloaf experience. It can also help to lock in moisture with the lean meat! I like to make sure and press a gap between the meatloaf and pan walls so I can get the glaze a bit over the sides of the meat as well. If your family loves it, feel free to mix up more and heat it up to serve at the table.
Since we do a lot of hunting and hopefully bag some deer each winter, we often turn to ground venison in our meals. It's super economical when you do your own butchering, because every little scrap from making your larger cuts like roasts goes into the hopper! It's a great way to make sure you are using all parts of the animal. But if you aren't a fan, ground beef works really well. Keep in mind that venison can be much leaner than beef so you will want to cook the meatloaf on a baking dish in case any grease overflows.
Photos by Dante from Shire by the Sea
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Venison Meatloaf
Ingredients
Meatloaf:
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 2 pounds ground venison or any red meat
- 1 cup minced onion
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Glaze:
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Whisk milk and egg in a large bowl. Add onions, breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Add meat to bowl and mix in with your hands to combine.
- Place meatloaf mix in a loaf pan, pressing down the edges of the loaf (about ½ inch) to make way for some of the glaze on the sides.
- Mix your glaze ingredients together in a bowl and glaze top of loaf evenly and let some fill the edges of the loaf.
- Place in the middle of the oven and cook for 45-50 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and slice.
Notes
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- We love leftovers cold as well - perfect on a sandwich!
- You can also reheat in the oven. Meatloaf is perfect for freezing as well.
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