Easy Venison Meatloaf

meatloaf with three slices next to a pinch bowl of salt and a glass of red wine

5 stars

My simple tricks to create the best damn venison meatloaf that is tender, juicy and full of flavor using pantry-staple ingredients. Made with aromatic vegetables, Italian seasoning and a ridiculously good meatloaf glaze. It's one of my favorite ways to use ground venison.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 417kcal

Author: Rachel Kochlin

Equipment

Ingredients

Venison Meatloaf

1 cup panko breadcrumbs
¾ cup milk
1 yellow onion small, grated (using large holes on a cheese grater)
1 carrot medium, grated (using large holes on a cheese grater)
4 garlic cloves minced
2 pounds ground venison
2 eggs
2 teaspoons worcestershire
¼ cup ketchup
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Meatloaf Glaze

¾ cup ketchup
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the bread and milk. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes while you grate the onion and carrot and mince the garlic.
Add the remaining meatloaf ingredients to the bowl with the bread mixture. Using your hands, mix the meatloaf for about one minute until well until combined. This will help the meatloaf hold together (don’t worry about overworking the venison - it will be nice and tender from the breadcrumbs and milk).
Press the meat mixture into the loaf pan. I like to use my hands to create a domed top.
In a small bowl, mix the glaze ingredients and brush half of the glaze over the top of the meatloaf.
Bake for 45 minutes, then remove from the oven and brush with the remaining glaze. Bake an additional 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through and the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees in the center.
Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Substitutions:

Breadcrumbs: You can substitute panko breadcrumbs for 1 cup regular breadcrumbs or 2 cups white bread torn into small pieces (crust removed). I prefer either panko breadcrumbs or white bread.
Ground venison: Swap one pound of venison for one pound of ground beef or ground pork.
Onion and carrot. You can omit the carrot if you'd like, but I don't recommend leaving out the onion - it adds lots of flavor. Since the onion is grated, any picky eaters won't even know it's in there.

Helpful tips:

Grate the onion and carrot. Grating allows the vegetables to more evenly distribute throughout the meat without leaving you with undercooked chunks. If you must chop the vegetables, I recommend doing it very finely and sautéing them. until softened before mixing with the meat.
Use a meat thermometer. It's tough to know exactly when meatloaf is done cooking without either slicing into it or using a meat thermometer. I definitely recommend going the meat thermometer route. Make sure you insert the thermometer into the center of the meatloaf. The internal temperature should read 160 degrees when it's done.
Let the meatloaf rest. Once you remove the meatloaf from the oven, let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meatloaf and the meatloaf to cool just slightly so it can firm up a bit.

Nutrition