An updated, classic venison meatloaf recipe that is loaded with flavor and so easy to make. Perfect for using up ground deer meat.
Meatloaf is such a staple recipe in so many American households. It’s savory, comforting AND filling. It’s such a good idea to use up the ground deer meat you have on hand and make venison meatloaf. Trust me, this recipe is a real winner.
I published this smoked venison meatloaf recipe a few years ago and it has been very popular! But, I felt like we needed a classic meatloaf recipe that feels refreshed and works perfectly with venison. So, that’s exactly what this recipe is here.
How do you make meatloaf taste good with venison?
It can be hard to make something that uses all deer meat taste the way you’re used to eating something with ground beef would. I think that’s why so many people are disappointed or even turned off when they take their family’s favorite meatloaf recipe that calls for beef and they sub venison. You can’t cook it like you cook beef.
Deer meat will never taste exactly like ground beef, but if you use recipes that are formulated appropriately for venison, you may wind up like me! I can barely stand the taste of commercially bought ground beef anymore, I 100% prefer wild game.
This venison meatloaf recipe uses acidic ingredients like balsamic vinegar, Worchestershire sauce, and milk to balance out the rich flavor that is deer meat. It also calls for caramelized onion and garlic which lends a slightly sweet yet perfectly aromatic flavor to the dish.
I also love using Italian seasoning in my wild game recipes. That spice blend is ALWAYS on hand because it plays so well with big game flavors.
This venison meatloaf recipe is EASY
There’s nothing complicated about this recipe. It comes together as any classic meatloaf should.
You start by sauteeing the onion and garlic which is a must. If you use raw onion and garlic in recipes like meatloaf and meatballs, you’ll never really get rid of that raw taste that can be so overpowering.
Once that’s sauteed everything goes into a large bowl and gets mixed up well. Using your hands is the best way to do it.
Press the mixture into a loaf pan, bake, mix up the glaze, brush it on and bake a bit more before serving!
What makes the best glaze?
I love the traditional meatloaf glaze with ketchup and brown sugar BUT I like to add some pizzaz with Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, and garlic powder. The glaze is an absolute must.
Before slicing and serving make sure to rest the meatloaf for a few minutes for best results. If you like a slice with texture, sear it in a pan with some butter before serving. I like a traditional setup with mashed potatoes and a green veggie, like green beans. You will NOT be disappointed!
Need more venison recipe ideas? Check out my Best Ever Venison Meatballs!
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Venison Meatloaf | Classic & Easy
An updated, classic venison meatloaf recipe that is loaded with flavor and so easy to make. Perfect for using up ground deer meat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the meatloaf:
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ cup diced onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 lb ground venison (or 1lb ground venison 1lb ground beef)
- 1 cup dried breadcrumbs (plain or Italian are fine, sub almond meal for GF)
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 and ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
For the topping:
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1 Tbsp. brown or coconut sugar
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
Instructions
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Begin by preheating the oven to 375F and heating a medium pan over medium heat.
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Once the pan is hot, add the oil and onion. Saute until the onion turns translucent and then add the garlic. Cook for 2-3 additional minutes before removing from the heat.
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Add the sauteed onion and garlic to a large bowl with the venison, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, balsamic, Worcestershire, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together well.
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Lightly oil and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Add the meatloaf mixture into the pan, pressing it evenly into all of the corners.
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Slide the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes.
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While the meatloaf bakes, mix together the topping ingredients. After the 45 minutes is up, brush the topping all over the meatloaf and slide it back into the oven. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the meatloaf is totally done and has reached an internal temperature of 160F.
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Rest for a few minutes for slicing and serving. If you wish, after slicing the meatloaf, heat a medium pan over medium heat and melt in a bit of butter. Brown meatloaf slices on each side for extra texture.
Keywords: meatloaf, venison, deer meat
Food photography by Amber Rice | Instagram
This is such a great recipe! I used ground elk and almond flour and it was still incredible. My picky 4-yr-old asked if we can have meatloaf every night.
★★★★★
Aw! I’m so happy to hear it was a hit, Theresa!
This is delicious! I rarely make meatloaf because it doesn’t turn out great, but this is so tasty! It stays together (unlike some ground venison recipes) and my husband loved it. I’m so glad he convinced me to double the recipe!
★★★★★
Ah I’m SO glad, Laura. Thank you so much for the comment!
This meatloaf looks so good. Gonna try it out this season. Thank you for the recipe;)
We are a dairy free household due to allergies. What is the best sub for milk here?
your preferred, unflavored non-dairy milk of choice.
Easy and delicious! A hit with my hunters! Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★★
This has been on repeat since I first made it a few months ago. Easily one of my family’s favorite and most requested recipe!!
This is a deliciously juicy meatloaf and it went well on a marble rye bread sandwich.
★★★★★
Loved the recipe. It was very moist, however too much Italian seasoning for our family. It over powered the meatloaf. Will definitely make this again with less Italian seasoning.
★★★★
I was honestly just trying to use up some of my deer burger meat and picked this recipe because I had all this on hand. I had no idea it was going to be so DELICIOUS! I honestly felt proud after this one and my husband was looking at me like I was Paula Deen all night. Only thing I changed was using honey instead of sugar in the glaze (due to me somehow being out of sugar). It is honestly the best meatloaf I’ve ever had in my life.
★★★★★