Ground Venison Meatloaf Recipe

This ground venison meatloaf recipe is juicy and full of flavor. It’s an easy ground venison recipe that’s also an easy comfort food recipe for the cold weather months.

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If you’re looking for recipes for ground venison, then look no further. This venison meatloaf recipe is a classic recipe that’s tried and true!

Ingredients Needed

• 1 1/2 pounds ground venison
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup diced white onion
• 1 tsp. salt – divided
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire

How to make a venison meatloaf

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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground venison, tomato juice, oats, egg, onion, 1/2 tsp. salt, pepper, and minced garlic and mix to combine.
3. Transfer the mixture to a greased loaf pan and press into the pan until it’s nice and level.
4. Bake for one hour. While the meatloaf is baking, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a bowl and stir to combine.
5. After the meatloaf has baked for one hour, remove from the oven and spread the ketchup mixture over the entire top of the meatloaf.
6. Return the loaf pan to the oven and bake another 5 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the meatloaf to a large platter. I use two large spatulas at each end to lift and transfer. Or, check out the meatloaf pan suggestions below for easy removable options.
8. Serve immediately.

Recipe FAQs and Notes

What’s the secret to a moist ground venison meatloaf?

Because venison is a low-fat meat, we need to add in moisture or fat. In this recipe, the addition of the wet ingredients – tomato juice and egg, adds moisture and helps keep this venison meatloaf moist and delicious.

How do I remove the gamey taste from ground venison?

I’m sure you’re familiar with people saying venison and other wild game meat tasting “gamey.” The “gamey” flavor actually comes from a variety of factors, including the diet of the deer, the processing of the meat, the season in which the animal was harvested (i.e., if the male deer was in rut), the age of the animal, and more. Outside these factors, venison will not taste exactly like beef, so if you’re expecting that, you’ll be in for a surprise. However, I’ve also found how the meat is cooked can also greatly reduce any strong gamey flavor. 

If you’ve had a bad experience with venison tasting “gamey”, there are a few things you can try. 

1. If it’s your kill/harvest, do your research on proper field dressing, bleeding, and processing to know what elements can affect the flavor of the meat during these. 
2. Purchase ground venison from a company like The Honest Bison. By doing this, you’ll ensure the meat was properly processed and see if you experience a noticeable difference in the taste and texture. Order with Honest Bison now!

Recipe Notes

• There shouldn’t be any excess grease with a venison meatloaf.
• You can prepare the venison meatloaf ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.

Recommended kitchen resources for this recipe

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Try a few of our best ground venison recipes!

• Venison Green Chile Enchilada Casserole
• Spaghetti Sauce made with Ground Venison
• Venison Stuffed Jalapeño Peppers
• Venison Patty Melt
• Venison Taco Ring

Ground Venison Meatloaf Recipe