Wild Game Meatloaf with Glorious Rabbit Gravy

This recipe for Wild Game Meatloaf with Glorious Rabbit Gravy will bring moans of delight from your dinner guests! I promise you! It will!

For many, memories of meatloaf cause people to grit their teeth and take a step backward. This is NOT that meatloaf! The incorporation of several cups of finely chopped veggies adds tremendous moisture, as well as a melody of rich flavors! Pair this the wild game or domestic meat gravy of your choice, and the result is almost sinful!

If you own a small food processor or blender you can make very short work of this delicious recipe! Set out a large bowl, a food processor or blender, a graduated 1 cup measure, a cutting board, a chef’s knife, silicone spatula, and measuring spoons.

Wild Game Meatloaf Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup onion
• 3/4 cup shallots
• 1/2 cup carrots
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 3 eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 lbs ground venison (I used MD Whitetail Deer)
• 1 lb wild game sausage (I used Elk Sweet Italian Ground Sausage)
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Wild Game Gravy Ingredients

• 2 cups Wild Game Stock or beef stock (I used a rich wild rabbit stock)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter – softened
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Rough chop onion to appropriate measure. Pour into food processor. Chop till fine, and put into large bowl. Continue, one at a time, shallots, celery, carrots, red and yellow bell peppers.
3. On top of chopped veggies in bowl add garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin, nutmeg, and chili powder. Mix with silicone spatula.
4. Melt butter into the cream. Cool mixture to lukewarm. Add to spice/veggie mixture in large bowl.
5. Crumple in ground venison & sausage, and add ketchup and bread crumbs.
6. With your hands, fold and mix all together till uniform.
7. Press into a greased 5″x 9″ bread pan, and mound the center like a loaf of bread.
8. Place this pan into a larger baking pan with 2″ water bath.
9. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 1 hour, or until 160 degrees internal temperature.
10. Take out and let rest while you prepare the gravy.

Gravy Directions:

1. Place the softened butter in a bowl. With a fork incorporate the 3 tablespoons of flour till thoroughly incorporated.
2. Warm your stock in a saucepan till simmering.
3. Add the butter/flour mixture. Simmer gently 4 or 5 minutes till thickened.

Serving:

• Your meatloaf will have accumulated about 2″ of game/vegetable broth in the pan. Leave this delicious broth to keep your meatloaf moist. It also can serve as a base for more gravy.
• Serve your meatloaf thickly sliced, on homemade bread or not, with a generous pour of wild game gravy!