Smoked Bourbon BBQ Meatloaf Recipe

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Venison French Onion Meatloaf

Venison French Onion Meatloaf

This Venison French Onion Meatloaf from Bear Mountain BBQ ambassador Jennifer Danella is a flavor packed take on a classic we all know and love.

Prep

5-10 Minutes

Cook time

1 Hour and 35 Minutes

Serves

3-4

Steps

  1. Preheat your pellet grill to 350°F.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in onions and one tbsp of Worcestershire sauce. Sauté the thinly sliced onions until they are caramelized and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the skillet.
  3. Add a splash of beef broth to the skillet to deglaze the pan and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool, but do not clean out the pan if you want to make the optional brown gravy.
  4. In a large bowl, add the ground venison, breadcrumbs, milk, minced garlic, beaten egg, remaining one tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and seasonings. Then take half of the caramelized onions, chop them up if desired, and add them to the bowl. Mix and shape the mixture into a loaf and place it in a meatloaf pan lined with parchment paper or a baking dish. Reserve the other remaining half of the caramelized onions for later. 
  5. Bake in the preheated grill for 1 hour.
  6. Top with cheese and remaining caramelized onions and bake until melted and the meatloaf is cooked through.
  7. Allow the meatloaf to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve over mashed potatoes with the homemade gravy and garnish with fresh parsley.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 large onions, julienned
  • 1 ½  lbs ground venison (I like to do 1 lb venison mixed with ½ lb of ground pork)
  • 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup beef broth
  • 1 ½ tbsp garlic – minced
  • 1 egg – beaten
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce – divided
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning 
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 6 slices Swiss cheese
  • Fresh chopped parsley – to garnish
  • Mashed potatoes – for serving  
  • Bear Mountain BBQ Chef's Choice

Optional Simple Brown Gravy:

  • Drippings from the caramelized onion pan 
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 cups beef broth (I prefer to use Better than Bullion as a starter)
  • 4 tbsp water mixed with 2 tbsp cornstarch