This venison meatloaf is everything a good meatloaf should be. Moist, flavorful, and made to let the wild flavor of the deer shine through. It’s loaded with onions, fresh herbs, a touch of bacon for richness, and a classic ketchup glaze that caramelizes as it bakes. No gimmicks, just a solid, dependable recipe that hits every time.
If you’re stocking up the freezer or just looking for more ways to use ground deer meat, check out my ground venison recipes collection. You’ll also find hits like venison Swedish meatballs and Chinese-style venison meatballs, or go all in with my steakhouse-style venison burgers that don’t need any added fat.
Prep Tips for the Best Venison Meatloaf
- Use milk-soaked breadcrumbs: This helps add moisture and structure to the meatloaf without making it dense. Let them sit for a few minutes before mixing.
- Don’t skip the bacon: A little chopped bacon helps balance the lean meat and adds richness without overpowering the venison flavor.
- Cool your onion mixture: Spread it out on a plate before mixing to avoid warming the meat and eggs.
- Don’t pack it tight: Gently shape the meatloaf into the pan without pressing it down. Tapping the pan on the counter works better than smashing it in.
- Glaze timing matters: Brush on the ketchup during the last 20–30 minutes so it doesn’t burn but still gets that sticky, caramelized top.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ingredients List For the Meatloaf: Click to Expand.
Olive oil
2 pounds ground venison
bacon
onion
garlic cloves
dried thyme
fresh rosemary
ground black pepper
Worcestershire sauce
milk
dried breadcrumbs
grated parmesan cheese
large eggs
kosher salt
ketchup
How This Venison Meatloaf Comes Together
This isn’t a rushed “dump it all in a bowl” meatloaf. It’s a proper, flavorful version that still comes together without much fuss. Here’s how I do it:
- Breadcrumbs get a soak in milk while you work. This helps keep the loaf tender and adds moisture where venison alone falls short.
- Bacon hits the skillet first. You’re not crisping it—you’re just rendering some fat to build flavor. Then come the onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme.
- That onion mix cools down before it goes into the bowl. This step’s worth it—adding it hot can mess with your eggs and texture.
- The venison mixture comes together with parmesan, Worcestershire, soaked breadcrumbs, eggs, and seasoning. It’s a thick, rustic mix, but easy enough to shape.
- Pack it gently into a greased loaf pan. You don’t want to mash it down like you’re making bricks—just press it in evenly.
- Bake, glaze, bake. After about 45 minutes, you brush on a layer of ketchup and finish it in the oven until it hits 160°F in the center.
- Let it rest. Give it a solid 10 minutes on the counter before slicing so it doesn’t fall apart.
Tips for a Better Meatloaf
- Don’t use pure ground venison. It’s too lean on its own and can turn out dry. You’d need a bunch of egg yolks to compensate, which gives the loaf a different texture than most people expect.
- Grinding your own? Aim for 20% fat. Pork or beef fat works great. That’s the sweet spot for juicy, tender meatloaf without making it greasy.
- Only have pure ground venison? Use half the called-for amount and replace the other half with ground beef, pork, or Italian sausage. It’ll hold together better and stay moist without overcomplicating things.
- Use a meat thermometer. Internal temp should hit 160°F. This ensures doneness and proper texture.
- Make it ahead. Like chili or stew, it makes great leftovers. Perfect for pan-seared meatloaf sandwiches.
- Fry leftovers in butter. Cold slices get crispy edges and a warm center in just a few minutes on the stovetop. Absolute gold.
Leftovers & Storage
Venison meatloaf stores well and makes great leftovers. Here’s how to I do it.
- Refrigerator Storage: Let the meatloaf cool to room temp, then store in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap. It’ll keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
- Freezer Storage: For longer storage, slice the meatloaf and wrap individual portions in plastic wrap and freezer paper. Place the slices in a container so that they keep their shape. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating in the Oven: Let frozen meatloaf thaw overnight in the fridge. Place the meatloaf in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Cook until warmed through or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Reheating in the Microwave: Place the meatloaf on a microwave-safe dish. Cover with a damp paper towel and warm on the low setting until heated through.
- Leftover Suggestions: I like to crisp the leftover meatloaf in a pan over medium heat with a bit of butter until it gets nice and crispy. The picture above is of a leftover meatloaf croissant sandwich with homemade slaw. Absolutely delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a tender, flavorful meatloaf, aim for 80/20. that’s 80% lean venison to 20% fat. If you’re grinding your own meat, add pork fat or beef fat to hit that target.
You can, but expect a drier texture unless you adjust. One workaround is swapping half the venison for ground beef or pork. You could also try adding extra egg yolks, but that changes the texture quite a bit.
Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. The center of the loaf should hit 160°F before you pull it from the oven.
More Ground Venison recipes
Below are some of my most popular dishes. For even more dinner ideas, check out my complete venison recipes collection.
- Korean Venison and Rice Bowl
- Classic Ground Venison Tacos
- Chipotle Cheddar Venison Casserole
- Venison Bolognese
Lastly, if you tried this venison meatloaf recipe and enjoyed it, leave me a 5-star review! Also, tag me on Instagram @Larry__White with any of your wild game creations!
Venison Meatloaf with Bacon and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground venison
- 2 slices of bacon finely chopped
- 3 cups minced or grated onion
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup ketchup, (to glaze)
Instructions
Preheat Oven
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Soak Breadcrumbs
- Pour the milk over the breadcrumbs and let them soak for 5 minutes.
Cook the Bacon and Vegetables
- Heat a pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until the bacon has rendered most of its fat, but hasn’t begun to crisp, around 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook until they start to soften, around 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, rosemary, and dried thyme to the pan. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Cook for around one minute. Pour the mixture onto a plate in a thin layer for it to cool.
Mix and Assemble the Meatloaf
- Place the cooled bacon and onion mixture, ground venison, milk-soaked breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt, black pepper, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Pour in the eggs and Worcestershire sauce. With clean hands or a sturdy spoon, mix the ingredients until well combined.
- Grease a loaf pan or baking dish with olive oil or butter.
- Add the meatloaf mixture to the pan in an even layer. Don’t press down on the meat as this will make the meatloaf dense. You can gently tap the pan on the counter to help it settle into the pan if needed. Place the loaf pan on top of a baking sheet. This will help with transporting from the hot oven as well as catch any overflow juices while cooking.
Bake and Glaze the Meatloaf
- Bake for 45 minutes. Brush the ketchup in an even layer over top of the meatloaf.
- Continue to cook until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. This will take around another 20 to 30 minutes.
- Let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing.
NOTES
- Ground venison fat ratio: For the best texture and moisture, use ground venison blended with 20% pork or beef fat.
- No added fat? You can swap half the deer meat for ground pork, beef, or Italian sausage.
- Don’t use pure venison alone. It will turn out too dry unless you adjust with extra egg yolks, which changes the texture.
- Breadcrumb soak: Soaking breadcrumbs in milk adds moisture and helps bind the meat mixture without making it dense.
- Make-ahead tip: This meatloaf holds up well in the fridge and makes fantastic meatloaf sandwiches the next day.
- Freezer-friendly: Let it cool, slice, and freeze individually. Pan-fry from thawed for crispy edges and a quick wild game meal.
