Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Something different......

Hubby thought he'd try something different the other day. He likes to experiment with "one dish" meals, or crockpot meals. So he decided to make a deer burger meatloaf! Ugh you might say??  Any of you who have eaten venison, know that only the best cuts are (normally) edible. I've usually only been served the steaks or backstrap of the venison or antelope (when I lived in Wyoming) and always thought the "burger" would be too wild tasting. 


Hubby grew up hunting with his dad in southern Oregon. His family practically lived on deer meat year-round. Those were the days when people hunted for FOOD... not for sport. So he's quite adept at cooking deer meat the correct way.

Well I must say... I was totally WRONG about the deer burger. The meatloaf was DELICIOUS!


It's big and round since he cooked it in the crockpot. He used 1 lb. of deer burger and 1 lb. of a mild deer sausage. My sister and her husband  hunt every year, so we pretty much always have a supply of deer meat!  There was NO "gamey" or wild taste. I think most people would have thought it was just regular hamburger. I was pretty amazed, I must admit.



In fact, we had two dinners from it and I had a meatloaf sandwich for 2 days. Who doesn't like meatloaf sandwiches? Raise your hands! They are one of my favorites.

And to top it off, this can be a Paleo meal as he didn't add any flour, crackers or bread crumbs, which are usually called for in meatloaf recipes.  We had the last of it tonight, added into some sweet and sour cooked cabbage. Yum!

Here's the recipe in case you're interested or if anyone ever offers you some deer burger (and if they do, take it!).  We both think that cooking deer burger with lots of onions really helps take away the gamey/wild taste. Also, we used some Bragg's Nutritional Yeast Seasoning which we LOVE in most dishes, and I think that helps take away any wild taste. It's great (and healthy) on everything (scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, in casseroles, fried chicken, etc.).

Ground Venison and Deer Sausage Meatloaf

And of course, be sure the burger was made and cured properly as no amount of cooking will take away that gamey taste if it wasn't processed right away and packaged right away. 

Enjoy!

~ Marilyn~


10 comments:

  1. I know it’s silly, but I can’t get past ‘Bambi’.

    Sounds like it must have been a moist meatloaf Marilyn. No fillers will do that,

    P.S. Tried to comment on my phone using Chrome but couldn’t. Google is making it harder and harder!

    xxx

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    1. Oh poor Bambi! Yes... it is hard to think about the real act of "getting meat for the winter". Hope all is going well there. Anxious to see the next episode in your journey! (I'm in the process of reading your history on your blog too!) xoxoxo Marilyn

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  2. Hi Marilyn. I have never acquired a taste for venison or even for grass fed beef. Hamburger and meat loaf is one of my most favorite things but only plain old hamburger will taste right to me. I have tried many times but just couldn't get it, but I know many people do. Thank you for your visits about the magazine article and the birdies. I am over the moon about the magazine, but the birds were so disappointing. I had hopes of watching babies as the little house is right at eye level on the side of the garage, but guess it didn't suit them..Happy Thursday..xxoJudy

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    1. Judy, I know what you mean about acquiring a taste for venison. I never did like it that much unless it was cooked to death! Even grass fed beef has a different taste, but for some reason, the way my hubby cooks it, there is no wild or gamey taste! So we're using the burger we got from my sister, happily so, as we do like it. I have my calendar marked to buy that magazine when it comes out! Can hardly wait! xoxoxo Marilyn

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  3. I so wish I had some of that! Looks so yummy! Hugs, Autumn

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    1. Thank you Autumn. I WAS very good and we have lots more! We'll be doing some more experimenting in the crockpot. Marilyn

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  4. I had to smile at your post, sweet friend. My husband hunts as well and it's all for the meat. Here in the mountains we enjoy elk, but in the past we have had bear, mountain sheep, and mountain goat. All of which were extremely tasty. Believe it or not the goat and sheep are my favorite and I think it's because they live so high on the mountains and eat only fresh grass. They tasted "fresh" if that makes sense. Just a couple of years ago my husband got a deer and I must confess I was worried about eating it simply because so many people have said deer meat, especially mule deer, is not good. Well thankfully it was amazing! It tasted just like elk which tastes almost like beef {{smiles}}

    Have a spectacular weekend! Hugs!

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    1. Hi Stephanie, For some reason I didn't get notice of this comment. Glad I came here to answer the others! I've never had elk as of yet. I would love to try it. I've had Moose meat from Alaska and it was awesome! I loved it more than anything else. Wonder what bear tastes like? I've had buffalo meat which is OK but not a favorite. I know what you mean about "fresh" taste.. there definitely is a big different if the meat wasn't cured right or was left too long on the bone. I had a good Memorial Day weekend... hope you did too! We had a lawn planting party on Saturday with the neighbors helping us plant our back yard (again). Was fun but ALOT of work! Take care..... Marilyn

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  5. We love deer meat here, and our favorite way to eat it is cooked in the crockpot, or fried deer steak. The meatloaf sounds amazing! It is wonderful when something is pleasantly surprising to eat when you weren't sure about it! Hugs to you today :)

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    1. Hi Marilyn! For some reason, I didn't get notification of this comment, so an answering it now. That meatloaf WAS good and I've always been pretty leary of eating plain old deerburger. I thought it always had to be the best cut to be edible, but am finding if it's cooked right, it is very good. When I lived in Wyoming, I ate alot of antelope swiss steaks.. cooked all day in the electric fry pan and I thought that was the cream of the crop. Now I'm finding that not to be true, though deer steaks and backstrap are the best! Hugs back to you! Marilyn

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