Oat-crusted Wild Venison Meatloaf
A sliceable wild venison meatloaf with an oat crust, carrots and onion gravy for a winter table.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 50 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
Species: Muntjac, Chinese Water Deer, Roe Deer, Fallow Deer, Red Deer
Ingredients
- 750 g wild venison mince
- 150 g onion, finely chopped
- 100 g carrot, finely grated
- 20 ml rapeseed oil
- 100 g rolled oats
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 100 ml milk
- 30 g tomato purée
- 15 ml Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 500 g carrots, cut into batons
- 300 ml low-salt beef stock
- 15 g cornflour
- 30 ml cold water
- 2 g fine salt
- 1 g ground black pepper
The cut for this recipe
Wild Venison Mince
Method
Heat the oven to 190°C, or 170°C fan. Soften the onion in 10 ml oil for 6 minutes. Reserve one third for gravy and let the rest stop steaming.
Mix the mince with the cooled onion, grated carrot, 70 g oats, eggs, milk, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and half the seasoning.
Pack into a lined 1 kg loaf tin without leaving air gaps. Scatter the remaining oats over the top and press lightly. Toss the carrot batons with the remaining oil and seasoning in a separate roasting tray.
Bake the meatloaf for 55–65 minutes, adding the carrots to the oven after 15 minutes and turning them once. Probe the thickest centre: the loaf must reach 70°C for 2 minutes, be piping hot and have no pink.
Rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, simmer the reserved onion with the stock for 5 minutes. Mix the cornflour with cold water, stir in and cook for 2 minutes until thickened.
Lift the loaf from the tin, slice with a clean knife and serve with the carrots and onion gravy. The stated time includes the rest.
Storage
Cool in shallow portions and refrigerate within 1–2 hours at 5°C or below. Eat within 48 hours. Freeze promptly for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw in the fridge and use within 24 hours. Reheat only once until piping hot throughout.
