Ground Deer Meat Loaf with Veggies

This winter has been a rough and hard one for most of the country - at one time, 49 of the 50 states of the United States had snow on the ground - that figure included Hawaii with snow in the mountains there, Florida was the only state with no snow and they had ice!  Food prices have skyrocketed in the grocery stores and it has definitely proven to be a winter that I have once more appreciated having a freezer full of meat and a pantry full of home canned fruits and veggies!!

Tonight's dinner is going to be meat loaf with potatoes, carrots, celery, tomatoes and onions - all cooked in the same pot in the oven - simple and delicious!

Ground Deer Meat Loaf with Veggies

2 pounds ground deer burger

1 pound ground deer sausage

2 large eggs

16 oz drained canned tomatoes

1 large chopped onion

1 large green pepper chopped ( I use 2 T of my chopped mixed pepper relish)

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 T. rubbed sage

1/2 t. nutmeg

1/2 t. tobassco  sauce or other chili sauce

4 cups dried bread crumbs or cracker crumbs

Pepper

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl - adding the cracker or bread crumbs last and add them slowly while hand mixing.  When a loaf can be formed and hold form - then you have added enough crumbs. 

Roll the loaf in the remaining crumbs to coat the outside of the loaf - 

In a large skillet, place 2 T oil - brown both sides of the loaf - place the browned loaf in the baking pan or crock pot - however, you wish to cook it.

I use a cast iron dutch oven to brown my loaf in and then I leave it in the dutch oven to bake it normally.

- Once your loaf is in your baking dish, take the drained juice from the tomatoes and pour over it -

Add your choice of veggies along the sides of the baking dish next to the loaf - I use quartered potatoes, chunked carrots, celery, onions, and when I have them, mushrooms.  Cover with foil or lid and bake at 400 for 1 hour, drain some of the juice off, recover and bake at 350 for about another hour or until loaf is done in the middle and potatoes are soft - then remove cover and place strips of bacon across top of loaf - then gently put lines of ketchup or tomato sauce across the bacon. Return to oven for approximately 15 - 20 minutes for sauce to set and bacon and loaf top to brown.  While cooking - Check about every 1/2 hour and drain juices as needed. 

If cooking in a crock pot, add your veggies and juice and cook the same as above for 4 hours - until loaf is done in the middle.  Add bacon and ketchup or tomato sauce as above about 1 hour before done.

 

Just Me - Granny D