Smoked Elk/Beef Meatloaf
One of the best things about meatloaf is the option of blending in some new ingredients and trying different variations. For this particular recipe, we researched some of our favorite recipes and combined them into one, while adding a couple of our own twists.
We made this recipe unique by using a combination of elk and beef (50/50), which made the meatloaf more lean and more flavorful. The elk we used in this recipe was harvested by our very own Jacob Anderson and processed by our local locker. It was Jacob’s first elk! We also made sure to use our very own Sweet & Sassy barbecue sauce!
For this recipe, we encourage you to follow along, but if you’re missing an ingredient or two, feel free to make some slight adjustments using leftover items in the refrigerator such as chopped tomato or other veggies or a favorite spice. Be creative and have fun!
Ingredients
For the meatloaf:
2 lbs ground elk/beef.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion or about 1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup dried bread crumbs
3/4 cup milk
½ cup + ½ cup Sweet & Sassy BBQ sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs whisked
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp juniper berry powder
1 tsp sage
2 tsp kosher salt
Other:
Small cast-iron skillet
Sheet pan
2 mixing bowls
Parchment paper
Basting brush
Step-by-step Instructions
Cooking
Set the fire on your smoker or pellet grill for a 250 degree cook.
Over a medium fire in a 6” cast iron skillet warm the olive oil and saute your diced onion and minced garlic. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl combine milk and dried bread crumbs. Let sit a few minutes to allow milk to completely soak the bread.
In a large bowl combine ground elk/beef, onion & garlic, breadcrumb mixture, ½ cup bbq sauce, Worcestershire, eggs, paprika, mustard, juniper, sage and salt. Using your hands mix all ingredients well.
Place a layer of parchment paper on sheet pan. Dump the meat mixture onto the sheet pan and form meat into a ½” thick square or rectangle shape. Carefully begin to “roll” the mixture making a loaf from the flattened mixture. As you roll the loaf stop every ½-¾ turn to slightly pull the parchment from the meat. Once loaf is completely rolled, parchment will be free from the meat and discard.
Tidy up the loaf shape if desired and brush with Sweet & Sassy BBQ sauce. Set the entire sheet pan in the smoker.
Continue to cook on 250 and baste with bbq sauce every 30 minutes. Cook to an internal temperature of 155 degrees, about 2-3 hours.
Slice and enjoy! For an awesome meatloaf sandwich, cover and cool in the icebox overnight and enjoy a slice with pickles, toasted bread and a little Brushfire sauce.