Meatloaf is on regular meal rotation at our house. This is one of the best I’ve tasted. It’s a version of Don’s meatloaf, with a few twists, just to make it more interesting. Typically, I use a combination of grass-fed beef and deer meat. Because it’s so lean, I add fat, to carry flavor and add moisture.
Meatloaf is becoming a way for me to use bits of leftovers. In this one, I used a leftover rice and mushroom dish. And I was prepared to put a little leftover mashed potatoes in it, but Don had other plans!
Patty Melt Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground deer meat or ground turkey
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup whole kernel corn
- 2/3 cup cooked rice
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1 or 2 jalapenos, finely chopped
- 2 TBSP Worcestershire (or 1 TBSP each - soy sauce and worcestershire)
- 2 TBSP refried beans
- 2 TBSP sautéed mushrooms (optional)
- 1 TBSP Dijon mustard
- 1 TBSP granulated garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- For lean meat add 2 TBSP mayonnaise and 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil, or sour cream (for fat and moisture)
- 1 large onion, cut in half-moon slices
- 3-4 slices swiss cheese (or cheese of your choice)
Topping
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°
- Place everything for meatloaf in a bowl, and mix gently until all ingredients are combined.
- Form into a loaf on a greased pan, or place in a 10x7 baking pan.
- Bake for 1 1/4 hours or until done.
- While meatloaf is baking, on medium low heat, sauté onions for the topping, until caramelized. When the meatloaf is done cooking, spread onions on top, then lay cheese slices over them. Bake until cheese is just melted, about 5 minutes.