Deerloaf

This is the recipe I've submitted for Kentucky Monthly's Recipe Contest:

Deerloaf

-one pound ground deerburger
-one envelope onion soup mix
-one fresh egg
-1/2 cup chopped sweet pepper; any color
-1/4 cup chopped onion
-1/2 ketsup, or 1/4 cup tomato paste with 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp sugar
-one cup dried stuffing mix or dried bread crumbs
-2 tsp fresh sage, chopped finely, or 1 tsp dried sage
-3 TBSP water
-salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, expect a few teaspoons of ketsup, and mix well – the water is added for moisture because deer meat is very lean and can dry out during cooking. Press mixture into a well oiled loaf pan and spread remaining ketsup on top. Cover with aluminum foil and cook for 45 minutes. Remove foil from pan and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes. Allow loaf to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 6 generous servings.

This recipe is a new twist on the classic meatloaf recipe. It is best when using Kentucky fresh produce from local Farmer’s Markets. Deer meat is readily available during the fall hunting season.