What is a good binding agent for meatloaf made with venison?

Question

If I use the same recipe as I do with beef, then when I slice the meatloaf it kind of crumbles into chunks. It tastes great but the presentation is not that great. I've tried with extra egg as a binder and I've tried with no eggs. I've tried adding cheese. I've tried rice instead of breadcrumbs (crumbles even worse.) Its been suggested that I add pork or beef fat but that defeats the purpose of eating the ultra low fat venison.

Any suggestions for how to keep a venison meatloaf from falling apart?

Answer 1

One thing you might try. I'm assuming you use onions in your meat loaf. So, add some evaporated milk, fresh bread crumbs that you have blended yourself (put the bread in the freezer until frozen and then grind in the blender). Add your 1 egg for every pound of meat you use. Soak the bread in the milk before mixing with the egg and meat. Since it sounds like you want low-fat, you could use nonfat milk or 1% in place of the evap milk or use nonfat evaporated milk if you can find it. When you mix everything together, it will seem a little mushy but that's OK. If it's too wet, go ahead and add some dry bread crumbs. Hope that helps. Also, since your meat is so lean, you might find better success cooking your meat loaf in muffin tins so it doesn't take so long to cook the center of the meat loaf. Each "muffin" size would be a portion for a person (or 2 per serving). Do the muffin thing if staying with your original meat loaf recipe.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

I love meatloaf so I have a LOT of experinece in experimentation with the standard loaf! LOL!

If you have some extra time then I have discovered a way to make any type of protien loaf stay together...

You take the meat that you want to use and press it into a thin "patty" across a cookie sheet so that it has a huge surface area exposed.

You take the salt that you would use in the meat loaf recipe and sprinkle it across the top, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, and allow to sit at room temperature for half an hour.

This will draw the water soluable protines to the surface of the meat forming a slighly "Takcy" substance that will go a long way tohelping keep the meat into one sliceable mass.

The longer you can let it sit the better - As long as you don't let the temperature warm up too much. Twice as lone in the fridge would be better then half as long in a hot room! (If you get what I mean)

Another thing I use is Panko or Japanese Bread Crumbs.

I purchase mine at the local Safeway/Dominicks but if you can't find them in your area then you can always find them at a Cost Plus A.K.A. World Market. (A more international Piere 1) They have an extensive "Forign" food section.

Panko is sharp shards of breadcrumbs. They can absorb more and provide a much more stability then standard, ground, breadcrumbs.

How you cook it effects the texture too...

If you cook it in a loaf pan then the liquid and the greese can actually "Dry out" the meat.

You can do a free form loaf shaped in a loaf pan but you slap that down onto a deep-sided cookie sheet so that the "run off" has a place to go and won't build up around the sides and shrink the meat.

I have even put it on a rack on a cookie sheet if I couldn't get a lean enough meat.

If none of ^THAT works then you might need to start using a mixture of meats.

I usually do a Beef, Pork, and Veal mix but I have done it with turkey, ground chicken, venison, elk... All of 1 or EVERYTHING I can get my hands on. They all come out so different that it is fun to see what happens.

You might want to add in some beef or Veal to the mix to firm it up a touch.

I just go nuts... If your already disapointed with your results what is the worst that can happe?? LOL!

Happy holidays!

Answer 4

The problem is that venison is too lean to hold its shape when baked in meat loaf.

If you don't want to add meat fat, you could try adding another egg OR even try adding mayonaisse (works to make moist cakes too!).

Really though the problem is lack of fat. If you like the taste as is, don't worry about the presentation.

The other alternative is to make many mini-loaves (shape/mound them on cookie sheets) instead of one big loaf. Then everyone gets their own little loaf and the crumbles don't happen until they cut them on their own plates.

Now I'm hungry for meat loaf! Think we will have that for dinner on Wednesday. But I will use a combination of venison, hamburger and pork sausage, yum!

Answer 5

I think the problem is that the meat hasn't been ground as fine as the beef or pork you usually use for meatloaf. My suggestion would be to use half ground venison and half ground beef and/or pork when you make meatloaf.

It could also be that your venison wasn't ground with enough tallow, making it too dry. We grind our venison 50/50 with brisket to get enough fat into it and it does really well that way.

Answer 6

The venison is too dry. Not enough fat in the meat. Use a couple of tablespoons of milk or a 1/4 cup ketchup. It's falling apart because it is not moist enough.

Answer 7

VENISON MEAT LOAF

1 lb. ground venison
1/3 lbs. ground pork
1 egg
1/2 c. dried bread crumbs
1 c. milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. chopped onion

After mixing the meats thoroughly; add egg, milk, bread crumbs and mix with meat. Place in greased pan and bake 1 hour in medium 350 degrees oven.

Answer 8

Maybe imitation potato flakes...their starch may help bind...

Answer 9

try use fresh white bread ,presoak in water and slightly squzeed dry, or try corn flour.............

Answer 10

eggs will help hold it together