by Maria Landaverde
I grew up in the brush country of south Texas. My father worked on a large cattle ranch on the Mexican border. Life was anything but easy in those days, and we survived on what Daddy could bring home. Sometimes it was beef but, more often than not, it was wild game. Daddy loved venison almost as much as wild turkey, but turkey was his favorite. My mother perfected the recipe and passed it down to me. Now, my husband’s favorite meal is wild turkey meatloaf.
Turkey meatloaf has a reputation of being bland and dry. This recipe is anything but bland or dry. Full of flavor, beautiful on the plate, and very juicy better describes this meatloaf. It is sure to change the mind of doubters from the first bite. There are two keys to the success of this recipe. First, when you grind the turkey meat, also grind 6 or 8 pieces of bacon and mix the ground turkey and bacon together before forming the loaf. Second, and most important, do not overcook.
This recipe will have you planning the next turkey hunt before you go back for seconds!
INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground wild turkey meat
(or beef, chicken,venison)
6 to 8 pieces bacon- ground
1 cup mushrooms, very finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
7 tablespoons ketchup, divided
1 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking pan lined with aluminum foil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened; about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chopped mushrooms, a 1/2-teaspoon of salt, and a 1/4-teaspoon of pepper. Cook until the mushrooms render their liquid and it boils away; about 10 minutes.
Transfer the onions and mushrooms to a large bowl, and then stir in three tablespoons of the ketchup and the Worcestershire sauce. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Stir the breadcrumb mixture and the eggs into the mushrooms and onions. Using a fork or your hands, gently mix in the ground turkey and bacon, a 1/4-teaspoon of salt, and a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. The mixture will be very wet.
Form the meatloaf into a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf in the middle of the prepared baking pan. Spread the remaining four tablespoons of ketchup on top.
Bake the meatloaf until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meatloaf registers 170°F, about 50 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
