Entree: United States – Great Plains – Bison Meatloaf (Hearty oven-baked loaf of seasoned ground bison served sliced)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 30 min

Cook 1 hr 5 min

Additional 10 min

Total 1 hr 45 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (907 g) ground bison
- 1 cup (120 g) plain breadcrumbs (or panko)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, about 6 oz (170 g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced, about 6 g
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme or 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil for searing (optional)
- For the glaze:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) ketchup
- 2 tbsp (30 g) brown sugar
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). If using, heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil in a skillet over medium and sauté chopped onion until translucent, about 5–7 minutes; add garlic for last 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, soak breadcrumbs in milk for 2–3 minutes. Add beaten eggs, cooked onion and garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, salt, pepper, parsley and thyme; mix lightly to combine.
3. Step 3: Add ground bison and gently mix with hands until ingredients are just combined—avoid overworking to keep loaf tender.
4. Step 4: Shape mixture into a loaf approximately 9x5 inches (or press into a lightly greased loaf pan). Place on a rimmed baking sheet or in a loaf pan.
5. Step 5: Mix glaze ingredients (ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar) and spread half over the top of the loaf before baking.
6. Step 6: Bake in preheated oven until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C), about 50–65 minutes depending on loaf size. Brush remaining glaze on loaf in the last 10 minutes of baking for a sticky finish.
7. Step 7: Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing to retain juices. Serve warm sliced.