Bison Cowboy Meatloaf (Gluten Free)

Home home on the range…where the deer and the antelope play!  You may be seasoned enough to remember that song…if not, just Google!  Bison…those majestic beautiful  creatures that roamed the West in bygone days.  Buffalo…the magic creature for the American Native Indians who used every stinkin’ morsel of these animals when they were killed down to the tendons.  Bison Cowboy Meatloaf (Gluten Free).

I adore meatloaf.  Of course, Ben doesn’t relish it much since because he said he had more than his fair share of it growing up in western North Carolina.  I did, too, growing up in Southern West Virginia, and that hasn’t deterred my love of it as an adult.  Since we had non-beef/pork eating friends coming for dinner and since one of our other guests needed gluten-free, I decided to accommodate both with a ‘Bison cowboy Meatloaf’!  The ground bison, much leaner than beef, but with a very similar taste, was organic from a ranch in Colorado.  We bought this and a bison roast at the farmer’s market from the ranchers at Sweet Water Ranch.  Yes, you can substitute beef if you want, but give bison a try…I don’t think you’ll see a particle of difference other than this being healthier for you!  My sweet friend, Deb, has little boys–I think they’ll like being cowboys and eating this bison meatloaf, so I’m sharing it on her blog ‘Thursday Treasures‘!  And, I’m sharing onFoodie Friends Friday, Weekend Potluck, and Fit and Fabulous Fridays!

 

Preheat oven to 350

Serves: 8+

What you need:

2 lbs ground bison

2 lb ground chicken

1/3 cup olive oil

3 beaten eggs

1 cup ground rice crackers

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tbl dried Gyro seasoning

1 tbl dried parsley

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

½ cup freshly grated or shaved parmesan

½ cup ketchup (squeeze from bottle for drizzle on top)

1 large tomato (heirloom if you can find it) thinly sliced

 

 

 

What you do:

Grease a 9×13 glass baking sheet or coat with cooking spray.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except last three ingredients.  Mix well with your hands.  Divide into equal amounts and shape into a loaf.  Place in baking sheet.  With your fingers, open the center of each loaf slightly and stuff in equal amounts of parmesan.  Close opening.

Drizzle each loaf with ketchup.  Layer thin slices of tomatoes on top.  Cover loosely with foil.  Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 40 minutes.  Remove foil.  Turn on broil and brown top of loaves for a few minutes.  Remove and let rest for about 10 minutes.  Scoop loaves from baking dish (there will be liquid) using a large metal spatula.  Place on serving dish.  Slice and serve immediately.

This is good leftover for meatloaf sammiches!

 

©Alice D’Antoni Phillips     Ally’s Kitchen