Elk Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes & Mushroom Gravy
There’s something kind of poetic about sitting in a dimly lit dive bar while eating a slab of meatloaf made from an animal you were just admiring as they grazed in the mountains around your Airbnb - at least that’s what I told myself as we dug into a big plate of the good stuff at the Old Saloon during a visit to Yellowstone National Park this spring.
All of which inspired me to sit down and put my own spin on this delicacy so I could bring a taste of Montana cooking to all of you.
here’s what you’ll need
for the meatloaf:
2 lbs ground elk
1 lb ground Italian pork sausage
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg, whisked
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt
pepper
for the mashed potatoes:
4 Yukon gold potatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp butter
salt
for the mushroom gravy and garnishes:
2 lbs mushrooms, quartered and sliced
1 1/2 cups pearl onions, peeled
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 tbsp butter
chives, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
here’s what you’ll need to do
We’re going to start by making our meatloaf.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, soak panko breadcrumbs in milk.
Set aside.
Melt butter in a pan over medium heat and sauté your diced onion until soft.
Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine elk, pork sausage, soaked breadcrumbs, sautéed onion and garlic, egg, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix gently to incorporate, being careful not to overwork your meat.
Line an oven-proof loaf pan with parchment paper and fill with meatloaf mix.
Bake for about 60 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
Pro Tip: Place loaf pan on a sheet tray to bake, so any juices that drip from your meatloaf collect on the tray rather than dirtying your oven.
Meanwhile, we’re going to make our mashed potatoes - starting by bringing a large pot of water to a boil on the stovetop.
Peel potatoes and cut into small, like-sized pieces.
Add potatoes to the pot of boiling water and cook until fork tender. This should take about 15 minutes.
Drain potatoes and allow them to cool slightly.
Put cooked potatoes through a ricer into a mixing bowl (or give them a good mash).
Add heavy cream and butter.
Stir until smooth.
Salt to taste and set aside.
Once your meatloaf is cooked through, remove from oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing into inch-thick slices.
This is when you’ll make your gravy and crisp up some shallots for garnishing.
Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and butter to a pan over medium heat.
Add pearl onions and sauté for about 5 minutes before adding mushrooms. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Once mushrooms and onions are soft and beautifully basted in butter, remove pan from heat and CAREFULLY add Marsala wine to the pan. (You want the pan off the heat so it doesn’t flame up on you).
Place pan back on the burner and simmer until wine is reduced by half.
Add cream and simmer until thick and unctuous, also reduced by half.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
At the same time, we’re going to make some crispy shallots for garnishing.
Place thinly sliced shallots in a small sauté pan and drizzle with olive oil until covered.
Saute shallots over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until golden - which shouldn’t take long at all.
CAREFULLY remove crispy shallots from the HOT oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate.
Set aside to cool.
Now it’s time to plate our dish!
Spread a layer of your buttery mashed potatoes on a plate.
Top with a slice of meatloaf, and smother with your gorgeous gravy.
Garnish with fresh cracked pepper, chopped chives, and crispy shallots.
Dig in and enjoy!