Rustic Chorizo-Spiced Venison Meatloaf w. Agave Glaze & Pickled Poblano Peppers
- Heather Vences
- Feb 21
- 6 min read
One of my favorite restaurants in Fayetteville, Mockingbird Kitchen, makes the most decadent meatloaf with beef and chorizo. With my freezer full of wild game, a craving for their meatloaf sparked the idea for this recipe, which strikes a perfect balance of spicy, sweet, salty, and tangy flavors. This Rustic Chorizo-Spiced Venison Meatloaf builds on that inspiration with a smoky-sweet agave-tomato glaze and quick-pickled poblano peppers that round out the flavors and add a vibrant finishing touch.
How to source venison in Arkansas?
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf:
1 ½ lbs ground venison
¼ lb pork fat, finely diced
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of ground cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp cayenne
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ cup water
1 egg
½ cup breadcrumbs
2 tbsp yogurt
For the Agave-Tomato Glaze:
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tbsp agave syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of salt
For the Quick-Pickled Poblano Peppers:
2 poblano peppers, sliced ½ cm
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup water
2 tbsp agave
1 tsp salt
Render the Pork Fat & Infuse the Spices
To keep the venison moist and flavorful, start by rendering the pork fat. I use smoked pork jowl because it’s an affordable, easy-to-find cut from my local farmers, but lard or bacon work just as well.
Heat a pan over medium-low and add the finely diced fat. Let it cook until the pieces shrink and the pan is coated in rendered fat—about 10 minutes. Then, increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne.
Technique Note: Letting the spices cook for 30 seconds to a minute, known as blooming, helps unlock their full depth of flavor. This step is key to achieving that rich chorizo taste.
Remove the pan from heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
Hydrate the Breadcrumbs – The Secret to Moist Meatloaf and Meatballs
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, breadcrumbs, yogurt, and water. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes so the breadcrumbs can fully absorb the moisture. This step is key to achieving a tender, cohesive texture, preventing the meatloaf from turning dense or crumbly.
Mix & Rest the Meatloaf
Add the ground venison, cooled pork fat mixture, red wine vinegar, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce to the breadcrumb mixture. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, mix until just combined.
Technique Note: If you've ever wondered why your meatballs or meatloaf turn out dense and tough, the culprit is usually a lack of moisture, overmixing, or both. To avoid this, get all your ingredients in at once and mix just until combined. I recommend using your hands—you’ll be able to incorporate everything more effectively, reducing the risk of overworking the meat.
In traditional chorizo-making, the seasoned meat is left to rest so the flavors can fully develop and meld together. While we’re not making chorizo, letting this mixture sit allows the spices to infuse into the meat, giving us that familiar, well-rounded flavor with a unique twist.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight) to allow the flavors to meld- the longer the better here.
Make the Quick-Pickled Poblano Peppers
Pickled poblano peppers are one of my favorite toppings for meat. I often add them to thick pork chops, and with the Mexican-Spanish spices in this meatloaf, they’re a natural fit.
While the meatloaf rests, heat vinegar, water, agave, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high until simmering. Pour the hot mixture over the sliced poblanos and let them sit for at least 30 minutes. They add a crisp, tangy bite that balances the richness of the dish.
Shape & Bake the Meatloaf
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove the meat mixture from the fridge and shape it into a loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a lightly greased loaf pan.
Make & Apply the Glaze
Most meatloaves get some kind of tomato sauce on top, but this one has a glaze that’s almost like a quick barbecue sauce. It’s simple, flavorful, and comes together in no time. Whisk together the tomato paste, agave, vinegar, smoked paprika, and salt. Poor the glaze evenly over the meat loaf.
Technique Note: Because I want this to plate neatly, I put all the glaze on at once. If you want the glaze less caramelized, you can put on half now and the rest 20 minutes into baking.
Bake & Finish
Bake for 45–55 minutes, brushing on more glaze halfway through. Once the internal temperature reaches 160°F, remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
How to Serve
I paired this with quick buttered rosemary mashed potatoes—just a big dollop in the center of the plate with a thick slice of meatloaf resting on its side overtop. A few slices of pickled poblano peppers finish it off. It’s amazing how something so simple can plate up so beautifully. I thrifted a mismatched china set, and I love serving meals like this on them. It makes an ordinary Tuesday night feel special.
Final Thoughts
This Rustic Chorizo-Spiced Venison Loaf had the table filled with a chorus of “mmms” and “yums.” The key to getting it just right is in the details—don’t overwork the meat, let the breadcrumbs fully absorb the liquid, and take the time to render the fat properly.
For the best results, mix the meat in advance—either the night before or in the morning. This gives the seasonings time to meld, transforming the meat from simply seasoned to something reminiscent of chorizo.
Recipe: Rustic Chorizo-Spiced Venison Meatloaf
Prep Time: 20 minutes (+1 hour resting time)
Cook Time: 45-55 minutes
Total Time: About 2 hours
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
Meatloaf:
1 ½ lbs ground venison
¼ lb pork fat, finely diced
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of ground cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp cayenne
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ cup water
1 egg
½ cup breadcrumbs
2 tbsp yogurt
Agave-Tomato Glaze:
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tbsp agave syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of salt
Quick-Pickled Poblano Peppers:
2 poblano peppers, sliced ½ cm
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup water
2 tbsp agave
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black peppercorns
1 garlic clove, smashed
Instructions
Render the Pork Fat & Bloom the Spices
Finely dice the pork fat (such as smoked pork jowl, lard, or bacon).
Heat a pan over medium-low and cook the fat until it shrinks and coats the pan, about 10 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-high and stir in onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne.
Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute to bloom the spices, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Hydrate the Breadcrumbs
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, breadcrumbs, yogurt, and water.
Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb moisture.
Mix & Rest the Meatloaf
Add the ground venison, cooled pork fat mixture, red wine vinegar, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce to the breadcrumb mixture.
Mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, or ideally overnight, to let the seasonings develop.
Make the Quick-Pickled Poblano Peppers (while the meatloaf rests)
Heat vinegar, water, agave, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering.
Pour over sliced poblano peppers and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
Shape & Bake the Meatloaf
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Shape the meat mixture into a loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a greased loaf pan.
Make & Apply the Glaze
Whisk together tomato paste, agave, vinegar, smoked paprika, and salt.
Brush half of the glaze evenly over the meatloaf.
Bake & Finish
Bake for 45–55 minutes, brushing on more glaze halfway through.
Once the internal temperature reaches 160°F, remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Serve
Plate over buttered rosemary mashed potatoes and top with pickled poblano peppers.
Comments