Cheesy Loaded Moose Meatloaf Casserole
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You can’t go wrong with a loaded moose meatloaf casserole recipe. It is kid-friendly and topped with leftover baked potatoes, cheese, and bacon. What’s not to love?
We make plenty of homestyle recipes, like my classic meatloaf recipe, and dutch oven meatloaf if you prefer beef, or you can’t go wrong with the cheesy venison casserole. If you haven’t noticed, we like cheese!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
- 1 lb of ground moose: I also make this with ground beef, venison, and a similar variation for my elk meatloaf recipe.
- The meatloaf filling: I use a lot of breadcrumbs to help hold its shape, along with diced onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, an egg, and plenty of salt and pepper.
- Leftover baked potatoes: Surprisingly, this is the inspiration for the recipe! It’s a great way to use up those leftover potatoes.
- Cheddar cheese and bacon: Last but not least, we have our cheese and bacon. I shred my own block of cheddar cheese because, frankly, it’s better that way, but feel free to use your favorite shredded cheese.
Moose Meatloaf Recipe Instructions
1. Prepare the bacon.
First, let’s cook the bacon. Chop it into small pieces and cook it in a cast iron skillet. Once it’s done, set it aside to cool.
Pro tip: Use scissors to quickly cut the bacon into pieces.
2. Preheat oven and combine ingredients.
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground moose, diced onion, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9X13 cast iron baking dish.
Top tip: Try to spread the meatloaf mixture evenly to ensure it cooks properly.
3. Add the toppings.
Evenly spread the mashed potatoes on top.
Then, gently mix the cooled bacon and cheddar cheese and sprinkle it over the mashed potatoes.
4. Cover and bake.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the meatloaf is fully cooked and the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
And there you have it, a delicious loaded meatloaf casserole that your whole family will enjoy. Enjoy your meal!
Meatloaf casserole cooking tips
Chop the bacon before cooking.
While you can chop up the bacon before or after cooking, I find it easier to cut it up into small pieces with scissors before cooking.
Keep an eye on the cheese.
If you notice the cheese is starting to brown too quickly, you can cover it with aluminum foil to allow the meat to finish cooking.
It’s the perfect recipe, but don’t overcook!
You’ll find this moose meatloaf holds together really well. It has a lot to do with the amount of breadcrumbs we use. The only downside to that is you do not want to overcook it, or it will dry out quickly.
Storage Options
On the off chance you have leftovers, cover it and store it in the same dish you cooked it in for up to 3 days. Then, all you have to do is reheat in the oven until warmed through.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of potatoes work best?
You can use any type of potato for this recipe. They just have to be baked ahead of time!
What can I substitute the ground moose with?
You can substitute ground turkey, chicken, pork, or beef for the moose in this recipe, depending on your preference.
You will need to adjust cook times accordingly, though.
How do I tell when my meatloaf casserole is done?
Bake the casserole for about 45-60 minutes, or until the meatloaf casserole is cooked through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Always check the internal temperature with an instant thermometer. Ground moose must be cooked to a minimum of 160°F.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can assemble the moose meatloaf ahead of time and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake it. Just be sure to add about 10-15 minutes to the baking time if you’re starting with a cold casserole.
Can I freeze this recipe?
Yes! You can freeze this loaded potato moose meatloaf casserole for up to 2 months. Just be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place it in a freezer-safe container.
Customize to your liking!
Feel free to add your favorite seasonings, vegetables, or other toppings to this recipe to make it your own. Get creative!
Wrapping up
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you do make it and love it, please leave a review below! I love hearing from you!
This wild game recipe is the perfect meal for everyone, with its delicious flavors and no gaminess to speak of.
More of my favorite wild game recipes.
- How to cook the perfect moose steak
- Smothered moose chops
- Crispy chicken fried venison
- Ground venison stroganoff
Loaded Moose Meatloaf Casserole
Equipment
- 9X13 cast iron baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound of ground moose
- 1 cup of breadcrumbs
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1/2 an onion diced (about 1/2 a cup)
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt not table salt
- 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
And for the toppings
- 2 leftover baked potatoes peeled and mashed
- 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup of chopped bacon
Instructions
- First, let's cook the bacon. Chop it into small pieces and cook it in a cast iron skillet. Once it's done, set it aside to cool.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground moose, diced onion, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9X13 cast iron baking dish.
- Evenly spread the mashed potatoes on top.
- Then, gently mix the cooled bacon and cheddar cheese, and sprinkle it over the mashed potatoes.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the meatloaf is fully cooked and the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
Very tasty but with the bacon and salt it was too salty. Next batch I won’t add any salt and see how that works.