That’s a mouthful for sure…
A mouth full of goodness, that is!
By Bobbie Jo Wasilko
HeHuntsSheCooks.com
Ingredients:
3 lb. Ground Venison
2 lbs. Bacon
2-3 Jalapeños, de-seeded and minced finely
3 Eggs, lightly beaten
5 Slices Sandwich Bread, torn into small pieces
1 medium onion, small diced
2 Tbs. Onion Powder
2 Tbs. Garlic Powder
1-8 ounce pkg. Shredded 4 Cheese Mexican
1 cup Prepared BBQ Sauce, *divided in 1/2 cup portions
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, add the ground venison, minced jalapeño, beaten eggs, torn bread pieces, diced onion, onion powder, and garlic powder.
2. Mix until combined.
3. Line a bread pan with saran wrap and divide the meatloaf in half.
4. Place one half of the meatloaf in the bottom of the pan, press down lightly.
5. Pour 1/2 cup BBQ sauce over top.
6. Add the shredded cheese.
7. Add the remaining half of the meatloaf and press down lightly, and set aside.
Make a basket weave out of the bacon:
- From one and a half (about 16 slices) package of bacon, lay the bacon slices, horizontally close together on a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil.
- From the other one and a half packages, take one piece of bacon, and weave it vertically, going over one slice and under the next piece of bacon to create a basket weave, stretching the bacon to reach the end of the slices of bacon.
- Continue until all the bacon creates a whole weave.
- Remove the meatloaf from the loaf pan by carefully turning it over and removing the saran wrap.
- Lay the meatloaf, top side down in the center of the bacon weave.
- Fold the bacon over the meatloaf, using a few toothpicks to secure it together.
- Carefully turn the whole meatloaf over and fold the foil up around it, but do not cover it (this is just to keep the drippings in the foil.
- Pre-heat the smoker, and add mesquite wood chips, to get some smoke developing.
- Place a drip pan under the grate and lay the foil and meatloaf directly on the smoke grate.
- Smoke for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, baste the meatloaf with remaining BBQ sauce. and continue to smoke another 15 minutes.
- Remove and serve.