BBQ Bison Meatloaf and The Best Sugar Free BBQ Sauce EVER!

Posted by Rachel

April 11, 2009

I know it’s not like me to post something made with red meat, but I can’t help it. This was uh-may-zing and I had to share it with you all. Besides, after learning some new information about the health benefits of eating local, pasture-raised, grass fed buffalo versus any other meat (including chicken), I’m sold on making it a regular part of my diet.

Buffalo meat has 70-90% less fat, 50% less cholesterol and yet 30% more protein than beef. It’s also much higher in iron, which is great for women, and has a great ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 acids. In fact, the amount of Omega fatty acids is comparable to that found in Salmon. To top it off, there are no known allergies to bison meat!

And, the taste! OMG! To.Die.For.

This recipe is a fantastic introduction to the world of bison if you’ve never tried it before. And, if you have, it’ll be another go to recipe in the arsonal for sure. I found the original version while hunting around on one of my favorite blogs. I whipped up this altered version for dinner, and between Luke and I, the entire loaf was gone by the next evening.

BBQ Bison Meatloaf
adapted from this recipe by Ree Drummond
makes one loaf that feeds four to six people

2 small bell peppers, any color you would like, diced small
1 onion, diced small
3 ribs celery, diced small
5 garlic cloves, minced
Ener-G Egg Replacer equivalent to 2 eggs, or 2 cage-free eggs
3 Tbs. butter or EarthBalance
about 1 cup Almond Flour or breadcrumbs
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne, or to taste depending on how spicy you like your food
1/4 cup milk of your choice (I used almond milk)
1/2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce (This has gluten, so only include it if you do not have a sensitivity.)
1 1/2 cups of your favorite BBQ Sauce, or 1 batch of The Best Sugar Free BBQ Sauce EVER!, recipe follows
1 1/2 pounds ground bison

1. In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium high heat. When it melts and gets foamy, add the bell pepper, celery, onion and garlic. Add some salt, pepper and cayenne and let cook for a few minutes until the vegetables start to get soft. You don’t really want them to brown, just soften.

2. Add about 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce. Cook down for a few more minutes and add the Worcestershire sauce and milk. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in about a half cup of almond flour or breadcrumbs with a rubber, heat-resistant spatula. Keep adding more almond flour or breadcrumbs until you get a consistency like a thick paste. Let this mixture cool for a few minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine your ground bison and “eggs” in a large mixing bowl, and preheat your oven to 400 degrees. When your oven is hot and the vegetable mixture has cooled a bit, add it to the bison mixture and mix it up. If you try mixing this with a spoon, I promise, you will immediately abandon it and opt for digging in with your hands or as I like to call them, “Nature’s Perfect Utensils”. So I say save yourself from dirtying another dish and just dive in.

4. Form the meatloaf mixture into a meatloaf shape (about 1 1/2 inches tall and 7 inches wide) on a lightly oiled sheet tray. Slather the remaining BBQ Sauce all over the tops and sides of the meatloaf. Pop it in the oven and cook it for about 30 minutes or until the drippings around the meatloaf are blackened and bubbling, like in the above photo.

I served this with Mock Mashed Potatoes (Mashed Cauliflower) and my ever faithful side dish – Sauteed Kale with Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes.

The Best Sugar Free BBQ Sauce EVER!
makes 1 1/2 cups
adapted from a Cook’s Illustrated recipe

2 Tbs. butter or EarthBalance
1/4 cup onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 cups tomato juice
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. stoneground or Dijon mustard
3 packets of Truvia or 2 Tbs. molasses or agave nectar, or to taste
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes. Add garlic and chili powder and stir. Add the tomato juice, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, sweetener, liquid smoke, and salt. Bring this mixture to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium low. Allow the sauce to simmer and reduce down to about 1 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Add more sweetener, liquid smoke, salt and pepper as needed.