Oh Deer, Speaker Paul Ryan’s Loaf

Makes 6 servings

When Paul Ryan heard about a meatloaf cookbook by two New York Times reporters, he shared his recipe for a venison meatloaf for “A Meatloaf in Every Oven” (Grand Central Publishing, 2017). Ryan, who grinds his own meat, is a deer hunter. Don’t skimp on the ketchup, which co-author Jennifer Steinhauer notes gives the loaf a good zing.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium-size onion, finely chopped

1 pound ground venison

1⁄2 pound fatty ground beef, preferably not more than 70% lean

1 envelope (1 ounce) onion soup mix (Ryan uses Lipton)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1⁄2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs (Ryan uses Progresso)

1 large egg, lightly beaten 1⁄4 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil, or use a non-stick loaf pan.

Warm the oil in a medium-size skillet over low heat, add onions and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine meats, onion soup mix, Worcestershire, bread crumbs and egg and mix gently with your clean hands until combined. Add the cooled onions and knead them into the mixture until just incorporated.

Form mixture into a loaf in foil-lined baking pan, or gently press into the loaf pan, and glaze the top with ketchup. Bake in preheated oven until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, about 65 minutes. Let the loaf rest, uncovered, 10 minutes before slicing and serving.