Poyha (Old Native American Recipe) Meat & Cormeal

Montana Heart Song's Note:

This recipe can be cooked over coals,grill or stove and oven. The original recipe called for wild onions & buffalo berries. I have adapted. The meat was also venison. You can use beef,elk, antelope, turkey or ground chicken. Instructions look complicated but very easy.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8-10

Yield: 2.0 loafs

• 2 lbs ground beef or 2 lbs ground venison or 2 lbs ground elk or 2 lbs ground turkey or 2 lbs ground chicken
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 3 slices bacon, chopped, if you are not using bacon as the pan dripping, add 1/2 tsp salt (optional) or 3 slices salt substitute (optional)
• 2 (14 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained or 2 cups frozen corn , thawed
• 2 cups green seedless grapes , chopped fine
• 1 large yellow onion , diced
• 3 eggs
• 1 ¼ cups coarse yellow cornmeal
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• Pam cooking spray
• paprika (optional)
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt (optional)

Directions:

1. In blender or food chopper, chop the corn until it is very small pieces.(do not overdo) You don't want liquid.Set aside.
2. (I prefer to use the frozen thawed corn).
3. In large mixing bowl, add chopped corn, chopped grapes, onion, eggs and pepper. Beat until eggs are mixed. Set aside. If you want to add optional paprika and garlic salt, add to mixing bowl.
4. Cast Iron Skillet or Dutch Oven:.
5. Brown ground meat in the oil or in the raw chopped bacon pieces. Cook just until brown. Do not overcook. Add drained meat to corn mixture. Wipe out skillet or dutch oven with a paper towel. Season with a little grease or oil.
6. Add cornmeal to meat and corn mixture. Mix well. I use my hands. Add more cornmeal, a little at a time ie. 1 tablespoon at a time,if the mixture is runny. Should be moist.(note: you might have to use a total of 1 1/2 cups cornmeal or a little more if the corn is very moist.
7. Pack into cast iron dutch oven. Cover.
8. Note: I put a heat proof dish that will fit down inside on top of meat, then cover.
9. Put on grill medium heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Over hot coals 45 minutes.Cool at least 15 minutes. Cut slices in the dutch oven, then lift slices out to serving dish.
10. Meat Loaf pans:.
11. Spray with Pam. Pack into two loaf pans.
12. Bake 350* 45 minutes.
13. Bake 350* 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes if packed in a very large loaf pan.
14. Make sure you cool at least 15 minutes or longer. The loaf must set up.
15. Serve with gravy, white sauce, ketchup.
16. Slice for sandwiches, or add with fried potatoes.
17. I like to serve with fried potatoes and white gravy or just plain on a slice of.
18. bread or hogie roll.
19. This is a very moist meat loaf and definitely a full meal. You can add salsa or peppers after slicing if you prefer or any meat sauce. You may put the meat on fry bread and top with salsa also.