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Venison pie

• Helena Busiakiewicz

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Serves 8

Easy

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 1 hr and 45 mins

plus resting

A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.5 ratingsRate

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Swap your usual beef pie for venison. Encased in cheesy puff pastry, this will be your new go-to pie on wintery days. Serve with mash and braised cavolo nero

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Braised cavolo nero

A star rating of 4.2 out of 5.7 ratings

Best ever creamy mashed potatoes

A star rating of 3.3 out of 5.8 ratings

Garlicky greens

A star rating of 4.1 out of 5.13 ratings

Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

• 1-3 tbsp vegetable oil

• 75g streaky bacon rashers

  roughly chopped

• 4 tbsp plain flour

  plus extra for dusting

• 1 tsp mustard powder

• 1 kg venison shoulder

  cut into 4-5cm pieces

• 50g unsalted butter

• 1 celery stick

  chopped

• 1 carrot

  chopped

• 1 red onion

  roughly chopped

• 2 garlic cloves

  roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 10g dried porcini mushrooms

  rehydrated in 150ml warm water

• 200ml red wine

• 700ml beef stock

  (ideally fresh stock)

• 2 fresh bay leaves

• 1 large thyme sprig

• 2 x 320g ready-rolled puff pastry sheets

• 1 egg

  beaten

• 50g mature cheddar

  grated

• mash

  and braised cavolo nero, to serve (optional)

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Nutrition: Per serving

• kcal669
• fat38g
• saturates17g
• carbs36g
• sugars3g
• fibre4g
• protein40g
• salt1.38g

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Method

• step 1

  Heat 1 tbsp of the veg oil in a large, deep, flameproof casserole dish over a high heat and, once shimmering, cook the bacon pieces for 5-6 mins until crisp and golden. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

• step 2

  Tip the flour into a bowl, season well, then sprinkle in the mustard powder and whisk to combine. Dip the venison pieces in the flour, shake to remove any excess, then brown in the residual bacon fat in batches, adding the remaining oil in 1 tbsp additions if the pan is dry. As the venison browns, remove to a plate using a slotted spoon. Set aside. If the pan looks burnt, pour in a splash of water, scrape up any burnt bits and pour them away.

• step 3

  Melt the butter in the pan and, once foaming, cook the celery, carrot and red onion for 10-12 mins until starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 3-4 mins, then add the tomato purée. Cook for 2-3 mins more until the tomato purée starts to darken, then stir in the rehydrated porcini and soaking liquid, the red wine and beef stock. Drop in the bay leaves and thyme, then return the venison and bacon to pan. Put on the lid and cook over a low-medium heat for 2 hrs-2 hrs 30 mins, removing the lid for the final 20 mins. The meat should be very tender and the sauce reduced and glossy.

• step 4

  When the stew has 15 mins left, start preparing the pastry. Heat the oven to 190C/180C fan/gas 5. Roll the two pastry sheets out on a lightly floured surface until they are slightly larger than a 30cm oval pie dish. Set aside.

• step 5

  Season the venison stew, then tip into the pie dish. Brush some of the beaten egg around the edge of one of the pastry sheets, then sprinkle the grated cheese into the middle along with a generous pinch of black pepper. Lay the remaining pastry sheet on top and press down around the cheese to seal.

• step 6

  Lift the cheese-filled pastry onto the pie dish over the stew filling, and crimp along the edge to seal. Brush some beaten egg all over the pastry, then use a small, sharp knife to score a sunburst pattern from the middle out to the edge. Bake for 20-25 mins until the pastry top is deeply golden. Let the pie rest for 15 mins before serving with mash and braised cavolo nero, if you like.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, October 2024

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A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.5 ratings

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