Venison Pie
Venison pie is a great Winter favorite. Cooking the meat low and slow means the venison will be succulent and full of flavor. Then complete the dish with a lid of golden puff pastry. This recipe has been adapted and tweaked from classic European dishes.
Equipment
- 1 Flameproof casserole pot or heavy base saucepan
- 1 Pie dish or individual ramekins
Ingredients
- 1 kg venison chunks
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp cognac
- 1 whole onion chopped
- 250 grams mushrooms white or swiss
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 whole carrots sliced
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper ground
- 4 cups beef or venison stock if you have it
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour plain
- 1 tbsp water
- ½ cup cream thickened
- 1 whole sheet puff pastry
- 1 whole egg beaten
Instructions
Saute
- Dice the venison in 2.5cm or 1” pieces and season with salt.1 kg venison chunks, 1 tsp salt
- Add butter and olive oil to a heavy based saucepan or flameproof casserole dish and place over medium high heat.1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp olive oil
- Add the venison pieces in batches to give them space and brown well on all sides then remove.
- Deglaze the pan with cognac.1 tbsp cognac
- In the same pan, add butter place the onion sauté until caramelized (about 20 mins) then remove.1 tbsp butter, 1 whole onion
- In with the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms for about 15 minutes until they are browned and caramelized then remove.250 grams mushrooms
- Add olive oil to the same pot, and carrots in and season with salt and pepper. Cook for seven to ten minutes until softened.1 tbsp olive oil, 3 whole carrots, salt, 1 tsp black pepper
- Return the venison, onions and mushrooms to the pan with the beef stock, bay leaves and thyme.4 cups beef, 2 whole bay leaves, 6 sprigs thyme
Simmer
- Bring to the boil then turn the heat down to a simmer, place the lid on the pot and cook for two hours.
- Melt a tablespoon of butter and combine with one tablespoon of plain flour adding water if required to make a paste.1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp water
- Add the paste into the pan and stir to combine.
- Continue cooking until the meat is tender and the gravy has thickened to the required level.
- Stir in cream.½ cup cream
- Preheat an oven to 180C or 160C(fan forced).
- If the ingredients were not cooked in a casserole dish now place the cooked venison mixture into an ovenproof pie dish or individual ramekins.
- Wait for the dish/mixture to cool a bit so it’s easier to place the pastry on top.
- Place the pastry on top of the dish, crimping the edges.1 whole sheet puff pastry
- Use a knife to slice three or four vents in the top of the pastry then brush the top with the beaten egg.1 whole egg
Bake
- Place the casserole dish into the oven to bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
