Beef and venison pie

Name: Beef and venison pie
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 3 h 15 min
Total time: 3 h 50 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 tbsp. olive oil; 2 red onions, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 150 g (5oz) smoked lardons; 250 g (9oz) pack chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped; 50 g (2oz) plain flour, plus extra to dust; 500 mL (17 fl 0z) beef stock; 500 g (1lb 2oz) braising steak, cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces; 500 g (1lb 2oz) venison for braising, cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces; 300 mL (10 fl oz (1/2 pint)) red wine; 3 rosemary sprigs; 4 thyme sprigs; 750 g shortcrust pastry; 1 egg, beaten, to glaze

No need to brown the meat first for this glorious pie, which is cooked in rich red wine.

By The GH Kitchen TeamPublished: 04 November 2015

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Preparation Notes: 35min, plus cooling and chilling

Cooking Notes: about 31/4hr

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Yields:

Prep Time:

35 mins

Cook Time:

3 hrs 15 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 50 mins

Cal/Serv:

737

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 red onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
150 g (5oz) smoked lardons
250 g (9oz) pack chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
50 g (2oz) plain flour, plus extra to dust
500 ml (17 fl 0z) beef stock
500 g (1lb 2oz) braising steak, cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces
500 g (1lb 2oz) venison for braising, cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces
300 ml (10 fl oz (1/2 pint)) red wine
3 rosemary sprigs
4 thyme sprigs
750 g shortcrust pastry
1 egg, beaten, to glaze

Directions

1. Step 1
  Preheat oven to 180° (160°C fan) mark 4. Heat oil in a large flameproof casserole dish that has a lid, and gently fry onions for 10min to soften. Stir in the garlic, lardons and mushrooms, and continue cooking until the mushrooms are beginning to soften.
2. Step 2
  Meanwhile, put the flour into a jug and gradually whisk in the stock to make a smooth mixture. Season well.
3. Step 3
  To the casserole dish, add the raw meat, the stock mixture, wine and herbs. Bring up to the boil, stirring occasionally, then cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 2-21/4hr or until the meat is tender (remember to give the mixture an occasional stir). Check seasoning, then set aside to cool completely (see GH Tip).
4. Step 4
  While pie mixture is cooling, lightly flour a work surface and roll out 500g (1lb 2oz) of the shortcrust pastry to 3mm (1/8in) thick. Use to line the base and sides of a 20.5cm (8in) round loose-bottom or springform cake tin – leaving about 2.5cm (1in) excess pastry hanging over the sides. Keep any pastry trimmings wrapped. Chill lined tin for 20min.
5. Step 5
  Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Cook pastry case in oven for 10min, then press the pastry down on the base and sides with a spatula, as it will have puffed a little. Return to the oven for a further 5min until pastry feels sandy.
6. Step 6
  Carefully take pastry tin out of oven and trim excess pastry. Pick out and discard herb stalks from the meat filling, then spoon into the pastry case and level.
7. Step 7
  Roll out remaining pastry on a lightly floured work surface until 3mm (1/8in) thick. Brush the inside rim of the visible pastry in the tin with some beaten egg, then lay over the raw pastry. Press into position, trimming excess (keep trimmings). Glaze pie top with egg. Roll out all trimmings as before and use to decorate top of pie with shapes or a lattice pattern. Brush decorations with egg, then cut a small cross in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape.
8. Step 8
  Cook pie in the oven for 35min until the pastry is a rich gold and the filling is piping hot. Allow the cooked pie to sit for 5min, then remove from tin and transfer to a serving plate. Serve in slices.
  
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GH Tips

GH TIP Your filling should be unctuous and thickly sauced. If yours is very liquidy, strain some of it and reserve it for a gravy before filling the pastry. Reheat gravy when needed and serve alongside the pie.

GET AHEAD Prepare to end of step 3 up to a day ahead. Cool, cover and chill. To serve, allow filling to come up to room temperature and complete recipe.

Per Serving:

Calories: 737
Fibre: 3 g
Total carbs: 43 g
Sugars: 4 g
Total fat: 41 g
Saturated fat: 16 g
Protein: 41 g

The GH Kitchen Team

The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor ⁠Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce ⁠Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time