Sunday 8 April 2012

Venison and Vegetable Pie


I’m a big fan of using up leftovers in a meat pie.  I make them quite often, incorporating leftover vegetables into the pie and, whenever I can, a gravy made from pan drippings.  That’s how this pie came to be.  I braised a venison roast with onions and apples earlier this week and it provided enough meat for two meals.

Here’s what I used to make my pie:


  • Pastry for a one-crust, 9-inch pie (not pictured).  I used the same pastry recipe I used when making my broccoli cheddar quiche.
  • Gravy made by puréeing the onions and pan juices from the braise (I ended up using a cup and a half.  I froze the rest to use in a soup another day.)
  • About a cup of diced, cooked venison roast
  • About a cup of chopped, cooked cabbage
  • About 3/4 cup cooked carrots
  • About 3/4 cup frozen peas (Are you loving my accurate measurements yet?)
  • 1 recipe clapshot (You could use mashed potatoes or mashed yams instead.)

I started by heating up the gravy and adjusting the seasoning.  I added more salt and a little nutmeg.  It’s always a good idea to season the gravy for a meat pie a little more heavily than you might for table service because it will be providing seasoning for the vegetables in the filling. 

When the gravy had cooled to room temperature again, I made the pie shell.    

I put the venison, cabbage, carrots , and peas in a large bowl and added just enough gravy to moisten them.   I mixed them until the ingredients were well combined, then I turned the venison/vegetable mixture out into the pie shell and spread it evenly.


I covered the pie with a layer of clapshot, leaving a vent at the middle so steam could escape while the pie was cooking.


The pie baked at 350F for 45 minutes.  I let it rest about 5 minutes before slicing it for service.


This pie will not freeze well but it will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.  Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave.  We used our leftover pie for lunches.

4 comments:

Alea Milham said...

This looks wonderful! What a delicious way to repurpose leftover venison!

Aunt B said...

Thanks Alea. We do like a meat pie at our house. :)

Jill said...

My husband would really enjoy this. I don't eat any meat except a little chicken or turkey, but I'm always looking for recipes for my family. Thanks for sharing!

blessings,
Jill

Aunt B said...

I'm glad you like the recipe Jill. Thanks for taking the time to check it out. :)

I make this same dish with all sorts of roast meats including chicken and turkey. Just make a gravy for the pie using the pan drippings from whatever meat or poultry you have on hand.