
Game Pie with Cranberry Gravy
This Game pie has a Christmas twist by having a delicious cranberry gravy. Perfect for a Christmas alternative & simple to make, get your recipe here now!
Quick Stats
Easy
6 Servings
180 minutes bake time
Game Pie with Cranberry Gravy
This Game pie has a Christmas twist by having a delicious cranberry gravy. Perfect for a Christmas alternative & simple to make, get your recipe here now!
Ingredients
- 2 tsp sunflower oil
- 6 venison and pork sausages (or wild boar and pork will do)
- 500g stewing venison or shoulder/haunch, cut into large chunks
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 2 thyme sprigs, plus extra to decorate
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 100g baby chestnut mushrooms, halved
- 180g pack whole cooked chestnuts
- 450ml fresh beef stock
- 100ml port
- 3 tbsp cranberry sauce
- 1 x 320g All-Butter Jus-Rol Puff Pastry Sheet
- 1 egg, beaten with a fork
Equipment required
- Frying pan
- Pastry Brush
Techniques Used
-
How to Roll Puff Pastry
How to Roll Puff Pastry
- For best results when rolling out puff pastry use a large, clean dry area of the work surface and lightly dust it with plain flour.
- Place pastry dough on surface and lightly dust it and the rolling pin with flour.
- Roll pastry firmly, always rolling away from you, give the dough 2-3 rolls.
- Then turn the dough a quarter turn.
- Dust again if necessary and continue rolling out, frequently turning the pastry so it is not always rolled in the same direction as this causes shrinkage.
- When the pastry has increased in size, pick it up to turn by rolling it round the rolling pin.
- Lift the pin with the pastry around it carefully and turn it to lay out and continue rolling. Again this is done to prevent the pastry from stretching as you lift it which in turn would result in shrinkage in baking. Puff pastry should be rolled out to approx. 4-5 mm depth.
- To re- roll puff pastry once you have cut something out from the main piece, layer up all the trimmings, folding to achieve approximately an even stack.
- Press stack lightly together with fingers.
- Then roll out as before.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan oven) Gas Mark 1. In a big frying pan, heat the oil then briefly brown the sausages. Transfer them to a deep, lipped baking dish along with the venison chunks, then sprinkle over the flour, thyme and pepper. Mix well to coat everything evenly in the flour.
- Put the mushrooms, chestnuts, stock and port in the frying pan and bring the liquid to the boil. As soon as it starts bubbling, tip all over the meat and give everything a good mix. Cover tightly with a double sheet of foil and put in the oven. Bake for 2 ½ hours.
- When the meat is done, taste the gravy for seasoning – it may need some salt, and stir in the cranberry sauce. If you want to bake straight away, top with the pastry now, if you’re getting ready in advance, wait until the meat is completely cold before adding the pastry top (and then keep the pie chilled for up to a day before baking, or freeze for up to a month).
- Dampen the lip of the baking dish with some water. Unroll the pastry sheet and roll it out a little thinner, if you need it to be bigger, then lift carefully onto the pie. Trim off the excess by running a sharp knife along the edge of the baking dish. Brush the top with beaten egg, then scatter with some more thyme, salt and pepper. Chill until needed or bake straight away.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) Gas Mark 6. Poke a steam hole in the centre of the pastry then bake the pie for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden.