This Venison meat pie is an instant crowd-pleaser and the best treat to keep you company during ‘me-time’. Stuffed with ground venison, this crisp pie will melt smoothly in your mouth, unlocking sultry flavors of caramelized onions, spices, herbs, currants, and cheese.
Introduction
Meat pies are no stranger at our dinner tables. Recently, I decided to treat my family to a homemade venison meat pie. Maybe it was the drive to create a culinary masterpiece or the buttery-cheesy-spicy taste of the pie itself, but by the end of the day, I had an epiphany that venison meat pies are the best. In short: my mantra for this year is Make Venison pie. Eat Venison pie. Repeat.
To be honest, nothing can beat the charm of savory pies especially when they are stuffed with venison. Ground venison is easier to cook than boney game meat, which is why the following recipe requires no cooking Jitsu skills. Preparing the venison meat stuffing hardly takes time (fun fact: you can spice up its juicy flavor with basic herbs and spices). Baking takes around 30 minutes, but hey, good things come to those who wait!
More about Venison
Historically, meat pies have been a ‘must have’ and ‘should have’ for every family in America. I can still recall the sight when my mother would hand me a dish with asymmetrically cut, triangular pie pieces.
Back then, slicing and cutting a meat pie was more prestigious than a school project. After gently slicing the pie, I would lift its chunkiest part, munch on it, zone out, drop my fork and knife, and ignore the swish and swash of the fallen cutlery.
Now, as an adult, I have developed an obsession with making and baking venison pies. Oh, and I do LOVE eating them.
Although venison has a strong unique flavor, very few families regularly consume it. If you are a venison virgin, the following pointers will help you understand the meaty venison flavor profile.
Where does the word “venison” come from?
The word venison is derived from the Latin verb, Venari which means ‘to hunt’. Initially, the term had a generic implication and was used to refer to different types of meat including deer, rabbit, goats, and pigs. Recently, this term became exclusive for deer meat.
How does venison meat differ from other types of meat?
When it comes to taste, venison meat and beef fall in the same spectrum. Having said that, venison’s rich taste creates deeper and earthier flavors. Venison meat is a healthier alternative to commercial red meat as it has a low amount of calories and saturated fats. Rich with minerals like zinc, iron, phosphorus, and B Vitamins, venison meat is one the safest meats in the market as it is free from hormones and steroids.
How do you make the venison meat tender?
Keep in mind that venison meat can be easily given the right amount of tenderness if you follow the correct cooking method. For me, cooking venison in an instant pot has done the trick.
Another way you tenderize the venison meat is through the use of marinades. Commercially produced marines either have acids in them or enzymes. If you are using a marinade containing acids, keep in mind that such marinades hardly soften venison’s meat.
In fact, a marinade’s acid penetrates the meat at a very slow rate.
As a side note, too much marination might cause the meat to become mushy and extremely chewy.
What You’ll Need
Let me give you a quick run of the ingredients you need. Oh, and you don’t have to run to the grocery store because I am pretty sure these ingredients are tucked away in your fridge and freezer.
Vidalia onion
Olive oil
Ground venison
Unsalted butter
Mozzarella or goat cheese
Salt and pepper
Garlic
Cinnamon powder
Allspice powder
Currants or small black raisins
Parsley
Puff pastry
Egg yolk
Water
What is the best seasoning for Venison?
Meats like venison become uber-rich in taste and flavor especially when they are paired with herbs like bay, rosemary, sweet marjoram, and sage.
How To Detect Spoilage In Venison Meat?
If you want to check the quality of your venison meat, I would suggest you keep a track of time, starting from the moment it was hunted till it reached you. If the meat has been out of the fridge/freezer for more than three days, then it's a given that it has gone bad.
You can also judge the quality of the meat by touching it. Wet and slimy meat is nothing but a red flag because healthy meat will be damp.
Lastly, do check out the smell of the meat before cooking. If your venison meat is giving off a pungent smell then avoid using it.
How To Make Ground Venison Meat Pie?
Thaw the Puff pastry: Let’s be honest, puff pastries are freezer residents which is why I would recommend that you take your one out well in advance. Let it sit on your tabletop so it thaws quickly.
Prepare the filling: Start with chopping one large Vidalia onion and mincing garlic. Once these two are done, take a pan, throw in the onion with oil and let it fry till it starts coloring up with a golden tinge.
Add in the meat, garlic, butter, and spices, and let the meat cook till its pinkish rawness disappears and the meaty juice evaporates. Finally, add in salt and pepper so that the meat can pick on the flavor of the seasoning.
Additional flavorings: Gently add in the pine nuts, currants, or raisins along with chopped parsley. Stir these ingredients thoroughly in the venison. Once you are done, turn off the flame so the prepared stuffing cools down.
Get the Oven On: Turn on your oven and let it preheat at 350 degrees F. Take out the baking tray and make sure to line it with parchment paper or a Silpat.
Assemble the Pie: Start by preparing the pie base by cutting the puff pastry sheets into six pieces. Roll the puff pastry pieces into a 7x5 inches rectangle. Once the dough is rolled, start filling one half of the rectangle with the stuffing and sprinkle it with cheese.
Brush the edges of the dough gently with water and fold the pastry. Close the sides of the dough by pressing it down with the help of a fork. Remove any extra pieces of dough sticking out.
Finally, place the pies on a baking tray. Brush the smooth side of the pies with a mixture of egg yolk and water.
Bake The Pies: Move on to the final step of this procedure and place the baking tray in the oven. Let it bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Once the pies are golden and puffed up, it means they are done.
Tips for success
Use Homemade Puff Pastry. If you have the time, energy, and resources, I would suggest you use homemade Puff pastry. Homemade puff pastries are more buttery than store-bought puff pastries which contain vegetable shortening.
Let the Puff Pastry Thaw. You might be tempted to use the frozen puff pastry, after all, logic says that it will eventually melt and bake in the oven. However, doing so will only ruin your chances of having a delicious pie. Do not try to work with the pastry until and unless its texture reaches room temperature.
Use Vidalia Onions. Although you can use other types of onion for cooking the ground meat, still Vidalia onions are the best for giving that caramelized effect to the meat.
Be Careful in rolling the dough. When you are preparing the dough base of the pie, be gentle and make sure not to press it too hard.
Serving Suggestions
To fully enjoy the buttery, meaty taste of this pie, I would recommend that you pair it with sour cream. I can not emphasize the importance of serving this pie only when it is hot. Yes, you can eat it cold, but hot pies are the real deal. And trust me, as soon as your home will be filled with the aroma of a hot pie, no one would want to keep their hands off of it.
How To Store?
Experts recommend that cooked meat pies should not be kept at room temperature for more than two hours. So, if you have any leftover venison meat pie, which I doubt, then I would recommend you store it in the fridge so it doesn’t go bad.
Meat pies can survive in the fridge for about 3 to 5 days. Make sure to keep it covered when you are storing it in the fridge. As far as reheating is concerned, I would suggest you take the high route and reheat it in an oven. However, as a shortcut, you can definitely reheat it in the microwave.
Can I Freeze This?
Yes, meat pies can be frozen. If you want to freeze this meat pie, then all you have to do is wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in an airtight container. You can keep the meat pies frozen for about 1 to 2 months.