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Venison Pot Pie

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Add a couple anchovies into venison pot pie filling for better flavor.

Photo by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley

By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours and 30 minutes
Ingredients:
• 1 pound of venison stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but cold
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper
• 4 tbs. all-purpose flour, separated
• 1 pound of baby bella mushrooms, quartered
• Cooking oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium to large carrot, peeled and large diced
• 2 anchovy filets packed in oil
• 1 tbs. tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup pinot noir
• 1¾ cup brown stock
• 1 medium waxy potato, peeled and large diced
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs of fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup of frozen peas
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300° Fahrenheit. Toss venison cubes with salt, pepper and 1 tbs. of flour. Over medium-high heat, heat a splash of oil in a small enameled Dutch oven and brown venison cubes in batches. Remove venison and set aside. Add more oil and brown mushrooms in batches with a pinch of salt, and then remove and set aside.

2. Lower heat to medium and add onion, carrot and a pinch of salt, adding more oil as needed. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes to slightly brown onion. Add tomato paste, garlic and anchovy and sauté for about 1 minute.

3. Return venison and mushrooms to the pot, along with any juices. Add the remaining 3 tbs. of flour and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Then stir in wine until thickened. Next, add stock, potatoes, bay leaf, parsley and thyme. Bring to a boil, and then cover and transfer to a 300° oven.

4. Braise stew for 2½ to 3 hours, or until venison becomes tender. Check halfway through and add more stock as needed; you want the ending stew to be thick and saucy, but not dry. When done, discard bay leaf, thyme and parsley sprigs. Season to taste.

5. Turn up oven temperature to 425°. Spray a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray. Transfer pie filling into the pie dish and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Then stir in frozen peas and cover with a sheet of puff pastry — trim the edges as needed. Brush egg on top and bake in a 425° oven for 30-35 minutes on the middle rack. Rotate the pie dish halfway through for more even browning. Allow pie to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

About Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley

Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley is Nebraskaland Magazine's associate editor. She enjoys hiking, camping, horseback riding, hunting, fishing and wild game cooking.