Indulge in this rich and hearty venison pie, slow-cooked to perfection with tender venison, crispy pancetta, earthy mushrooms, and a hint of red wine, all crowned with a golden puff pastry. A truly irresistible dish that's packed with protein!
quartered or halved
beaten
ready-rolled sheet
diced
roughly chopped
Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan/Gas Mark 3). Heat half of the sunflower oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over a high heat. Brown the diced venison in batches for 10 minutes, then remove and set aside. Add the smoked bacon lardons to the pan with 7ml of sunflower oil and sizzle for 8-10 minutes until golden. Stir in the roughly chopped onions and bay leaves, adding the remaining sunflower oil, and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes until browned. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the quartered chestnut mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes until softened.
Sprinkle the plain flour over the ingredients in the pan, stirring until the flour turns brown. Return the venison and any accumulated juices to the pan along with the ketchup and stir well to combine. Pour in the red wine or dark ale, if using, and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow it to bubble for a few minutes, then pour in the beef stock, made by mixing the stock cubes with boiling water. Season the mixture and bring it to a simmer. Cover the casserole dish with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for approximately 2 hours, or until the venison is beautifully tender.
Once the venison filling is cooked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely if you plan to freeze it. To assemble the pie, preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan/Gas Mark 7). Tip the cooled filling into a 24-26cm rimmed pie dish. Lightly brush the rim of the dish with some of the beaten egg yolk. Unroll the sheet of puff pastry and carefully drape it over the pie dish. Use a knife to trim any excess pastry and press the edges firmly against the rim of the dish to seal. If desired, re-roll the pastry trimmings to create decorative shapes for the top of the pie.
Brush the top of the pie with the remaining beaten egg yolk for a golden finish. If you like, sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt flakes. Make a few small slits in the centre of the pastry to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the puff pastry is deep golden brown and puffed up.
For an even richer flavour, marinate the venison in red wine overnight before cooking.
If you don't have a flameproof casserole dish, you can brown the venison and bacon in a large frying pan, then transfer to an oven-safe dish for the slow cooking stage.
This pie freezes exceptionally well. Ensure it's completely cool before freezing, and defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight before reheating.