Steak and Turkey Giblet Pie

This recipe utilizes 8 ounces of venison rib meat and 1 wild turkey gizzard and liver

By: Olivia Menard

The Compleat Cook described the first written recipe for steak and kidney pie in 1694. Today, alongside fish and chips or bangers and mash, a hearty meat pie can be found in most every pub across Britain. Each one a bit different, depending on the region, the pub, or the cook.

Since I am most often cooking for two, I like to make the filling for this recipe all in one batch. We eat two of the pastries the first night, then save the remainder of the filling in the fridge or freeze it for later. When we want another meat pie we just warm the filling slowly in a small soup pan on the stove while the puff pastry cooks. Makes for a hearty meal on nights when we don’t have much time or energy.

Meat pies are made to be eaten alone, or with pub fries or mashed potatoes. A side of English peas never hurts. Heck, if you’re really hungry add a yeasty roll with some butter, too.

Skip the wine and have a rich dark stout. Make it a pint like they do at the pubs.

Cheers!

Serves 6 Prep time 20 min Cook time 2.5 hrs Total time 3 hrs

Ingredients:

1/2 c plain flour
8 oz venison rib meat or other stew meat, trimmed and chopped into bite size pieces
1 Turkey gizzard and liver, trimmed and diced
6 T sunflower oil, for frying
2.5 oz lardons
8 oz mushrooms, chopped finely
1 carrot, chopped finely
3-4 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped

1 whole dried bay leaf, crushed 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped finely
1 medium onion, diced
2 T of Worcestershire sauce
2 c brown stock
6 puff pastry shells

Steps:

Mix flour with salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss pieces of meat, gizzard, and liver until completely coated.
Heat 4 T sunflower oil to medium high heat in a deep pan. Working in batches, fry the flour coated meat pieces until browned and starting to crisp. Set on wire cooling rack or on a paper towel in a bowl to drain.
In the same pan, add 2 T sunflower oil and heat to medium high heat. Sauté the lardons until the fat is rendered and they are browned all over.

Add the onions and sauté, stirring often, until they soften and turn brown around the edges.
Add the carrots and cook, stirring less often, until they begin to soften.
Add the mushrooms, garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and rosemary. Stir to combine, then let cook for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms begin to soften and you start to smell the aromatics.

Return the drained meats to the pan with the sautéed veggies and mix in the Worcestershire sauce. Cover with brown stock (add water, if necessary, to completely cover the mixture). Heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer 2½ -3 hrs, stirring periodically to prevent sticking. The filling is done when a pressed piece of meat falls apart. Remove from heat.
Bake puff pastry shells per package instructions. Let cool 5 minutes on a cooling rack.
Remove the tops of the pastry shells. Fill each shell with a ladleful of filling.