Wholesomely Hearty Game Pie

We're currently in the middle of the UK game season, a season which I love to take advantage of! Recently I purchased a "Game Box" which came filled with lot of different game meats for me to experiment with. For me, this pie is one of the best ways to showcase a variety of meats and the recipe can be adapted for whatever meat you can get your hands on. If you don't know where to start buying game, I would advise asking your butcher or trying out local farmers' markets. 

This pie has everything you could ever wish for on a winter's evening. It's warm, comforting, filling and most importantly it doesn't require much of your attention. Especially since I recommend using ready-made puff pastry to reduce the stress and time needed to pull off this delicious dish. Thick gravy, bold flavours, lots of tasty meat - what's not to love?!

Wholesomely Hearty Game Pie
Serves 6-10 depending how many sides you offer

675g/1½lb mixed game meat such as pheasant, partridge, hare and rabbit, boned

225g/8oz venison steak cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes

2 tbsp sunflower oil

2 red onions, peeled and sliced

120g/4oz smoked streaky bacon, derinded and chopped

120g/4oz chestnut mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

30g/1oz plain flour

1 bay leaf

1 orange, zest and juice

1 tbsp redcurrant jelly

300ml/½ pint chicken stock

300ml/½ pint red wine

340g/12oz puff pastry

Salt and pepper
1 beaten egg, for glazing

Heat a tablespoon of the oil and brown the game and venison in batches until well browned. Remove from the pan and keep to one side.

Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan and cook the onions for five minutes until starting to soften. Add the garlic, bacon and mushrooms and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the flour and cook for two minutes. Season well and stir in the bay leaf, orange zest and juice, redcurrant jelly, stock and wine. Bring to the boil, add the meat and simmer gently for 40-50 minutes until the meat is tender. Cool.

Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

Put the meat mixture in a pie dish. Roll out the pastry to make a lid and attach to the dish. Decorate with the pastry trimmings and cut a steam hole in the centre. Glaze with beaten egg.

Bake for 20 minutes and then reduce the heat to 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and risen and the filling is piping hot.

TIP: This pie can easily be made in advance - and in fact it tastes better that way! - simply follow the recipe up to step 3 then put it in the fridge until you're ready to cook it. It will keep for up to 48 hours.