I love switching up the protein in our dinners because it gives me a chance to try some new spice combos that aren't generally used with beef or chicken. So we often make this when we've been leaning too heavily on Italian or Mexican flavor profiles and the kids are getting bored. This venison pot pie is simple to make, done in under an hour, and feels just a little bit more fancy than a regular casserole thanks to the top crust.
Notes
- One or Two Crusts?: This is a single crust pie, so only one on top. If you want to make a double crust pie, you'll need to double the pie crust ingredients and ensure the filling is entirely cool before putting it inside the bottom crust. I also recommend sealing the bottom with a bit of egg wash first to ensure the filling doesn't soak through. You can also par-bake the bottom crust if you have the time and want an especially sturdy pie. Instructions on how to do that can be found here: Pie Crust for Everything.
- Bake In What You Have: This recipe is pretty versatile, so you can use almost any oven-safe dish you have. If you don't have a deep-dish pie pan, you can use a casserole dish or a disposable metal pan.
Storage
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Grace Says:
You can fill an old spice shaker (like an oregano bottle) with flour and use it to dust your countertop before rolling out dough. It will coat your rolling surface perfectly without much waste or excess flour drying out the dough.
📖 Recipe
Venison Pot Pie
Beautifully spiced venison pie, with flaky, foolproof crust.
Ingredients
Venison Pie Filling
- 1 lb ground venison
- 1.5 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced small
- 1 onion, diced small
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated finely
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 Tbl butter
- 1 Tbl red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
Single Pie Crust
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ Tbl sugar
- 12 Tbl unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup cold water + 2-4 tablespoons
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbl water
Instructions
Pie Dough
- Make the crust of your pie first. To start, mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Then cut the cold butter into small chunks and add to the dry ingredients. Work the butter into the flour with your fingers, breaking it up and rubbing it in. Work quickly so the heat from your hands doesn't soften the butter too much. If you start to see any shine on your fingers or if the butter squishes easily, put it in the fridge for 30 mins. After a few mins, you should have a crumbly mixture, with pieces of butter no bigger than almonds (smaller is ok).1 ½ cups flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ Tbl sugar, 12 Tbl unsalted butter
- Add the water and stir to hydrate the flour and butter mixture. When the water seems well incorporated, give it a few quick kneads just to bring it together into a ball. If the dough seems too dry and you have lots of excess dry flour, add 1-2T more of cold water and mix again.⅓ cup cold water + 2-4 tablespoons
- Shape your dough into a disc or rectangle (depending on the shape of your baking pan) about 1-2" thick, and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge until ready to roll out later.
Pie Filling
- Add the meat, potatoes, onion, garlic, and butter to a large pan or skillet. Cook all together on medium-low heat until the meat is browned and the potatoes are barely fork-tender, but not falling apart. This will take about 10-15 minutes.1 lb ground venison, 1.5 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced small, 1 onion, diced small, 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated finely, 3 Tbl butter
- Next, add the spices and red wine vinegar. Stir to incorporate and allow to cook for 2-3 more minutes.1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon dried tarragon, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 Tbl red wine vinegar
- Add the flour, and stir so all the filling is coated. Then gradually add the beef broth in small increments, stirring between additions to thicken the filling. Once all the broth is incorporated, take it off the heat and cover. Set aside to cool slightly before you assemble. You don't want it to be piping hot when you put the pie crust on top.¼ cup flour, 1 ½ cups beef broth
Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Then mix your egg wash by whisking together the egg and water.1 egg, 1 Tbl water
- Sprinkle the counter with flour and roll out the dough. It should hang 1-2" over the edge of your baking dish and be about ¼" thick. If the dough is getting too warm, put it back in a covered bowl and let it rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. Then try to roll out again.
- Pour the filling into your baking dish, and smooth it out. Then transfer your pie crust to cover the filling, and crimp the crust around the edges to seal it to the pan. Cut steam holes in the pie crust, and then brush it all over with the egg wash.
- Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and cooked through.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!