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Savory Venison Mushroom Pies

Featured in Start the Party: Crowd-Pleasing Appetizers.

These hearty Venison and Wild Mushroom Pies feature seasoned ground venison blended with wild mushrooms in a savory stout beer gravy. The filling includes shallots, garlic, and thyme, wrapped in a buttery crust full of Irish cheddar. Perfect hot from the oven or frozen for later, these pies are an unbeatable portable treat with cheese both in the dough and melted within.
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Updated on Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:21:00 GMT
Tasty venison and mushroom hand pies with stout gravy inside a crispy crust. Pin it
Tasty venison and mushroom hand pies with stout gravy inside a crispy crust. | linacooks.com

When flaky, cheese-filled pastry wraps around succulent venison and woodland mushrooms, you get a hand pie that's both down-to-earth and fancy. These tasty pouches take their cue from old Irish meat pies but go up a notch with gamey meat and forest fungi, giving you a deeply satisfying grab-and-go meal.

I came up with this dish during hunting season, and now my family can't get enough of it as their go-to venison meal. Even my game-hating father-in-law asked me for the recipe after just one taste.

Key Ingredients Breakdown

  • Ground Venison: Get it freshly ground at 90/10 meat-to-fat for a moist, tasty filling
  • Wild Mushrooms: Blend dried porcini and chanterelles for amazing flavor depth
  • Stout Beer: Pick a deep, dark stout since its malty notes match the game meat wonderfully
  • Irish Cheddar: Don't skimp on age. Go for at least 12 months aged for best taste and melt
  • Fresh Thyme: Pull leaves off stems right before cooking for the freshest flavor kick
  • Good Butter: Grab European-style high-fat butter to make your crust extra flaky
Brown, crispy hand pies packed with venison, forest mushrooms, and rich dark beer. Pin it
Brown, crispy hand pies packed with venison, forest mushrooms, and rich dark beer. | linacooks.com

Simple Cooking Guide

Making Your Crust (25 minutes):
Cut butter into small blocks and stick in freezer for 15 minutes. Mix flour, salt, and sugar in food processor. Throw in butter and cheese bit by bit until you see coarse crumbs. Add ice water slowly just until dough forms. Wrap it up and cool while you make the filling.
Cooking The Filling (35 minutes):
Put dried mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes. Cook venison in small batches to get good browning. Cook mushrooms with shallots until they turn golden. Make a tasty sauce with beer and stock. Let it bubble until thick and the flavors mix well.
Putting It All Together (30 minutes):
Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thick. Use a bowl to cut 6-inch circles. Put filling a bit off-center. Brush the edges with beaten egg. Fold over and press with a fork. Cut small holes in the top.
Baking Them Up (20-25 minutes):
Heat oven to 425°F. Brush pies with beaten egg. Bake until they're nice and golden. Let them cool a bit before eating.

The best time I ever made these pies was using venison from my boy's first successful hunt. Watching him beam with pride as we turned his catch into these yummy hand pies was something I'll always remember.

Crumbly pastry pockets filled with juicy venison, forest mushrooms, and a touch of dark beer. Pin it
Crumbly pastry pockets filled with juicy venison, forest mushrooms, and a touch of dark beer. | linacooks.com

Wrapping Up: These Venison and Wild Mushroom Hand Pies bring together homey comfort food and cooking skill. They show respect for both what was hunted and who hunted it while giving you a practical, portable dish that works just as well at a fancy dinner as it does in a lunchbox. Whenever I whip them up, I think about how they connect the wild outdoors, our dinner table, and our family bonds.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I swap venison for another meat?
Totally! Try elk, moose, or antelope. Even beef works for a non-game version.
→ How do I stop filling leaks?
Don’t overfill and seal the edges tightly by crimping. Cutting vents on top helps too.
→ Can these be frozen ahead of time?
Yep! Partially bake them, freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight before finishing up.
→ What works instead of wild mushrooms?
Use fresh mushrooms! Replace 1 oz dried ones with about 3/4 cup chopped fresh ones.
→ Any tips for reheating these pies?
Warm them up in a 350°F oven to keep the crust nice and crispy. Avoid microwaves—they make the crust soggy.

Venison Mushroom Hand Pies

Rich hand-held pies packed with seasoned venison, wild mushroom goodness, and stout-based gravy, all tucked inside a crispy cheddar crust.

Prep Time
45 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Total Time
65 Minutes
By: Paolina

Category: Appetizers

Difficulty: Difficult

Cuisine: American

Yield: 16 Servings (16 hand pies)

Dietary: ~

Ingredients

→ Filling

01 8 tablespoons grated Irish cheddar (3.5 oz)
02 1/2 cup rich stout beer
03 1 tablespoon lard or any cooking oil
04 1/2 pound ground antelope, venison, or similar
05 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
06 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
07 2 tablespoons salted butter
08 1 ounce dried mushrooms, rehydrated (about 1 cup)
09 1/2 cup wild game or beef broth
10 1/4 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
11 3/4 teaspoon salt
12 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped fine
13 1/2 cup shallots, small dice
14 2 tablespoons half and half cream

→ Crust

15 1 cup ice water (may need an extra tablespoon)
16 3/4 teaspoon sugar granules
17 1/4 teaspoon table salt
18 2 cups plain flour
19 1 cup grated Irish cheddar (roughly 3.5 oz)
20 1/2 cup cold cubes of butter, 1/2-inch size

→ Egg Wash

21 1 tablespoon chilled water
22 1 medium-sized egg

Instructions

Step 01

Combine the sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl. Work butter chunks in with your hands until it resembles flattened pieces. Sprinkle cheese evenly and cut it in with a pastry cutter until it forms little bits. Slowly pour in icy water, just enough for it to stick together without being tacky. Shape into discs, wrap up, and refrigerate for an hour.

Step 02

Soak the mushrooms in boiling water (1 and 1/2 cups) until softened, roughly 15-20 minutes. Drain them, then chop into small pieces.

Step 03

Using a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat, melt the lard. Toss mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme into the pan and cook until you smell their aroma. Brown the venison with some salt and pepper, then transfer everything to a bowl.

Step 04

In the same skillet, whisk butter and flour together to form a roux. Gradually add stout beer, cream, and broth, letting it thicken up. Stir this sauce into the meat mixture and give it some time to cool down.

Step 05

Split your dough into 16 balls and roll each into a 6-inch round. Spoon the meat mix and grated cheese into the center, fold over the dough, and pinch to seal up the edges. Cut small slits on top and brush with the egg wash.

Step 06

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Bake the pies on a sheet for anywhere between 18 to 22 minutes, or until beautifully golden and the filling is sizzling.

Notes

  1. These savory hand-held treats mix gamey venison, earthy mushrooms, and rich Irish cheese in a buttery shell flavored with stout. You can freeze them partially baked for up to three months—bake for about 8-10 minutes first, freeze, then reheat and finish cooking before eating.
  2. Want to use fresh mushrooms? Swap in 3/4 cup chopped fresh ones. Prefer a stronger beer kick? Skip the broth and just pour in more stout.

Tools You'll Need

  • Cast iron skillet, medium size
  • A wide baking sheet
  • Rolling pin for dough
  • Pastry cutter or blender

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Uses dairy (includes butter, cream, and cheese)
  • Contains wheat flour (gluten)
  • Includes eggs (in wash or filling)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 227
  • Total Fat: 14 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 16 g
  • Protein: 9 g