Recipe from Angie Mar
Adapted by Tejal Rao
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus 8 hours' braising and baking
- Rating
- 4(145)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This lavish, British-style meat pie is a delicious, time-consuming project. It comes together over many hours, layering the flavors and textures of many different meats, and seals it all in a buttery homemade dough. The recipe belongs to the chef Angie Mar of the Beatrice Inn in New York, who makes the pie at her restaurant in smaller ramekins, so that each person gets her own marrow bone. This family-style version serves several people, but a single bone works beautifully: As the pie bakes in the oven, most of the marrow melts out, bubbling into the sauce, making it even richer. The pie filling, made from potatoes and venison braised in trotter stock, is thickened with a little flour, but it should be slightly loose when you're putting the pie together. The crust requires suet, and though you could make it all-butter if you wanted to, it seems that if you've come this far, and located the marrow bone, the trotters and the venison meat, you may as well go all the way. The finished pie is certainly worth it. —Tejal Rao
Featured in: Angie Mar’s Menu: Red Meat and Respect
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Ingredients
Yield:1 9-inch deep dish pie, 4 servings
- 5cups/1.2 liters chicken stock
- 1pig trotter, split lengthways
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 1½pounds/700 grams venison shoulder or leg meat, cut into about 2-inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- 4tablespoons/40 grams all-purpose flour
- ¾cup/188 milliliters white wine
- ½onion
- 6cloves garlic, peeled and halved
- 6sprigs thyme
- 1bay leaf
- 1cup fingerling potatoes or new potatoes, boiled until tender
- 15- to 6-inch marrow bone, outside scraped clean
- 2½cups/300 grams all-purpose flour
- 2tablespoons/30 grams sugar
- ½teaspoon baking powder
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- 5½tablespoons/75 grams cold unsalted butter, coarsely grated
- 5½tablespoons/75 grams cold beef suet, coarsely grated (or use additional butter)
- ¾cup/200 milliliters ice water
- 1egg, beaten
For the Filling
For the Crust
To Assemble
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
1247 calories; 64 grams fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 24 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 95 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 14 grams sugars; 63 grams protein; 1900 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Make the filling: In a heavy-bottomed pot that fits the trotter pieces in a single layer, bring the stock and trotter to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer gently for about 3 hours or until the trotter skin and meat is very tender. Remove trotter pieces and strain the liquid, reserving both the trotters and liquid, separately.
Step
2
Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat. Generously season the venison all over with kosher salt and, working in batches, sear the meat on all sides until deep golden brown. Return all meat to the pot, reduce heat to medium and sprinkle the flour over the meat, stirring gently. When flour is slightly brown, add the wine, scraping all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the liquid thickens, about 1 minute, then add about 4 cups of the braising liquid from the trotters, so the meat is covered, along with the onion, garlic and herbs. Bring up to a boil, then cover tightly and place in the oven to cook until tender, about 3 hours. Fish out and discard the onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf.
Step
3
Once the trotter pieces are cool enough, pick off all of the meat, silken tendons and skin from the bones, and discard the bones and any tough bits. Chop trotter meat, tendon and skin roughly and add to the braised venison, along with the potatoes. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary with more salt.
Step
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Make the crust: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the butter and suet and pulse until mixture has a cornmeal-like texture. Slowly stream in a little cold water and continue pulsing, adding water a little at a time until dough comes together; you may not need all the water. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, dusting with flour as needed to avoid sticking. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
Step
5
When ready to bake the pie, heat oven to 375 degrees. Put a 9- or 10-inch deep-dish pie plate on a foil-lined baking tray and stand the marrow bone up in the center of the pan. Spoon all the meat, potato filling and gravy around it. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-inch round and cut a small cross at the center. Drape dough over the pie plate, pushing the marrow bone right through the center, so it’s sticking out. Use scissors to cut excess dough away, leaving at least an inch hanging off the edge all around. Use a fork to press down and crimp the dough where it’s touching the edge of the pan, leaving the overhang attached. (It will make a kind of curtain around the the dish.) Generously brush the dough all over with the beaten egg, and bake until the crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then season the open top of the marrow bone with a little salt and serve.
Ratings
4
out of 5
145
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Cooking Notes
Howiff
My God that is a pie. Look at that bone sticking out of it. Makes me proud to be English.
DRC PGH
I don't often see venison but I will keep this as a good, generic pie recipe and try it beef and kidney this winter... Could also see it with chicken and mushroom, lamb and leek...
Linda
Living in Colorado, we have an abundance of game. Elk is a very suitable substitute for the venison, and a bit less "gamy." I used elk backstrap and it was delish!
Jacky
What a fantastic recipe. I didn’t find it tedious to make at all as most parts just spend some time simmering. I made as much as I could at once, freezing the pies. And I used pudding basins (traditional for suet pies) rather than the open pie dish. Oh, and as I didn’t have any trotters but I did have a half pigs head in the freezer I used that instead. Perfect for the gelatinous fatty stock that softens into the venison.
Dr. Dave
To Michele: a ham hock or pork neck bones would be a good trotter substitute
Words Fail Me
In the middle of dinner, eating this pie for New Years Eve 2018 in New Zealand. My husband has been using swear words to describe how good this is. And our wee dog is yelling for some...so worth the effort. Divine!
Rich
"the marrow melts out, bubbling into the sauce" This is what it's all about.
Bmack
This recipe is for Venison. and. Trotter. Pie. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.
Edgar
trotters have skin, tendons, 3000 small bones (not counting the toes?because I don't know what to call them, they do melt away however) and I have yet to see a shred of meat in one. I use them for stock or to add flavor to some dishes but I look elsewhere for meat because there ain't none on/in a trotter.
Joe
Just a little fyi-nice amounts of garlic will tame that game-y taste. It does a wonderful job in my moussaka and venison dishes.
SK Hudson Valley
Ate this last night at the Beatrice Inn. Still swooning with delight. Unctuous Will definitely try at home.
Fiona
If you can find them, pork hindshanks, which I used in my version, are meatier than trotters but contain enough collagen to impart the necessary gelatinous quality to the this dish. As for venison, the nearest farmed meat substitute is lamb, which has a similarly rich and gamey quality.
David
Don't waste your backstrap. This is a long and slow braise. Use the larger, tougher cuts from the elk.
Blud
For anyone worried about the details - I regularly make this with pure beef stock and whatever beef is on sale at the Kroger. I also do the pastry in the bottom like an actual pie. This is like my number one dish for family and friends, everyone loves it. IOW if you don’t have venison or trotter (who has this?) or a huge bone don’t let that stop you. It’s still fantastic.
Kate
I’ve had this recipe saved since last year when I got my first batch of frozen venison. I finally spent the whole Sunday on this project and wow was it worth the wait. I preseasoned the venison meat with some dried spices and salt for a few hours because why not. I also added some dried mushrooms and a chopped leek to the final braise because I had them on hand. I took everyone’s advice and made a top and bottom crust and it was worthy the added time. The final presentation with the bone is epic
Shane McClelland
Inspired by this recipe, I purchased Angie Mar’s cookbook, “Butcher and Beast.” In the book, the recipe for this is slightly different. Notably, more thyme (1oz), a head of garlic, and a 1/2 bottle of white wine. She also adds a bottom crust to the pie - double the suet and butter add a tbls of salt, same amount of flour, divide in half.It was a phenomenal dish. Wholly recommend the dish & her book!
Ruby
Does anyone know if you can make gluten-free crust just by substituting gluten-free flour?
Nicole
This was an amazing pie. I did one component/day and it was a relatively peaceful endeavor. My one change was that I had some beef marrow already carved out from bones so I just stirred in the approximate quantity and then made a hole in the pie using a shaped pastry cutter which I kept in the whole for the duration of cooking time. It may have lacked the wow factor but the upside was marrow evenly distributed through out. I also cooked the stew portion for an extra hour for the tender results .
Kate
I’ve had this recipe saved since last year when I got my first batch of frozen venison. I finally spent the whole Sunday on this project and wow was it worth the wait. I preseasoned the venison meat with some dried spices and salt for a few hours because why not. I also added some dried mushrooms and a chopped leek to the final braise because I had them on hand. I took everyone’s advice and made a top and bottom crust and it was worthy the added time. The final presentation with the bone is epic
Blud
I make this crust and general filling preparation regularly, but never use venison or the bone etc. It's a great meat pie. I use an 8 inch springform pan and put the crust in the bottom as well and just roughly fold it over the top. Comes out in a nice package. Family favorite.
Fiona
If you can find them, pork hindshanks, which I used in my version, are meatier than trotters but contain enough collagen to impart the necessary gelatinous quality to the this dish. As for venison, the nearest farmed meat substitute is lamb, which has a similarly rich and gamey quality.
Blud
For anyone worried about the details - I regularly make this with pure beef stock and whatever beef is on sale at the Kroger. I also do the pastry in the bottom like an actual pie. This is like my number one dish for family and friends, everyone loves it. IOW if you don’t have venison or trotter (who has this?) or a huge bone don’t let that stop you. It’s still fantastic.
Words Fail Me
In the middle of dinner, eating this pie for New Years Eve 2018 in New Zealand. My husband has been using swear words to describe how good this is. And our wee dog is yelling for some...so worth the effort. Divine!
brigitte
I happen to have four pounds of wild boar in the feeezer. Does anyone think this would work instead of venison?
Aaron
Boar is fairly lean and has more moisture than pork, so compared to pork will cook rather quickly. In that way it is similar to venison too, though I don't think it's as lean as venison. That is all to say, it would probably work well. Only one way to find out! Recipe only calls for 1.5 lbs anyway, so no need to use all four pounds of your boar.
Jacky
What a fantastic recipe. I didn’t find it tedious to make at all as most parts just spend some time simmering. I made as much as I could at once, freezing the pies. And I used pudding basins (traditional for suet pies) rather than the open pie dish. Oh, and as I didn’t have any trotters but I did have a half pigs head in the freezer I used that instead. Perfect for the gelatinous fatty stock that softens into the venison.
Ken
I like the pudding basin idea! No water bath on your method though, correct?
SK Hudson Valley
Ate this last night at the Beatrice Inn. Still swooning with delight. Unctuous Will definitely try at home.
Joe
Just a little fyi-nice amounts of garlic will tame that game-y taste. It does a wonderful job in my moussaka and venison dishes.
jenniesb
Does anyone know of a reliable source for beef suet? I'm from the Boston area.
Philip
Saw it at Market Basket in Burlington.
Ronnie H
https://fannieandflo.net hhas wonderful rendered fats shipped at a reasonable cost.
Hector
It may not be exactly the same as suet, and it may well be, but next time you buy a cheap beef roast you'll be able to trim off lots of beef fat from it.
Howiff
My God that is a pie. Look at that bone sticking out of it. Makes me proud to be English.
Ron Cook
Excellent recipe. I have 50 pounds of venison in the freezer. This was a good way to get rid of some of the tougher portions.
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