Savoury pies are ideal for cool weather and days that are getting shorter. Moose pairs
beautifully with earthy mushrooms and Bonanza Brown ale by Yukon Brewing. But if you don’t have a bottle of Bonanza Brown and a pot of moose stew meat kicking around, then substitute any sort of nutty beer you’d like and beef stew meat for a different version of this satisfying pie.
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds of moose stew meat
salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
½ pound button mushrooms, quartered
2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
1 bottle of ale
1 tsp cornstarch
1 pie crust (homemade or store bought)
1 egg, beaten
Method:
1. Set oven at 400ºF and season the stew meat with salt and pepper.
2. In a pot over medium high heat, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering and working in batches of the meat. Sear the meat until browned on all sides, then reserve on a plate. Return pan to heat and add onion and cook until soft and beginning to brown; about 6 minutes. Add mushrooms, parsley and thyme and cook until mushrooms have released their liquid and have begun to brown.
3. Add stew meat back to pan then pour all but ¼ cup of the beer into the pot. Bring to a simmer, then turn heat to medium low and cover. Cook until meat is tender, depending on the moose; could take 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours.
4. Whisk together cornstarch and remaining beer, then add to simmering stew. Bring back to a simmer and cook until beginning to thicken, then season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature.
5. Once stew is cool place in a pie dish. Roll out pie dough and brush edges of pie dough with beaten egg. Place pie dough on stew and press the dough onto the edges. Brush the top of the pie with remaining egg, then cut three slits in the top of the pie.
6. Bake until pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling; about 45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Serves 4
