Raised Game Pie Recipe

Ingredients
Equipment
Directions
FAQs
Find answers to your most pressing questions about this delicious recipe right here.
Traditional Raised Game Pie uses venison, pheasant, wild boar or pork, and bacon, encased in hot water crust pastry made with flour, lard, and butter. Seasonings include juniper berries, allspice, nutmeg, fresh herbs, with cranberries and pistachios for texture.
Learn how to cook Raised Game Pie by marinating game meats overnight with spices, making hot water crust pastry while still warm, assembling in a springform tin, baking for approximately 2 hours until golden, then pouring in flavoured gelatine through a hole in the top. Allow to set overnight before serving.
Hot water crust pastry is crucial because it's workable while warm but sets firm when cool, providing the structural strength needed to create free-standing pies without collapsing. The high fat content creates a crisp, golden exterior that seals in juices and can hold dense fillings.
Yes, you can substitute chicken thighs for pheasant, beef for venison, and pork shoulder for wild boar. The key is maintaining a variety of textures and fat content. For authentic flavour, keep the traditional spices like juniper berries and allspice.
The jelly serves multiple purposes: it fills air gaps between the meat and pastry, prevents the filling from drying out, preserves the meat (historically important), adds moisture when eating, and binds the ingredients together for clean slicing when served cold.
Shortcrust Pastry
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