Gordon Ramsay Venison Pie

Gordon Ramsay’s venison pie is haunch of venison braised in red wine with leeks, baby onions, carrots and mushrooms, topped with a sweet potato and Desirée mash with Double Gloucester cheese and baked until golden. It takes about an hour and a half and feeds four to five.

The sweet potato topping is what makes this different from every other game pie recipe online. Gordon mixes sweet potato with regular Desirée, adds Double Gloucester and egg yolks, and the result is richer and slightly sweeter than a plain mash. It pairs with the gamey venison in a way ordinary potato never quite does.

Venison is leaner than beef so it cooks faster, about 40 to 50 minutes of gentle braising instead of two hours. Gordon coats the chunks in seasoned flour and browns them hard first, then uses red wine or port to deglaze. The flour thickens the sauce as it braises so you don’t need a separate roux at the end.

Gordon Ramsay Venison Pie

Recipe by Sophie LaneCourse: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4-5

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

1

minute

Calories

580

kcal

Gordon’s venison pie with a sweet potato and Double Gloucester topping. Haunch of venison braised in red wine with leeks, baby onions, Chantenay carrots and mushrooms, topped with sweet potato and Desirée mash, baked golden.

Ingredients

• For the filling:

• 600g haunch of venison, cut into 2.5-3cm chunks

• Sea salt and black pepper

• 3 tbsp plain flour

• Olive oil

• 2 leeks, white part only, sliced thickly

• 150g baby onions, peeled

• 250g small Chantenay carrots, scrubbed

• 250g chestnut mushrooms, halved

• 1 large rosemary sprig, leaves only

• 150ml red wine or port

• 650ml chicken stock

• For the topping:

• 500g sweet potatoes

• 350g Desirée potatoes

• 20g butter

• 50g Double Gloucester cheese, grated

• 2 large egg yolks

Directions

• Brown the venison: Season the flour with salt and pepper. Toss the venison in the flour to coat. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large casserole and fry the meat in batches until evenly browned, about 2 minutes each side. Set aside.
• Cook the veg: Add the leeks, onions and carrots with a little more oil. Stir over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly coloured. Add the mushrooms and rosemary and cook for a minute.
• Braise: Pour in the wine, scrape the bottom to deglaze and let it bubble until reduced right down. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Return the venison with any juices. Partially cover and braise gently for 40 to 50 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Make the topping: Peel all the potatoes, cut into chunks and boil in salted water for 15 minutes until tender. Drain well and mash with a ricer. Stir in the butter, cheese and seasoning while hot. Cool slightly, then mix in the egg yolks.
• Assemble and bake: Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan, Gas 7). Tip the venison mixture into a large pie dish or cast-iron pan. Top with the mash and rough up the surface with a fork. Bake 20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling at the edges.

Gordon also fries sliced new potatoes golden in a separate pan and adds them to the casserole for the last few minutes of braising. They absorb the wine sauce and add a different texture alongside the venison chunks. Optional, but a nice touch if you have time.

FAQs

Why mix sweet potato with regular potato?

Sweet potato on its own is too soft and wet for a pie topping. It slides off and doesn’t hold. Gordon mixes it with Desirée, which is drier and sturdier, so the topping stays put and crisps up properly.

The Double Gloucester adds sharpness to balance the sweetness. It’s a clever combination that no other venison pie recipe uses.

Can I use regular mash instead?

Yes. Use 850g Maris Piper or Desirée, mash with butter and egg yolks, and add Cheddar or Parmesan on top. It’ll still be a good pie, you just lose the sweet-and-savoury contrast that makes Gordon’s version stand out.

If you go with regular mash, consider adding a tablespoon of grain mustard through it. It lifts the flavour and cuts through the richness of the game.

Can I use other game meats?

Gordon’s raised game pie in another book combines venison with pheasant and pigeon. For this recipe, you can mix half venison with diced pheasant or rabbit. Brown the meats separately since they cook at different rates.

If you can’t find venison at all, his steak and ale pie uses the same braising method with beef chuck and Guinness instead of wine.

Why does venison cook faster than beef?

Because it’s much leaner. Beef chuck has fat marbled through it that takes hours to render and break down. Venison haunch is almost pure muscle, so 40 to 50 minutes of gentle braising is enough.

Don’t push it past an hour or it dries out. If a knife goes through a chunk easily, it’s done.

What cut works best?

Haunch. Gordon specifies it because it has enough structure to hold its shape in chunks but enough connective tissue to break down with braising. Shoulder works too but is slightly tougher, so add 10 to 15 minutes.

Loin and fillet are too lean for a pie. Save those for quick-searing or roasting.

Does it freeze well?

The filling freezes brilliantly for up to two months. Cool it, bag it, freeze flat. Thaw overnight and make fresh topping when you want pie.

The sweet potato topping can go slightly watery when thawed, so it’s better made fresh. The filling is where all the work is anyway.