Wild Game Cottage Pie Recipe: A Hunter’s Comfort Classic
Transform wild game into the ultimate comfort food with this cottage pie recipe featuring savory meat, vegetables, and creamy potato topping.
Wild Game Cottage Pie Recipe: A Hunter’s Comfort Classic
This recipe comes from Matt Pittman, CEO of Meat Church BBQ, YouTube personality, and friend of Montana Knife Company.
6
30 minutes
50 minutes
550
English
Dinner
My passion for creating mouthwatering dishes from wild game led me to this cottage pie recipe, which uses simple ingredients that let the meat shine.
Cottage pie recipe traditions began when potatoes were introduced as everyday food for rural cottagers. While shepherd’s pie uses lamb, my cottage pie recipe features ground venison or beef topped with buttery mashed potatoes.
After a long day tracking game, there’s nothing more satisfying than gathering around a cast iron skillet filled with this savory masterpiece. The combination of hearty meat, savory vegetables, and creamy potato topping makes this cottage pie recipe the ultimate cold-weather comfort food.
Ingredients
blank
blank
- 2 lbs. lean ground venison (or beef)
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped with a clean, sharp knife
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- Fresh thyme sprigs, tied in a bundle
- 2 dried bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
blank
- 2 1/2 lbs. potatoes (russets or golds), peeled and cubed
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 6 Tbsp. butter, divided
- 1 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
blank
- Chop your vegetables with a clean, sharp knife.
- Preheat your oven or smoker to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the potatoes.
- Brown the ground meat in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Once cooked, remove the meat from the pan, leaving a little fat for the next step.
- Melt butter in the same pan and add celery, onion, and carrots. Cook over medium heat until vegetables soften, about five minutes.
- Add tomato paste and garlic, cooking for another minute while stirring.
- Sprinkle in flour, stirring thoroughly for two minutes. The mixture will be fairly dry at this point.
- Pour in beef stock, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Add thyme bundle and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens (eight to 10 minutes).
- Remove herbs, return the ground meat to the pan, stir everything together, and remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, cook potatoes in boiling water for about 20 minutes until fork-tender.
- Drain potatoes, return to pot, and mash them thoroughly.
- Stir in 4 Tbsp. butter, heavy cream, and 3/4 cup parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the meat mixture, smoothing the top. Drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. melted butter and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Let the cottage pie rest for five to 10 minutes before serving.
