Description
Flavorful venison and potatoes are slow-cooked in a Crock Pot with lemon and oregano, and then popped into an easy free-form crust.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2–3 pounds venison bone-in venison steaks (lamb or lean beef)
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon dried dill seed
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 3–4 potatoes, peeled in stripes to maintain about half the peel-on, and cubed in 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Lots of fresh-ground black pepper
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbs red wine vinegar
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3/4 cup chick peas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- CRUST:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup very-cold butter, cut in small cubes
- 4–5 tablespoons ice water
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- TZATZIKI SAUCE: 1 cup plain yogurt + 1/2 shredded cucumber + 1 clove minced garlic
Instructions
- Combine in a slow-cooker in this order with meat on bottom: Venison, 2 teaspoons oil, dill, oregano, lemon juice, garlic, potatoes, salt, pepper and 2 cups water; cook on high for 3-4 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat to a cutting board; using a fork pull meat off bones into bite-sized pieces. Remove potatoes and place them in a bowl with meat; add vinegar, peas, beans, oregano, lemon peel and refrigerate until ready to fill pies.
- For crust, blend flours and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender and blend until pea-sized crumbs form. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until pastry comes together. (You could also use a food processor to combine.) You may need a little more water if the mixture is too dry. Divide dough in half and wrap separately in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 mins.
- Roll out one piece of dough into an oval shape about 1/4-inch thick and about 8-9-inches in diameter. Place dough on one side of parchment-paper-lined-and-corn-meal-sprinkled baking sheet. Scoop half of meat mixture into center of pie dough leaving 2-inch border; drizzle 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Fold border over meat mixture leaving center open to form free-form crust. (The more rustic-looking, the better!) Repeat with remaining dough and meat mixture.
- Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for approx 20 mins or until pastry is lightly golden. (Next time I’ll use an egg wash on the crust to gain a more golden color.)
- Serve with a drizzle of Tzatziki sauce.