Mary Berry's Game Pie Recipe

Alright team, pull on your boots! 👢🌳 We’re heading out on a proper hearty adventure today, a trip to a cozy country kitchen where delicious smells fill the air! Our mission? To make Mary Berry’s amazing Game Pie! ✨

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Game pie feels like a really special, traditional dish, doesn’t it? It’s like a savory treasure chest wrapped in golden pastry, full of delicious game meat cooked in a rich sauce. It’s perfect for a colder day or a special meal. Mary Berry knows just how to make it taste incredible, warm, and comforting!

We think this is a super satisfying pie to make. It takes a little time, but the result? Oh boy, it’s SO worth it! It’s like finding a hidden gem on our culinary travels! Ready to gather our hearty provisions and follow Mary’s map to this delicious pie? Let’s go! 🚀

What Makes a Game Pie So Special? 🤔🥧

Why go on this particular savory quest? Because:

Rich Flavours! Game meat has a lovely, deeper flavour than regular meat. When cooked slowly in a pie, it’s just amazing. 🦌🦆🐇
Hearty & Filling! This is a proper meal in a pie. It warms you up from the inside out! 🤗
Golden Pastry! The crunchy, golden pastry crust is the perfect lid for the delicious filling underneath.
Seasonal Treat! Often made in the cooler months, it feels like a really special, seasonal dish.

Mary Berry’s recipe makes sure the filling is tender and tasty and the pastry is just right!

Our Hearty Provisions: Ingredients for Game Pie! 🛒🥩🧅🌿

Here’s what we need for this delicious countryside pie! We’ll need ingredients for the yummy filling and the pastry shell.

For the Rich Game Filling:

Mixed Game Meat: About 500-600g total. This could be diced pheasant, partridge, venison, rabbit, or a mix! Cut it into bite-sized pieces. 🥩
Smoked Streaky Bacon: About 75-100g, chopped. Adds flavour and richness! 🥓
Onion: 1 large one, chopped. 🧅
Mushrooms: Around 150g, sliced. They add lovely texture and flavour. 🍄
Plain Flour: 2 tablespoons. Helps thicken the sauce! 🌾
Beef or Game Stock: About 400ml. Good quality stock adds lots of flavour! 🍲
Maybe some Wine or Brandy (Optional): A splash (like a tablespoon or two) of red wine or brandy can add depth to the sauce. 🔥 (Ask a grown-up!)
Herbs: A bay leaf and a sprig of thyme are lovely in the sauce. 🌿
Salt and Pepper: Seasoning is key! ✨

For the Pastry:

Ready-Made Shortcrust Pastry: About 500g (2 blocks). This makes it super easy! 😉 OR you can make your own shortcrust or hot water crust pastry if you’re feeling adventurous!

For Finishing Touches:

Egg or Milk: For brushing the top of the pastry (egg wash gives a lovely shine!). 🥚🥛

Got all your hearty supplies on the table? Great! Let’s start cooking!

Our Countryside Route: Making and Baking the Game Pie! 🗺️➡️ Oven!

Follow these steps to make your delicious, hearty game pie!

Get the Meat Ready! Make sure your game meat is cut into roughly even, bite-sized pieces. Pat it dry with kitchen paper.
Brown the Meat! 🔥 In a large pan or casserole dish (one that you can put in the oven later is good!), heat a little oil or butter. Add the diced game meat in batches and brown it well on all sides. Browning adds lots of flavour! Take the browned meat out and set it aside.
Cook the Veggies! Add the chopped bacon to the pan and cook until it’s crispy. Take the bacon out and set it aside too. Add the chopped onion and sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook until they are soft and lightly browned.
Make the Sauce! Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of plain flour over the cooked vegetables in the pan and stir it in. Cook for a minute or two. Gradually pour in the beef or game stock, stirring constantly to make a smooth sauce. If you’re using wine or brandy, add it now too (let it bubble for a minute to cook off the alcohol if using spirits).
Add the Meat & Simmer! Put the browned game meat and cooked bacon back into the pan with the sauce. Add the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Cover the pan and let it simmer gently on low heat (or in a low oven, around 160°C/140°C fan) for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the game meat is really tender. Cooking the meat slow is important. Stir it sometimes. The sauce should be nice and thick. Season well with salt and pepper.
Get the Pie Dish Ready! Find a pie dish (about 2 litres size). If you’re using ready-made pastry, take it out of the fridge to soften slightly. If making your own, get it ready.
Line the Dish! ✨ Roll out about two-thirds of the pastry (or use one block of ready-made). Use it to line your pie dish. Push it gently into the sides. Leave a little overhang around the edge.
Fill the Pie! 🥧 Spoon the cooked game filling into the pastry-lined dish. Make sure you get plenty of that lovely sauce in there too! If the sauce seems too thin, you can simmer it uncovered for a few minutes to thicken it before putting it in the pie.
Add the Pastry Lid! Roll out the rest of the pastry (or use the second block) for the top. Moisten the edge of the pastry in the dish with a little water. Place the pastry lid over the filling. Press the edges together to seal them. Trim off any extra pastry overhang.
Make a Vent! Cut a hole (or a few holes!) in the top pastry lid. This lets steam escape while it bakes and stops the pastry from puffing up too much. You can decorate the top with pastry scraps if you like! 😊
Egg Wash and Bake! 🥚Brush the top of the pastry lid with beaten egg or milk. This helps it turn lovely and golden!
- Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan/Gas Mark 5).
- Bake the pie for about 30-40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly inside (you should see sauce bubbling through the vent!).
Let it Rest! ♨️ Take the pie out of the oven and let it sit for about 10-15 minutes before slicing. This lets the filling settle a bit.

Country Kitchen Wisdom: Tips for a Great Game Pie! 📝

Brown the Meat Well: This adds lots of flavour at the start.
Cook the Filling Until Tender: Game meat needs time to become soft. Simmering slowly is the way to go.
Thicken the Sauce: Make sure your filling sauce is thick enough before it goes in the pie, or you might get a soggy bottom pastry!
Don’t Forget the Vent! Steam needs somewhere to go!
Golden Top is Key: Bake until the pastry is deep golden for best flavour and texture.
Ready-Made Pastry is Okay! No shame in using shop-bought pastry, it saves time and still makes a delicious pie!

Our Hearty Destination: Enjoying Your Game Pie! 🎉🥧

Wow! Look at that magnificent, golden Game Pie! You completed the hearty countryside quest! Doesn’t it just look warm and inviting, ready to be sliced?! ✨

Serving this is like sitting down for a proper feast after an adventure! Slice into that golden crust and see the rich, meaty filling inside. It tastes incredible, full of deep flavour. It’s real filling, you know?

Serve it with mashed potatoes, greens, or some lovely gravy made from the cooking juices (if you had any!).

We hope you had a fantastic time on this Mary Berry Game Pie adventure! It’s a recipe that feels special and tastes wonderfully hearty. Happy cooking and happy eating, team! 😊🥳