Jess Pryles’ Hunter’s Pie with Mushrooms, Thyme and a Crunchy Filo Top

Australian-born cook, author and certified meat scientist Jess Pryles shares everything home cooks need to know about choosing, preparing and cooking meat in her new book, Prime Cuts.

Now based in Austin, Texas, Jess combines more than 15 years of experience with practical advice designed to take the guesswork out of the butcher’s counter, barbecue and kitchen.

Organised by cut, the book features more than 100 recipes covering everything from quick weeknight dinners to celebration roasts, steaks and smoked barbecue favourites. It also explores essential techniques including grilling, searing, roasting, braising and slow cooking, while showing readers how to get better value, more flavour and less waste from every cut.

Hunter’s pie with mushrooms and thyme

Ground (minced) venison and beef

I named this ‘hunter’s pie’ because of the venison and beef meat blend, but if you’re feeling less ‘hunty’, then by all means substitute the venison for all beef, or even
pork. Traditionally, you’d find mashed potatoes on a hunter’s or shepherd’s pie, but I prefer an uber-crunchy topping made from buttery sheets of Filo pastry.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
250g (8oz) mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
500g (1lb) ground venison
500g (1lb) ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons plain flour
1 cup (250ml) red wine
1½ cups (375ml) beef stock
1 packet Filo pastry (about 8-10 sheets)
100g butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Place a large, deep, oven-safe skillet over high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion, mushrooms, garlic and thyme. Cook for 5–7 minutes until the onion is soft and the mushrooms have developed some color. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pan and place into a bowl.

3. Add the meat to the pan and brown for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the salt, black pepper and nutmeg, along with the worcestershire sauce. Use
a wooden spoon to break up any larger chunks of meat as it cooks.

4. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and stir to combine. It will thicken up and absorb any moisture in the pan immediately. Cook for 1–2 minutes, then add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the stock and reduce the heat to medium. Add the mushroom mixture back into the pan and stir through. Simmer for an additional 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the broth thickens into a gravy, then remove from the heat.

5. Brush one sheet of phyllo pastry with melted butter, then scrunch it into a loose ball and arrange on top of the meat filling. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and butter until the top of the pie is covered.

6. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Note
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the mixture to a baking dish or deep pie dish for the final step.