Elk Sausage and Apple Hand Pies
User Reviews
4.8
12 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
1 hr
-
Cook Time
mins
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Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
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Servings
32 hand pies
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Calories
195 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer
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Cuisine
American
Elk Sausage and Apple Hand Pies
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These little pies are such a treat to eat! The sweet and salty combination of the apples and sausage wrapped up in a cheesy, flaky pie crust makes the perfect handheld comfort food!
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Ingredients
Sausage:
- 1 lb ground elk meat (or deer, antelope, moose, etc.)
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
Pie Crust:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling out dough
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup salted butter, cut into ½" pieces
- 2 cups shredded Irish cheddar (about 7 oz)
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoon ice water
Pie Filling:
- 1 lb elk sausage (see above)
- 2 tablespoon lard (or other cooking fat)
- 1 ½ cups baking apples, peeled and chopped, ¼" dice - about 1 large apple (SweeTango, Jonathan, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, etc.)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup wild game stock or broth (or beef stock)
- 1 cup unfiltered apple cider
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon cold water
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Instructions
Sausage:
- Combine all ingredients except meat in a small bowl. Add spice mixture to ground meat and mix by hand until spices are well-incorporated into meat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Pie Crust:
- Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add in butter and shredded cheese. Squish pieces of butter between your fingers to flatten them.
- Once all butter pieces are flattened, use a pastry blender to blend the butter and cheese into the flour mixture. Blend until all butter and cheese pieces are pea-size or smaller.
- Drizzle ice water over flour mixture and incorporate water into crust using your hands. Start with ½ cup water and add more as needed. Amount of water needed will depend on the type of flour used, humidity, etc.
- Add water until you can form the dough into a ball. Dough should stick together and be pliable but not sticky.
- Form dough into 4 discs. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Filling:
- After dough is in the fridge, prepare filling.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add in lard and swirl to coat the pan. Break up meat until it makes a layer on the bottom of the pan. Let it cook for a while (3-5 minutes) before stirring or flipping it.
- Once the bottom layer of meat has a nice crisp to it, flip the meat and redistribute in the pan. Continue cooking until meat is mostly browned, about 2 more minutes.
- Add in chopped apples and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes or until meat is fully cooked. Remove meat and apple mixture to a plate.
- Lower heat to medium-low and add butter to pan. Once butter is melted, whisk in flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
- Add in cider, stock, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Simmer until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add sausage and apple mixture to pan. Stir to combine and simmer and additional 1-2 minutes.
- Let filling cool slightly before making hand pies.
Hand Pies:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, divide each dough disc into 8 equal parts. Roll each piece of dough into a ball. You should have 32 balls total.
- Roll each ball into a 6" rough circle. Add 2 tablespoon filling to each circle. Wet the edges of the circle slightly and fold dough over filling to make a half circle.
- Seal the edges of each pie by pressing a fork down on the edges.
- Place pies on parchment paper-lined sheet pans. Cut 3 lines in the top of each pie to vent.
- Note: You can roll out each ball into a circle before filling or work in batches of a few at a time.
- Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon cold water. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of each pie with the egg wash.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and filling is bubbly.
Freezing Instructions:
- Follow all steps above through hand pie assembly.
- Place hand pies on parchment paper-lined sheet pan and cut slits in the tops to vent but don't brush with egg wash.
- Bake at 425°F for 8-10 minutes or until crust is set but not browned.
- Let pies cool slightly then place entire sheet pan in the freezer. Freeze until solid.
- Place frozen hand pies in zippered bags or vacuum seal bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw pies on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan overnight in the fridge. Brush with egg wash and bake at 425°F for 20-22 minutes.
Equipments used:
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
195kcal
(10%)
Carbohydrates
15g
(5%)
Protein
7g
(14%)
Fat
12g
(18%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
42mg
(14%)
Sodium
256mg
(11%)
Potassium
98mg
(3%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
322IU
(6%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
61mg
(6%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 32hand pies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 195 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 195kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 42mg | 14% |
| Sodium | 256mg | 11% |
| Potassium | 98mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 322IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 61mg | 6% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
12 reviews
Excellent
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