Game piehttp://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q74/benn2001/pie002.jpg

Dalby Spook · December 25, 2006, 12:47:13 PM

Well, here they are, two enormous pies containing two pounds of ground pork & 2lbs of smoked pheasant,duck and rabbit each. These will be demolished in about ten seconds flat by my hunting buddies on our Boxing day shoot. Yeah, I know the photo set up is a bit cheesy but it's 10 pm on christmas day and I've made good friends with a bottle gin. Cheers!

West Coast Kansan · December 25, 2006, 12:51:38 PM

Merry Christmas, Not cheesy at all, looks really nice - never seen pie standing that tall before.

Dalby Spook · December 25, 2006, 01:10:18 PM

Thanks wck. I make them in big cake tins. Tricky to make but worth it.

owrstrich · December 25, 2006, 06:07:53 PM

o my...

that sounds and looks awesome...

you gotta eat...

owrstrich

manxman · December 26, 2006, 03:10:19 AM

Look fabulous John, what are the proportions of pheasant, duck and rabbit?

Got a meat grinder and a stuffing press for part of my Christmas presents so looks like I am going to be a busy lad in the coming weeks. :D

Hope the Boxing Day shoot goes well, just contemplating a good walk as although it's cold and breezy, the sun is just coming out and it's dry.... should be a great day for your shhot. Have a good one. ;)

LilSmoker · December 26, 2006, 04:29:42 AM

Hi Dalby, those pies look lovely, looks like you have good pastry skills, i bet they taste as good as they look ;)

Dalby Spook · December 26, 2006, 09:21:50 AM

Hi folks

just got in. Bagged 7 pheasants & 4 hares between 3 of us. Great day out. Cold though.

Manx, proportion of game meat is whatever I have in the freezer at the time!

LS, hot water shortcust is easypeasy. Just follow Dhelias recipe and you can't fail.

Once again my "buddies" and their friends troughed a whole pie and I got zilch.
Very good , they said.

manxman · December 27, 2006, 01:14:31 AM

Quotehares

Have you tried it with hare instead of rabbit? Which do you prefer?

Dalby Spook · December 27, 2006, 01:55:14 AM

I have made a couple with some hare in it but to be honest I find it slightly overpowering, so I use rabbit in preference. Might be different with a young, well grown leveret rather than an adult though.

manxman · December 27, 2006, 05:00:58 AM

Quotesmoked pheasant,duck and rabbit.

How long did you smoke them for? (?cold smoked.)

I suppose the best thing if using hare would be to just use a relatively small amount and use more pheasant, duck, venison or whatever you put in.

Much prefer this cold still weather to the wet and windy weeks we have just had, spent yesterday on a long walk on the beach up around Jurby to Blue Point. A big flask of hot chocolate laced with cinnamon and cointreau kept the cold at bay, plus turkey sandwiches and mince pies of course! ;) :)

iceman · December 27, 2006, 09:51:45 AM

Geez DS I'm sitting here stuck at work munching on a lousy granola bar and I see pictures of your pie. I'm drooling like a rabid wolf now. Hope yer happy!!! ;D :D Just kidding, more like a rabid fox :o :D Looks absolutly wonderful buddy. Ya done yerself proud. ;)

Dalby Spook · December 27, 2006, 10:56:55 AM

Thanks for that, Ice.

I finally got to taste some today from pie#2. Must say, it's pretty damned good. 8 hours of cold smoke has produced a subtle but distinct smokiness that complements the natural game flavour. Lacks seasoning but I can remedy that at point of ingestion!

This one is for the beaters on a big, formal driven pheasant shoot tommorrow.