RecipeTin Eats x Good Food: Slow-cooked kangaroo pie

Name: RecipeTin Eats x Good Food: Slow-cooked kangaroo pie
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4-5
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 800g kangaroo rump, cut into 3.5cm cubes (see note); ¾ tsp salt; ½ tsp finely ground mountain pepperberries* (or black pepper); 2 tbsp neutral oil; 50g unsalted butter; 200g button mushrooms, halved; 125g streaky bacon, cut into 1cm x 0.75cm rectangle shapes; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 small celery stalk, cut into half-moon shaped 0.7cm-thick slices; 1 small peeled carrot, cut same as celery; 500ml salt-reduced beef stock, preferably homemade; 330ml Australian dark ale (or stock); 1 cup water; 1½ tsp coarsely crushed mountain pepperberries* (or black peppercorns); 6 tbsp flour; 90g unsalted butter, softened

RecipeTin Eats

July 2, 2021

Seek out kangaroo rump for this peppery pie filling.William Meppem

Time:2 hours +Serves:4-5

This alternative to the traditional beef pie is delicious with a bush tomato sauce.

Ingredients

800g kangaroo rump, cut into 3.5cm cubes (see note)
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp finely ground mountain pepperberries* (or black pepper)
2 tbsp neutral oil
50g unsalted butter
200g button mushrooms, halved
125g streaky bacon, cut into 1cm x 0.75cm rectangle shapes
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small celery stalk, cut into half-moon shaped 0.7cm-thick slices
1 small peeled carrot, cut same as celery
500ml salt-reduced beef stock, preferably homemade
330ml Australian dark ale (or stock)
1 cup water
1½ tsp coarsely crushed mountain pepperberries* (or black peppercorns)
6 tbsp flour
90g unsalted butter, softened

Pastry

1 sheet shortcrust pastry, to line a 23cm pie dish
1 sheet butter puff pastry
1 egg, lightly whisked

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional).
2. To make the filling, sprinkle the kangaroo with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pot over high heat and brown the meat in batches. Remove and set aside.
3. Wipe the pot clean of burnt bits, if needed, and melt 50g butter over high heat in the same pot. Add mushrooms with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until golden. Remove to a separate bowl with a slotted spoon.
4. Cool the pot slightly, then add bacon. Allow the bacon fat to melt over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, turn the heat up to high and cook bacon until golden. Remove to the bowl with the kangaroo.
5. In the same pot, add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot. Cook over low-medium heat for 5 minutes until soft. Add oil if needed.
6. Return the kangaroo and bacon to the pot, add stock, dark ale and water and bring to a simmer, stir, then place the lid on and put in the oven for 1 hour. Add mushrooms, then return to the oven for a further 1 hour, or until the meat is tender, so you can pull it apart using two forks.
7. Remove the kangaroo and vegetables into a large bowl using a slotted spoon.
8. Make a beurre manie by mixing the flour and 90g of butter together to form a paste. Add to the sauce and cook over low heat, stirring, until the sauce becomes a thick gravy (3 to 4 minutes). Pour over the kangaroo and vegetables and stir gently. Season, if needed, and cool the filling in the fridge for at least 1 hour before using.
9. Preheat oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional). Make (or buy) and blind bake the shortcrust pastry in a 23cm pie dish, then cool.
10. Cool filling to room temperature and spoon it into the pie crust. Brush pastry edge with whisked egg, top with puff pastry and press to seal, crimping the edges with a fork. Brush the top with egg and make a 2cm "x" incision for steam to escape.
11. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden. Remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with my bush tomato sauce.
Note: Kangaroo rump, available at butchers, is an ideal cut for slow-cooking while fillets and pre-diced kangaroo are leaner so will not be quite as juicy when slow-cooked.
*Also know as mountain pepper or pepperberries, this spice is native to Tasmania and is similar to black peppercorns, but spicier and more interesting.
More recipes for using native produce at home