Hearty Bear Pot Pie | Wild Table

This hearty Bear Pot Pie is a rustic and flavorful dish perfect for cold weather. Tender chunks of bear meat are slow-cooked with mushrooms, carrots, and herbs in a rich red wine and broth-based gravy, then baked inside a golden, flaky pie crust. The savory filling is finished with peas and thyme for a pop of freshness. It’s a wild and satisfying twist on a classic comfort food.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. bear meat, cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes
• Salt and pepper
• Vegetable or Olive oil, for cooking 
• 4 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ¾ cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 sprig of rosemary
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Store-bought pie dough, 2x9” dough rounds should be enough

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Pat meat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add bear meat in portions, making sure not to crowd the pan, and cook until well browned all over (roughly 7 to 10 minutes).
4. Transfer bear meat to bowl and set aside
5. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to Dutch oven and reduce heat to medium. Add mushrooms, onion, and carrots and cook until lightly browned (about 5 minutes).
6. Scrape up any browned bits and stir in tomato paste and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Stir in wine and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes.
8. Stir in flour until vegetables are well coated and cook for 1 minute.
9. Stir in broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire, bay leaf, and rosemary until combined.
10. Add bear meat and bring to a simmer.
11. Cover and transfer to oven.
12. Cook until bear meat is tender, about 60-75 minutes.
13. While filling is cooking, lightly brush your pie pans with oil. Then cut out the dough and line the inside of the pie pans.
14. Remove filling from oven and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.
15. Let filling cool for 30 minutes. Stir in peas and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
16. Transfer filling to pie pans, discarding the bay leaf and rosemary sprig.
17. Top filling with pie dough so dough slightly overhangs the edge of the pie plate. Crimp dough evenly around the edge of the pie using a fork or your fingers.
18. With a small knife, cut 1/2-inch hole in center of pie. Cut six 1/2-inch slits around the hole. Brush dough with remaining egg, then season with salt, pepper.
19. Transfer pie to rimmed baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
20. Transfer pie to cooling rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Serve.

If you liked this bear pot pie check out more of our wild game recipes and foraging tips on our Wild Table blog!