ISO help getting stock into game pies

[nick358]

I recently made a game pie with hot water pastry. I used a 20" cake tin. Everything went fine, apart from the fact that when I took the pie out of the oven and wanted to pour in the stock I had made, the pastry was sitting on the filling and there was no room to insert the stock before putting it in the fridge to set. Is there any kind of device or spacer that can be put in the pie under the pastry lid so that you get a gap into which you can pour the stock?

 

[menumaker]

Hi Nick
I have just picked up your thread about your game pie. I make raised pies several times a year as our family and friends love them. I have learnt that the best way is not to pack so much filling in as you would like. I leave about 1 inch ( yes, I'm that old!) space lower than the top of my pie and then with the natural shrinkage as well you should be fine to pour your stock in the hole. Actually, I sometimes make 2 -3 holes and cover them loosely with a pastry shape ie. leaves or roses (if you are feeling the vibe?) which you can lift off, do the business and replace for presentation and that works well. I haven't found a 'tool' as such myself for this purpose.
Anyway, good luck. Bye the way, if you find that you have some filling left over, then make a dinky one for lunch and/or freeze for another time.

 

[nick358]

Thanks for this, yes I think my problem was to put too much filling in! But I seem to dimly remember some sort of device (steel or ceramic) that looks a bit like a napkin ring with holes in it, stops the pastry sinking to the level of the filling in the middle of the pie. It supports the lid in the middle and leaves a space for pouring in the stock.

 

[menumaker]

Just a thought Nick,
try www. lakeland co.uk they can be good for this kind of thing.