VENISON PICADILLO PIE

Fall means for many people the time honored tradition of Deer Hunting Season.  Those several weeks a year in which ardent outsiders & sportsmen take to the woods and fields in pursuit of that trophy buck or doe, their reward for the hours of stalking and tracking.  Where an 8-point buck may bring in some serious satisfaction, here’s a fantastic recipe that will satisfy the hunger of even your most serious hunter, and is sure to please as well.

**A Note To All Cooks:  Venison isn’t always readily available in some communities.  Most higher end grocery store meat counters or butchers should still be able to not only special order venison, but should also be able to grind it for you as well.  In the event that you are unable to get venison in your local area, a milder quality ground breakfast or chicken sausage is a good option as well.

VENISON PICADILLO PIE:

·         2 Pre-Made Pie Crusts

·         ½  Large Onion, Chopped Fine

·         ½  L Bell Pepper, Seeded & Finely Chopped

·         1 Tbs. Olive Oil

·         1 Tbs. Minced Garlic

·         1 Lb. Ground Venison or Venison Sausage (or your protein of choice)

·         1 14 Oz. Can Diced Tomatoes

·         1 tsp. Cumin

·         ⅛ tsp. Cinnamon

·         1 Pinch Ground Cloves

·         1 tsp. Oregano

·         ¼ Cup Green Olives, Chopped

·         1 8.8 Oz. Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice – Wild & Long Grain Rice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare and roll out both pie crusts.  In a baking sprayed pie plate, lay in your bottom crust.

Prepare and chop all vegetables. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add garlic, onions, and bell pepper, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and turning translucent, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the venison and brown the meat for 5-7 minutes, or until fully browned.

Add the tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and oregano.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and add additional liquid, if needed, and turn down the heat if it begins to boil.

Prepare rice mixture according to the package.  Add rice and olives and simmer 5 minutes longer.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Spoon mixture into bottom crust.  Cover with top crust, and vent top.  Roll crust edge under towards center of the pie.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until crust golden brown.