JERKED GOAT PIE
SERVES 4 / PREPARATION 1 HOUR PLUS 2 DAYS MARINATING / COOKING 2-5 HOURS, DEPENDING ON METHOD
When making this pie, use the base heat function on your oven to ensure the bottom is cooked. We always cook our pies on the bottom shelf – a pizza stone would work well too.
4 goat shanks
Jamaican jerk marinade (we love Walkerswood
brand, or make your own)
1 onion, sliced oil for cooking
1 litre beef or goat stock
3-9 tablespoons cornflour
120ml milk, plus extra if necessary 100g frozen peas, cooked in salted water 2 sheets flaky pastry
1 egg yolk blended with 2 tablespoons water
Cover the shanks liberally in jerk marinade (reserve a tablespoon for later) and leave covered in the fridge for 48 hours.
If you have a hot smoker, smoke the shanks at 130°C for about 5 hours until the meat is falling off the bone. Set aside.
Fry the onion in a little oil until browned, then place in a pot with the stock and the reserved 1 tablespoon of marinade. If you're not using a hot smoker, preheat the oven to 180°C. Brown the shanks on a barbecue (preferably over coals) on a medium heat for 10 minutes until caramelised.
Fry the onion in a little oil until browned, then place in a dish that will hold the shanks snugly so that the stock will cover them. Place the shanks in the dish. Add the reserved 1 tablespoon of jerk marinade to the stock and pour it over the shanks. Braise in the oven for about 2 hours until the meat is tender. Remove the cooked shanks and set aside to cool. Transfer the cooking liquid to a pot.
Note: Both the oven method and hot-smoking methods are now at the same point.
Simmer the stock mixture until it has reduced by half. Taste it as you go and stop the reduction if it becomes too salty. Add 3 tablespoons cornflour to the milk and whisk to combine. Whisk the milk mixture into the gravy over a medium heat. Allow to simmer, whisking, for a few minutes; the gravy should look quite thick. You may need to repeat this step, using more cornflour and milk, until the gravy starts to look almost too thick. Pick the meat from the bone and mix into the gravy with the cooked peas. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Let the pie filling cool.
Cut out a circle from the first pastry sheet to line the base and sides of a greased 45cm pie tin, making sure to push the pastry right into any corners. Add the filling and wet the edges of the pastry with water. Cut out a circle from the second pastry sheet to cover the pie and apply gentle pressure from the middle to the edges, making sure there are no large air pockets. Seal using your fingers, then crimp with a fork to achieve a tight seal. Brush the pie with the yolk/water and make a little vent for the steam to escape by cutting a ‘V’ in the pastry with a paring knife.
It’s best to chill the pie overnight. When ready to cook, bake in a preheated 200°C oven for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.
Serve with cold beer and some proper old-school reggae.