Recipe for steamed game pudding

This steamed game pudding recipe serves 6

Ingredients for the steamed game pudding

1½ litre china pudding basin, well greased with butter

Suet pastry

350g self raising flour

175g suet

Cold water to bind

Salt

Steamed game pudding filling

300g of venison cut into cubes

300g mixture of game (pheasant, rabbit, partridge, grouse etc…)

The leaves of six sprigs of thyme

1 large onion, sliced

½ tbsp. sunflower oil

1tsp caster sugar

Knob of butter

Beef stock

1 tbsp flour

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp redcurrant jelly

Method for this steamed game pudding

First make the pastry. Sieve the flour into a roomy bowl then add the suet and a pinch of salt, mixing it in using cutting motions with a knife. Slowly add the water until you have reasonably firm dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. When the pastry is ready, dust a surface with flour and roll it into a large circle, about 1cm thick. Cut enough off to make the lid and carefully lift the remaining pastry and fit into the pudding basin. Make a circle shape out of the reserved pastry for the lid and set aside.

While the pastry is resting caramelize the onions. Put the sliced onions into a bowl and pour in the oil and sugar. Season with the salt and pepper and mix well, coating all of the onion slices with the oil and sugar then tip into a hot frying pan and add the knob of butter. Cook over a medium heat until the onions are soft and slightly charred around the edges and golden brown. Drain them and set aside.

Put the flour into a bowl and season with salt and pepper and toss the meat pieces in it. Add the redcurrant jelly and onion to the bowl and stir well to mix. Spoon the meat mix into the pudding basin and pour in enough beef stock to just cover the meat and season with more salt and pepper. Dampen the edges of the pastry with water and place the lid on, sealing it well.

Using two sheets of foil, butter the sheet that will be closest to the pastry and then cover the top of the pudding with it, making a pleat on the top to allow for expansion. Tie with string, making a handle for easy removal.

Put a trivet into a large pot with a tight fitting lid then stand the pudding onto the trivet. Pour boiling water into the pot so that it comes half way up the sides of the basin and bring the water to the boil. Cover with the lid and turn down the heat so that it gently simmers away for about three hours. Check frequently to top up the water level (with boiling water). Don’t let it boil dry.

When the steamed game pudding is cooked, remove it from the steamer and let it rest for 10 minutes before turning out. Cut into wedges and serve.

You can stud the pastry (at the mixing in stage) with about a teaspoon of chopped herbs if you want to ring the changes. The suet pastry means all you need to serve is some peas and carrots, making this the perfect thing to eat – especially on a cold day a little later in the year.