Shortcut Michigan Venison Pasties Recipe

Have you ever heard of a Michigan pasty, pronounced “past-ee”? These hearty meat and vegetable hand pies are a classic comfort food, especially when served warm with gravy or ketchup. This Shortcut Michigan Venison Pasties recipe keeps the same cozy idea but makes the process easier with refrigerated pie crust, frozen mixed vegetables, potatoes, onion, garlic, and ground venison.

I call these shortcut venison pasties because they are much simpler than making everything from scratch. Boxed refrigerated pie crust saves time, frozen vegetables cut down on prep, and the filling comes together in one bowl. I have made homemade pie crust a few times, but honestly, pie crust and I are not always friends. This version gives you flaky, golden hand pies without the extra stress.

Ground venison works beautifully in this recipe because it creates a rich, hearty filling that pairs well with potatoes, onions, garlic, and vegetables. We received a couple of pounds of ground venison from a friend, and Michigan venison pasties are one of my favorite ways to use it. If you do not have venison, ground beef can be used instead.

These shortcut Michigan venison pasties are also a helpful way to work more vegetables into dinner. I like to pulse the frozen mixed vegetables in a food processor or blender before adding them to the meat mixture. This gives the filling a smoother texture and helps everything blend together. If you have picky eaters at home, this is a great dinner idea because the vegetables are mixed right into the savory filling.

Traditional Michigan pasties often include rutabaga and other vegetables, but this version uses the ingredients my family enjoys most. It is simple, filling, and easy to serve for a weeknight dinner, weekend meal prep, or a cozy cold-weather supper.

Why I Love This Shortcut Michigan Venison Pasty Recipe

• It uses just a few simple ingredients.
• It is a hearty comfort food dinner.
• Meat, potatoes, and vegetables are all tucked into one hand pie.
• It is a great way to include extra vegetables.
• These venison pasties are freezer-friendly and work well for meal prep.

Ingredients Needed for These Venison Pasties

Ground venison or ground beef Refrigerated pie crust Frozen mixed vegetables Golden potatoes Onion Garlic Butter Garlic powder Salt and pepper

Start by washing and chopping the potatoes. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Next, pulse the frozen mixed vegetables in a food processor or blender until they are finely chopped. This step helps the vegetables mix evenly with the meat and potatoes.

Add the ground venison, potatoes, onion, garlic, and chopped mixed vegetables to a large bowl. Season the filling with salt and pepper. Mix everything together by hand until the ingredients are evenly combined. The mixture should hold together well enough to form into generous patties for the center of each pasty.

Let the refrigerated pie crust come to room temperature so it unrolls easily. Unroll the crust and cut each round into quarters. Place a large portion of the venison filling onto half of the pie crust quarters, shaping the meat mixture into patties as you go.

Top each filled quarter with another piece of pie crust and seal the edges firmly. Make a few small slits in the top of each pasty so steam can escape while baking. Brush the tops with melted butter, then sprinkle with garlic powder or onion powder if you like extra flavor.

Place the pasties on a parchment-lined baking sheet for easier cleanup. Bake at 350 degrees for about 55 to 60 minutes. Serve hot with beef gravy or ketchup. Either way, these shortcut Michigan venison pasties make a satisfying meat hand pie dinner.

More Hearty Dinner Ideas

• Savory Beef and Stout Irish Pot Pie
• Meaty Slow Cooker Venison Chili
• Mike’s Smoked Jerky

Save This Shortcut Michigan Venison Pasties Recipe

If you enjoy hearty dinner recipes, try other comforting meals like slow cooker peppered beef or classic crock pot pot roast.