Meat Pies

Posted in Recipe Collections / Favorite Recipes: Thai, Persian, Korean, French, and More
Meat Pies
These meat pies use lean beef and a modest amount of wine for a savory filling that is rich without feeling greasy. Chill the filling before assembling so the pastry bakes flaky instead of soft.

Ingredients

  • 1½ pounds lean beef chuck or stew meat, cut into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 sheets shortcrust pastry
  • 2 sheets puff pastry
  • 1 egg, beaten

Instructions

  1. Brown the Beef: Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a pot and brown the beef in batches. Transfer to a plate.

  2. Cook the Vegetables: Add the onion and carrot and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

  3. Build the Filling: Sprinkle in the flour and stir. Add the wine, scraping up browned bits, then add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, and beef.

  4. Simmer: Cover and simmer gently for 1½-2 hours, until the beef is tender and the gravy is thick. Remove the bay leaf and cool completely.

  5. Assemble: Line individual pie tins with shortcrust pastry. Fill with chilled beef filling, top with puff pastry, crimp the edges, and cut a small vent in each top.

  6. Bake: Brush with beaten egg and bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, until deeply golden and bubbling.

Savory Pies with a Lighter Filling

These pies keep the classic flaky pastry and rich gravy filling, but use leaner beef and less wine than many traditional versions. The result is still deeply savory, just less heavy.

Chilling the filling is important. Hot filling melts pastry butter too quickly, which can make the crust greasy instead of flaky.

Serving Ideas

Serve with mashed potatoes, peas, roasted carrots, salad, or tomato sauce on the side. They are also great with pickles or a sharp chutney.

Variations

Add mushrooms, peas, or diced potato to the filling. For a darker gravy, add a teaspoon of soy sauce or a small splash more Worcestershire.

You can make one large pie instead of individual pies; increase the baking time until the top is golden and the center is bubbling.