Description
This Beef and Vegetable Pie features tender, slow-cooked beef chuck steak combined with potatoes, carrots, and a rich, flavorful gravy, all encased in crispy, golden puff pastry. It’s a comforting family meal perfect for cozy dinners or casual entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1 kg Puff pastry (frozen, 6 sheets for a round dish; 8 sheets if using a rectangle dish; some wastage expected)
Beef Filling
- 1 kg beef chuck steak, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- 1/2 cup plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, diced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 carrots, cut into 1 cm cubes
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 tsp beef stock powder (or 1 cube)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp tomato sauce (or ketchup)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 4 potatoes (approx. 700 g), peeled and cubed into 2 cm pieces
Glaze
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp water (or milk)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 150°C (300°F) to prepare for the slow cooking of the pie.
- Prepare the beef: Toss the beef cubes in the plain flour mixed with salt, cumin powder, paprika, and freshly ground black pepper until well coated.
- Brown the beef: Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based pan over medium-high heat. Add the coated beef cubes in batches and brown them on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: In the same pan, add diced onions with sea salt and sauté until softened. Then add crushed garlic and cook for another minute.
- Combine ingredients for the filling: Return the beef to the pan. Add carrots, beef stock, beef stock powder, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Stir thoroughly to combine.
- Simmer the filling: Cover the pan with a lid and place it in the oven at 150°C. Cook gently for about 3 hours (180 minutes) until the beef is very tender and the sauce has thickened nicely.
- Prepare the potato: Boil the cubed potatoes separately until just tender but not falling apart, then drain them thoroughly.
- Assemble the pie: Increase the oven temperature to 200°C (390°F). Roll out puff pastry sheets to fit your pie dish if needed. Spread the cooked beef filling evenly in the pie dish, then layer the cooked potatoes on top.
- Top with puff pastry: Cover the pie with the final puff pastry sheet, sealing edges well by pressing down and trimming excess pastry. Make several small slits on top to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Apply glaze: Beat the egg yolk with the water or milk, then brush this mixture over the puff pastry to give it a golden, shiny finish.
- Bake the pie: Place the assembled pie in the oven and bake at 200°C for 25-30 minutes or until the puff pastry is puffed up and golden brown.
- Rest and serve: Let the pie rest for 10 minutes after baking to settle, then cut into servings and enjoy.
Notes
- This pie is a classic comfort food featuring tender slow-cooked beef and a rich vegetable gravy encased in flaky puff pastry.
- A great dish for family dinners or casual entertaining, offering hearty and satisfying flavors.
- Using the slow oven method enhances the tenderness of the beef and deepens the flavor of the filling.
- Make sure to pre-cook the potatoes separately to keep them firm and prevent the pastry from becoming soggy.
- Resting the pie before serving helps the filling set and makes slicing easier.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 928 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 890 mg
- Fat: 59 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 42 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 71 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 88 mg
