Aussie Meat Pie
Recipe video above. The great Australian meat pie - made at home! Buttery shortcrust base filled with slow cooked fall apart chunky beef smothered in a rich gravy, topped with puff pastry. Legendary! {See notes for beef mince version}Also see the Family Size Meat Pie, mini Party Pies and Sausage Rolls!
- Prep time
- 40 min
- Cook time
- 3 hr 40 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 1/2 batches homemade shortcrust pastry
- 3 frozen shortcrust pastry sheets, thawed ((300g/10oz))
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts (US/Can)
- 3 frozen puff pastry sheets, just thawed ((300g/10oz) (Note 2))
- 1 egg (, lightly whisked)
- 1.25 kg / 2.5lb beef chuck (, 2.5cm/1" cubes (Note 3))
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
- 2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion (, diced)
- 4 garlic cloves (, minced)
- 5 tbsp flour (, plain/all purpose)
- 1 1/4 cups (315 ml) beef stock, low sodium ((Note 4))
- 3 cups (750 ml) red wine (, dry full bodied (Note 5))
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp black pepper (, coarsely ground)
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- 1
Sprinkle beef with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper.
- 2
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add 1/3 of the beef and brown aggressively all over, then remove. Repeat with remaining beef, adding more oil if needed.
- 3
Turn stove down to medium high. Add garlic and onion, cook 3 minutes.
- 4
Add flour, stir through.
- 5
Slowly add beef stock while stirring constantly. Once flour is dissolved, add wine, tomato paste, Worcestershire, pepper and bay leaves.
- 6
Return beef into pot, cover with lid, adjust heat so it's simmering gently.
- 7
Simmer 1 hr 45 minutes. Remove lid, increase heat slightly and simmer 30 - 45 minutes, stirring regularly, or until beef is fork tender and liquid reduces down to a thickish gravy, just about covering beef (see video). Do not reduce liquid too much - thickens more as it cools & in pie.
- 8
Remove from stove, cover and cool filling (I usually leave overnight).
- 9
Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- 10
Cut out 6 rounds from the shortcrust pastry, then drape pastry into pie tins - don't stretch and pull pastry, causes shrinkage. (Notes 1 & 6)
- 11
Place pies on tray. Top each pie with large sheets of parchment / baking paper and fill with pie weights (Note 7).
- 12
Bake 20 minutes, remove, then use paper overhang to carefully remove pie weights.
- 13
Return crusts into oven for 5 minutes or until base is light golden and dry (can skip, Note 8). Remove from oven.
- 14
Fill pies with cooled filling, push down to fill. Should be slightly mounded.
- 15
Cut rounds from partially thawed puff pastry - cut them slightly larger than the edge of the cooked pastry bases.
- 16
Brush edge of pie crusts with egg, then place lid on filling, pressing edges to seal puff pastry to the shortcrust pastry.
- 17
Brush lids with egg, then cut a 1cm / 0.5" incision in the middle using a small knife.
- 18
Bake 30 minutes or until deep golden and puffed.
- 19
Devour hot and fresh, topped with tomato sauce or ketchup if desired!