Family Meat Pie Recipe

Aussies love a superb meat pie. We love the hand-held ones as a result of we get the complete factor to ourselves. However whenever you’ve bought sharing vibes, this Household-size Meat Pie is the one you pull out. With a shortcrust base, slow-cooked fall-apart chunks of beef are smothered in a wealthy gravy, topped off with a golden puff pastry lid.

It’s knee-knockingly good consolation meals!

It dawned on me yesterday that the traits of my very favorite meat-based meals lie at reverse ends of the spectrum. Give me both the spanking freshness of uncooked stuff (assume: sushi, ceviche, tartare) or the melt-in-your-mouth-tender perfection of slow-cooked meat smothered in a wealthy sauce like shanks, brief ribs, pulled pork, stews. 🤩

There’s loads of good things that falls in between. However if you wish to win me over*, carry me a tuna carpaccio or a gradual cooked lasagna.

Or – a giant fats Meat Pie!

Right here’s a breakdown of what makes up an amazing Aussie meat pie:

1. Shortcrust base – Buttery and flaky, this pastry sort has sufficient construction to comprise the appreciable quantity of wealthy filling! It’s blind baked (ie partially cooked earlier than filling) so it doesn’t go soggy as soon as baked with the filling. Use store-bought shortcrust pastry for comfort (freezer part), however for a very nice Meat Pie, use do-it-yourself shortcrust pastry!

2. Meat Pie Filling – Your fundamental meat pie may solely be made with beef. However the addition of mushroom, bacon, celery and carrots solely makes it higher! Bacon for flavour, mushroom for simply basic extra-delicious issue. Celery and carrots add flavour into the sauce in addition to breaking apart the filling texture a bit so it’s not simply 100% full-on meat.

   The key ingredient on this meat pie sauce is Guinness (or different darkish beer or crimson wine) which makes it darkish and wealthy in addition to including a stack of flavour. It places your fundamental retailer purchased pies to disgrace!

3. Puff pastry prime – The normal topping for Meat Pies is puff pastry. You merely can’t prime golden, flaky and buttery puff pastry because the lid for a meat pie!

Right here’s what goes within the Household Meat Pie filling:

• Chuck beef – A reduce of beef made for gradual cooking that breaks down into fall-apart goodness, ideally suited for utilizing for meat pie fillings.

  Different cuts: boneless brief ribs (nevertheless it’s fattier and pricier), beef osso buco (cook dinner on bone then discard later) and beef cheeks (however the beef items will buckle somewhat than keep in neat cubes).

  Not advisable: brisket (a bit stringy), steaks and different fast cooking cuts of beef, or roasts (too lean and can dry out).

• Onion and garlic – Important flavour base for the wealthy sauce.

• Carrots, celery and mushrooms – Vegetable add-ins. These introduce a little bit of non-meat goodness into the filling. With out it’s meat, meat, meat! Which, whereas scrumptious, generally is a bit too full-on!

• Bacon – That is one in every of my “secret components” in meat pies. Additionally for sausage rolls, for that matter! It’s sautéed at the start so different components will be cooked within the bacon fats. And the bacon releases flavour into the sauce. However no, it doesn’t style bacon-y on the finish!

The sauce is basically a really wealthy stew sauce that may be a Beef & Guinness Stew that borrows methods from a French-style stew like Beef Bourguignon. Yep, we’re stealing secrets and techniques from the French to make the perfect Aussie meat pie!

The flavourful stout beer on this recipe is the explanation why there are so few components wanted for flavour within the sauce. Purple wine will also be used, for a barely extra elegant sauce possibility – see under for extra on this.

• Guinness or different stout – This wealthy, darkish beer is a magical ingredient to make use of in gradual cooked dishes as a result of hours of simmering cooks out the alcohol and leaves behind a wealthy, earthy flavour you can’t purchase in jars. There isn’t any hint of “beery” flavour left in any respect, simply the darkish and complicated notes from the stout.

  It additionally provides the sauce the deep, darkish brown color which is a part of the attraction of this filling. No one needs a meat pie with a pale filling!

  Purple wine will also be used for a barely extra elegant sauce possibility (basically Beef Bourguignon sauce) which is equally as scrumptious. I opted for Guinness right here as a result of it provides the sauce a barely richer, earthier flavour that Aussies know and love about Meat Pies!

  Non alcoholic possibility – The very best flavour-boosting different could be so as to add anchovies. It’s going to NOT make it style fishy however will add some fascinating complexity in lieu of beer. See recipe notes for instructions.

• Beef inventory – Consider it or not, there may be not an enormous distinction between do-it-yourself and store-bought beef inventory on this recipe! I used to be fairly shocked as a result of ordinarily, for nice basic dishes of the world, I discover that do-it-yourself beef inventory is a key high quality that units aside a superb do-it-yourself model from an distinctive restaurant high quality one (like in Bourguignon and Coq au Vin).

  Nonetheless, for the Aussie Meat Pie, I discovered that store-bought beef inventory was virtually pretty much as good as utilizing do-it-yourself. I feel it’s as a result of beer does a lot extra heavy-lifting within the sauce in comparison with wine.

  Whichever means you go, I don’t advocate utilizing powdered beef inventory.

• Flour and butter (sauce thickening) – In right now’s recipe, we’re thickening the stew utilizing a easy French ending approach known as a Beurre Manié. That is uncooked flour and softened butter blended collectively, after which stirred right into a liquid (a sauce often). It makes the sauce shiny and thick.

  The concept for this pie is as follows. The sauce must be thicker than common stews else it runs in all places whenever you serve a slice of pie. Including flour at the beginning means you’re working with an already-thick sauce whereas it cooks. Thick sauces require common stirring to make sure it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pot however the issue is all this stirring causes the meat items which might be tender from lengthy cooking to interrupt aside. We wish pretty huge chunks, not shredded beef!

  It’s a lot, a lot simpler simply to make use of a Beurre Manié as a substitute to thicken the sauce on the finish! (Bonus: You get to sound like a complete professional whenever you inform your loved ones the way you made this.)

Meat Pie Base – The normal base for Meat Pies is shortcrust pastry. This can be a buttery, flaky pastry that’s used for issues like quiche and candy pies (like Pumpkin pie, Pecan pie).

It’s ideally suited for meat pies as a result of it’s sturdy sufficient to carry as much as the wealthy, dense filling. This recipe requires 800g / 1.6 kilos of beef – this makes fairly a little bit of filling!
Retailer-bought is ok, however do-it-yourself shortcrust pastry actually is price making in case you have the time. The flavour is healthier and in addition texture.
Puff pastry is also used nonetheless for the bottom, to keep away from the necessity to purchase two totally different pastries. See recipe notes for instructions.

Meat pie lid – The normal lid for meat pies is puff pastry. Lately, the standard of store-bought is definitely excellent should you go for actual butter puff pastry. Cheaper puff pastry is made with oil somewhat than butter so it doesn’t tastes as good and doesn’t puff up as effectively.
In the event you make your personal, I can be mighty impressed. Brag within the feedback part under – you should!! 😂

That is the model I often use, simply bought from grocery shops in Australia:

Buckle in! This does take time to make as a result of it entails making a slow-cooked stew filling which then must be cooled earlier than filling the pie. But it surely’s easy, and a very good leisurely weekend undertaking. Most of all you’ll know with only one chunk that it was price each second!

1. Make the Meat Pie Filling

1. Brown beef – Season the meat with salt and pepper, then brown aggressively in a heavy based mostly pot over excessive warmth. Flip the meat cubes to get a stunning brown crust throughout. You don’t have to cook dinner the meat all through right here, we’re simply after color on the surface. This not solely provides flavour to the meat, however the golden bits left on the bottom of the pot provides priceless flavour to the sauce (that lovely stuff known as fond).

2. Cook dinner components individually – We begin with bacon, cooked till golden and to launch its fats. We then use the fats to cook dinner the next components. After the bacon is cooked, add it into the bowl with the browned beef.

   Then we add a bit butter into the pot as a result of the residual bacon fats isn’t sufficient to cook dinner the mushrooms correctly. We wish the mushrooms to get good and golden – and we want sufficient fats to get there! As soon as the mushrooms are executed, take away to a separate bowl as a result of we can be including them into the stew partway by the gradual cook dinner time.

   Lastly onion, garlic, celery and carrots go in collectively. We don’t have to make these golden, we simply wish to cook dinner the onion sufficient so the flavour transforms from pungent to candy.

3. Add liquids – Add Guinness, beef inventory and water to the pot, then give it a superb stir.

4. Return beef and bacon to pot – Then add the browned beef and bacon again into the pot.

5. Convey to simmer – Convey the stew as much as a simmer, then cowl with a lid. Bear in mind, no flour added but to thicken – we’re going to thicken the stew on the finish as a result of it’s simpler.

6. Gradual cook dinner 2 hours – Switch the pot the oven for two hours including mushrooms on the 1 hour mark. We add the mushrooms in later so that they don’t turn into too delicate.

   The oven temperature is 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) which could sound fairly excessive, however truly, it’s the equal of simmering the stew on a really low warmth on the range. I typically desire doing gradual cooked stews within the oven somewhat than the range as a result of it’s decrease upkeep – it’s solely hands-off, no have to stir.

2. Thicken Sauce

1. Out of oven – After 2 hours, the meat ought to be fairly tender however not but fully “collapse at a contact”. The sauce may have lowered and darkened in color however will nonetheless be very skinny. We’re going to thicken it within the subsequent steps.

2. Simmer for 20 minutes – Subsequent, we put it on the range to simmer for 20 minutes. The aim of this step is to scale back the liquid a bit extra as a result of meat pie fillings have a extra concentrated, smaller quantity of sauce than typical stews. Throughout this step, the meat will turn into “fall-apart-tender”. If it doesn’t, cowl with a lid (to stop additional liquid evaporation) and maintain simmering till it does!

3. Sauce thickener Beurre Manié – Combine collectively the flour and softened butter to make a Beurre Manié. That is going to be blended into the stew to thicken the sauce. The butter stops the flour forming lumps when it hits the recent stew (yay!).

   The aim of utilizing a Beurre Manié right here is defined within the components part earlier. It permits us to thicken the sauce with out the issue of damaged up meat from extra stirring!

4. Stir in Beurre Manié – As famous above, as soon as the Beurre Manié is made, you simply have to stir it into the sauce. The butter simply melts in easy, so that you hardly have to stir. Watch the lump-free thickening magic unfold!

5. Thickened sauce – Proceed to cook dinner the sauce for a few minutes. Because the flour cooks, it can proceed to thicken the sauce. The purpose: A sauce viscosity that’s concerning the consistency of honey, ie. Thicker than regular stews however not pasty. Whenever you reduce the pie, you need the filling to ooze slowly not run in all places. The filling doesn’t thicken additional when it’s baked within the pie, so that you wish to get the sauce thickness proper at this stage.

   The picture under reveals what the filling ought to appear to be at this stage recent off the range. There’s extra sauce than you assume too, which is what you need as a result of some will inevitably get absorbed by the pastry (don’t fear! It stays crisp!).

6. Cool filling – A VERY IMPORTANT STEP! The filling should be cooled earlier than utilizing for 2 causes. Firstly, so it doesn’t soak into the pie crust base and make it instantly soggy. Secondly, so the recent filling doesn’t soften the butter within the puff pastry when the lid is placed on. Melted butter in puff pastry = no puff = 😩

   cool the pie filling – Cowl the pot with a lid to stop additional liquid evaporation (else the sauce will get too thick from water loss). Then go away within the pot or switch to a container. Let it cool on the counter for just a few hours then switch into the fridge. By no means put a scorching pot within the fridge!

   PRO TIP: For finest outcomes, go away the filling in a single day. As with all stews, the flavour simply will get higher!

3. Assembling the Household Meat Pie

We’re on the house stretch right here! So near tasting this magnificent beast!

1. Blind bake pie crust – Whether or not utilizing retailer purchased or do-it-yourself shortcrust pastry, it must be blind baked to make sure the bottom doesn’t go soggy as soon as stuffed with the pie filling. “Blind baking” merely implies that the crust is partially baked. It’s going to end baking as soon as we fill it.

   Observe the instructions within the Shortcrust Pastry recipe for the right way to make shortcrust pastry (if you wish to use do-it-yourself) and the right way to blind bake the pie crust (whether or not utilizing do-it-yourself or retailer purchased).

2. Fill crust – As soon as the crust has been blind baked, let it cool for quarter-hour. This helps guarantee the bottom stays crispy as a result of the pastry is extra porous when scorching.

   The Pie Filling ought to be at room temperature and never chilly earlier than filling the pie, for 2 causes. Firstly, fridge-cold filling is stiff and tough to evenly pack into the pie crust. Secondly, puff pastry sitting atop fridge-cold filling doesn’t cook dinner as evenly. The sides of the pastry will transcend brown effectively earlier than the center cooks.

   Fill the pie crust with the Meat Pie Filling. If utilizing a 9″ / 23cm pie tin as I do, it’s best to be capable to use ALL the pie filling! It’s going to fill it proper to the floor with a slight mound. The filling sinks a bit because it settles into the casing when within the oven.

3. High with puff pastry – Brush the rim with egg (the world’s finest meals glue) then place a sheet of puff pastry on the pie. Use scissors to trim extra so the puff pastry traces up with the sting of the shortcrust pastry.

   It’s simpler to trim with scissors after putting somewhat than slicing out the form earlier than putting since you actually received’t know what measurement you want as a result of filling mounding barely.

4. Crimp with fork – Press down with a fork, to crimp all alongside the sting. Whereas that is non-obligatory from an ornamental objective, it additionally helps make sure the puff pastry is firmly adhered to the bottom. No one needs pie filling bursting out of their pie due to a sloppy job gluing the lid on! 😂

5. Egg wash – Brush the floor with evenly whisked egg so it can bake up superbly golden and glossy.

   PRO TIP: For assured deep golden floor, brush with egg yolk. It’s just a bit much less sensible as a result of you’ll want to use a whisked complete egg for brushing the sides to stick the puff pastry lid to the bottom which doesn’t use a lot egg so that you’ll have so much left over. Then you definately want one other egg, yolk solely, to brush the floor. However in case you have a superb oven, you’ll be able to simply brush with whisked complete egg, as I’ve executed.

6. Incision – Then use a small knife to chop an X within the center. This enables steam to flee so the puff pastry lid doesn’t distend from trapped steam beneath.

7. Bake 45 to 50 minutes – Bake the pie straight on an oven rack for 45 to 50 minutes at 200°C/390°F (180°C fan), or till the highest is superbly golden. Don’t put it on a tray as a result of this may have an effect on how evenly and shortly the puff pastry cooks (because the tray will have an effect on how the recent air circulates within the oven). In case you are involved about mess if the filling leaks out, put one thing on the ground of the oven.

   In case your pie filling was a bit on the cool facet, you’ll most likely discover that it takes nearer to 60 minutes. Simply bake till that prime is golden and flaky!

8. Voila! Sure, I do know it’s been fairly a journey to get right here. However when this fats, bronzed magnificence comes out of the oven simply ask your self, HOW IS THIS MEAT-FILLED MASTERPIECE NOT WORTH IT!!?? (That’s a lifeless set rhetorical query, in case you didn’t decide it)

   Relaxation 5 minutes – I do know, I do know, you might be busting to crack by that pie lid instantly. However I want you to be affected person for simply 5 minutes longer! Let it relaxation only for a wee bit to make the pastry a bit extra secure so it’s simpler so that you can reduce and serve slices.

Discover how the pie filling is saucy, and that there’s loads of it, nevertheless it’s not operating in all places and neither is it thick and stodgy (that’s a continuously used and unflattering time period used round these elements). It’s a pleasant, thick gravy that (principally) stays within the pie. That’s precisely what we’re aiming for!!

And right here’s a few up-close-and-personal snaps highlighting the best options of our meaty mannequin:

1. Fall-apart beef – Just a few picture proof, in case you have been in any doubt!

2. The pie crust! Flake perfection. It’s not stiff sufficient so you’ll be able to maintain a whole slice in your palms, neither is it presupposed to be. However should you’re like me and you want to avoid wasting the perfect for final, you’ll begin from the sloppy finish and eat your means in direction of the crust, then use your palms to eat the crust!

Overload of meat pie-making this 12 months for varied pie recipes has result in the invention of some helpful make forward ideas!

• Bake forward and retailer – Let the entire pie cool within the pie dish, then refrigerate. As soon as cool, it is possible for you to to elevate the entire pie out of the pie tin – it’s stable! Wrap and refrigerate 4 days or freezer 3 months. Thaw then bake for half-hour to reheat at 180°C/350°F, loosely lined with foil.

• Assemble and bake on the prepared – Assemble the whole pie however don’t do the egg wash (it simply doesn’t maintain up effectively when executed forward). Then refrigerate 2 days (past this, thawed puff pastry suffers) or freezer 3 months. Thaw, egg wash, then bake per recipe.

  As a basic word, thawed then refrigerated or refrozen puff pastry doesn’t puff up fairly in addition to when it’s thawed then baked instantly. However for a meat pie, the distinction is marginal sufficient to not matter.

Make a mega-feast starring this Household Meat Pie with the addition of the next:

• A giant, stunning Spring Salad stuffed with peas, asparagus and snow peas.

• Garlic bread! As a result of no one ever says no to garlic bread…

• Self Saucing Butterscotch Pudding for dessert. Heat, delicate, caramel flavoured cake AND a butterscotch sauce that magically makes itself? It’s bought my identify written ALL OVER IT!

Spring Salad!

Higher-Than-Dominos Garlic Bread

Self Saucing Butterscotch Pudding

All Vegetable & Salad Sides

Puddings & Cosy Desserts

In the event you’re about to make this for dinner, I’m so jealous. I wish to be you! I wish to be there! – Johnsat x

PS See under recipe card for the whole Meat Pie Recipe Assortment.

Family Meat Pie Recipe

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Serves: 6 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 4 hours 4 hours

Nutrition facts: 806 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 800g/ 1.6lb chuck beef , 3.5cm/1.4″ cubes (Note 1)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil , plus more as needed (or vegetable or canola)
• 30g / 2tbsp unsalted butter
• 200g / 7 oz mushrooms , smallish, halved (larger ones quartered)
• 125g / 4 oz streaky bacon , cut into 1 x 1.5cm / 0.4 / 0.6″ cubes
• 1 onion , cut into 2cm / 0.8" cubes
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 celery , cut into 1cm/0.4″ slices (split wide end of celery lengthwise, don’t want giant celery chunks)
• 1 carrot , halved, 1cm/0.4″ slices (quarter very thick end if needed)
• 330ml / 11 oz Guinness (Note 2)
• 2 cups beef stock , homemade or store bought low sodium (Note 3)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp coarsely crushed black pepper , plus more as desired
• 4 tbsp flour
• 60g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter , softened
• 1 quantity shortcrust pastry , homemade or store bought (Note 5)
• 1 sheet puff pastry , for lid (Note 6)
• 1 egg , lightly whisked
• Ketchup or Aussie Tomato Sauce , for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
2. Brown beef: Sprinkle beef with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Brown beef aggressively in 2 to 3 batches (do not crowd pot, else it gets watery instead of browning). Then remove beef into a big bowl.
3. Wipe down pot: Wipe pot clean of burnt bits, if needed.
4. Cook bacon: Cool pot, add bacon. Place pot back onto medium heat. When you see some fat starting to melt, turn heat up to medium high and cook bacon until golden. Then remove into bowl with beef.
5. Cook mushrooms: Melt 30g/ 2tbsp butter in the pot. Cook mushrooms until golden with a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove into separate bowl with slotted spoon.
6. Cook other vegetables: Add onion, garlic, carrot and celery then cook for 5 minutes until onion is soft and sweet, not too golden. Add oil if needed, but bacon fat + residual butter should be enough.
7. Oven slow cook: Add beef, bacon, Guinness, water, stock, 1/4 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper. Stir then bring to simmer. Cover with lid, then transfer to oven for 1 hour.
8. Add mushrooms, then continue cooking in the oven for a further 1 hour. Meat should be starting to be tender at this stage.
9. Stove reduce: Remove pot from oven. Remove lid, then simmer on low heat for 20 minutes to reduce sauce. Meat should now be "fall-apart-tender" but just holding form (not disintegrating).
10. Sauce thickener (Beurre Manié – Note 4): Mix together butter and flour until smooth.
11. Thicken sauce: Stir Beurre Manié into sauce. Once melted, leave on the stove for another 2 minutes. Sauce should be thicker than a normal stew, like a honey consistency. Sauce will not thicken any more in oven, so make it exactly what you want – Note 7. Also, there will be more sauce than you expect for a pie – some gets absorbed by pastry (but won't make it soggy).
12. Cool: Cover pot with lid, then let it cool completely, preferably overnight. (Note 8)
13. Shortcrust base: Make and blind bake Shortcrust Pastry per that recipe using a 23cm/9” pie dish, whether using homemade or store bought. Then let it cool for at least 15 minutes (stays crispier).
14. Preheat oven: Turn oven up to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan).
15. Fill pie: Bring filling to room temp, do not use fridge cold. (Note 9) Fill pie with filling (use it all, pack it in a level surface or have slight mound).
16. Puff pastry lid: Partially thaw puff pastry (do not cut). Brush lip of pie crust base with egg, then top with puff pastry sheet. Trim excess with scissors, press to adhere to edges. Then press the tip of a fork around the edge to make little crimps (to further adhere + decorative).
17. Egg wash: Brush top with remaining whisked egg, then make a 2.5cm / 1" X incision in middle to allow steam to escape (stops lid doming).
18. Bake: Bake 45 – 50 minutes until top is super golden. Rest 5 minutes. Brag in comments below that you made this magnificent pie. Save Nagi a slice. Then serve remainder with ketchup or Aussie tomato sauce!

Notes

1. Chuck beef – Look for beef that’s nicely ribboned with fat, as it will be juicier and more tender. Don’t buy pre-cut small pieces, they will cook too quickly before the flavour in the sauce develops. It’s better to buy a big piece and cut your own to size.
Other beef cuts that can be used: 1.3kg / 2.6lb beef osso bucco (2.5cm / 1″ thick, cook whole on bone then flake big chunks of meat off at end, start checking at 1 hr as it cooks faster than chuck. Boneless beef ribs (but it’s fattier) or beef cheeks (though pieces will warp in shape). Brisket not recommended (too stringy / dry). Do not use steaks, roasts or other lean cuts.
2. Guinness – Key for rich flavour in sauce despite so few ingredients, so don’t skip it! Stout is also excellent.
Red wine (pinot, merlot, anything dry) – use 600ml / 2 1/2 cups and skip the water. Sauce colour will be more like Beef Bourguignon, slightly more elegant (French!) flavour. I love this version too.
Non alcoholic option – Beer brings great depth of flavour to the sauce. So if you need to skip it, we need to replace it with something that brings similar complexity of flavour. My best suggestion is anchovies. To do this, REDUCE salt sprinkled on beef to 1/4 tsp. Finely mince 3 anchovy fillets (removed from oil in jar or tin) or 1 1/2 tsp anchovy paste. Add that with the onion and cook per recipe. Replace beer in recipe with 1 cup of beef stock (MUST be low sodium) and 1/2 cup of water. I have not tried this. But I am confident it will yield very good results having done so for similar recipes. It is what I will do if I need to make a non alcoholic version of this recipe.
3. Beef stock – Store bought is good! For this recipe, store bought stock yields a result quite close to using homemade, probably because the Guiness adds so much flavour and the sauce is more concentrated than typical stews. Be sure to use low sodium, else it will be too salty.
4. Beurre Manié sauce thickener – This is a French cooking technique where flour is mixed with softened butter to make a Beurre Manié. This is mixed into liquids to thicken it and make it glossy.
I am not using this method to show off! 😂 It works better and is easier than the usual method of adding flour at the beginning of the stew because this sauce is thicker than typical stew sauces. So you’d need to stir constantly to ensure the base doesn’t catch, and in doing so the tender meat falls apart. It is far easier and safer to just stir the thickener in at the end.
5. Shortcrust pastry – homemade will yield the best flavour and texture, if you have a food processor, it’s a cinch!
Store bought – 1 standard Australian sheet of store bought frozen shortcrust pastry (20cm/8″ square). Use offcuts to patch up as needed (use egg to glue then press firmly).
Puff pastry option (so you can just buy one packet of pastry) – line base, pick with fork, cover with 2 big sheets of baking paper in a cross. Fill to top with baking beads, rice or dried beans. Bake 200C/390F for 20 minutes, remove beans and paper, bake 5 minutes unfilled. Proceed with recipe. (Note: pastry is thinner and not as sturdy as shortcrust. But it is still very tasty!)
6. Puff pastry – Use butter puff pastry, puffs better, better flavour. You only need 1 standard Australian sheet which s 20cm/8″ square. Partially thaw, do not let it thaw completely before using – harder to handle (floppy, sticky). Stick it back in freezer if that happens.
7. Sauce thickness – Adjust sauce as needed ie more water to loosen, or if meat is done before sauce reduced, remove meat with slotted spoon and reduce liquid.
In determining sauce thickness, remember that it will not thicken any more when cooked inside the pie. So make the sauce as thick as you want it to be in the finished dish. Ensure there is a bit more sauce than you expect in the finished pie as some will get absorbed by the pastry (but don’t worry, it’s not soggy, there’s plenty of crisp!)
8. Cooling filling – Essential to do this else the puff pastry melts and it won’t puff up. Do not cool uncovered otherwise too much liquid evaporates and sauce gets too thick. To speed up cooling, can spread on tray but work quickly to cover asap. Never put piping hot things into fridge, cool on counter first then place in fridge. Overnight is best because for all stews, flavour improves with time!
9. Room temp filling – Fridge cold filling is stiff and thick which makes it harder to pack into the pie shell. Plus (more importantly) the puff pastry won’t cook well if it starts off resting on a fridge cold filling. Needs to be room temp – around 17C/63F. See above why filling can’t be hot.
10. Storage – As with all things puff pastry, this is best served hot and fresh out of the oven! Can assemble with puff pastry lid up to 2 days in advance, but do egg wash on lid just before baking. Make sure the blind baked pie crust is cooled before filling, and that the filling is cool before putting it in. Store in fridge. Can also freeze assembled uncooked, thaw then bake per recipe. 
11. Nutrition per serving. I never said this was diet food! Go for a long walk tomorrow.

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Sarah Miller

Hi, I’m Sarah Millar!
I’m a food blogger who loves creating quick and easy recipes that bring big flavor without the fuss. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated — and I’m here to share simple, fast food ideas that anyone can make at home. When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll usually find me tasting new dishes, exploring cafés, or coming up with fresh food hacks to make everyday meals more fun.

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