We all love a good meat pie, and I have tried and tested many recipes over the years and with a few changes I have been making this perfect meat pie for years.

I always make the filling and shortcrust pastry the day before, if you are in a hurry that's ok but as with any meat in gravy it gets even better the next day.

Makes 6 pies
Recipe can be halved or doubled.
Cooked pies can be frozen in zip bags

Ingredients​

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Shortcrust Pastry


Homemade Or you can use 3 frozen shortcrust pastry sheets, thawed below is both options ( see bottom of recipe for frozen shortcrust pastry)


Shortcrust pastry base : Also a great base for Quiche

Ingredients​

• 2 cups plain flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 150g unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1cm cubes
• 5 tbsp ice cold water ( more if required)

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Pie Lid:​

• 3 frozen puff pastry sheets, just thawed ( homebrand is good)
• 1 egg , lightly whisked

Filling:​

• 1.25 kg beef chuck , 2.5cm cubes
• 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion , diced
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 5 tbsp plain flour
• 4 cups beef stock, low salt
• 1 cup (250 ml) red wine
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp black pepper , coarsely ground

Method

Homemade Shortcrust Pastry :

1. Place flour, salt and butter in a food processor


2. Blitz until resembles breadcrumbs

3. With motor running slowly pour in water and mix until dough comes together. If it isn't coming together add a little more water.

4. Remove from bowl and form into a ball. Wrap in gladwrap and place in refrigerator. Leave for at least 2 hours. I usually leave overnight then let it stand at room temperature for 30 min.

Preheat oven 200°C / 180°C fan-forced

5. Cut into 6 pieces and roll out to fit into a pie dish. I use the pie dish to cut.

6. Place a piece of baking paper over each pastry, then fill with baking beads or lots of rice or dried beans to weigh it down. ( I use rice)

7. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and carefully remove baking paper with rice.

Filling:​

• Sprinkle beef with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot over high heat. Add 1/3 of the beef and brown all over, then remove. Repeat with remaining beef, adding more oil if needed.
• Turn stove down to medium high. Add garlic and onion, cook 3 minutes.
• Add flour, stir through.
• Slowly add beef stock while stirring constantly. Once flour is dissolved, add wine, tomato paste, Worcestershire and pepper
• Return beef into pot, cover with lid, adjust heat so it’s simmering gently.
• Simmer for 3 hours. Remove lid, increase heat slightly and simmer 20 min stirring regularly, beef should pull apart with a fork tender –gravy thickens more as it cools
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• Remove from stove, cover and cool filling (I usually leave overnight).

Assemble pies:​

• Fill pies with cooled filling, push down to fill. Should be slightly mounded.
• Cut rounds from partially thawed puff pastry – cut them slightly larger than the edge of the cooked pastry bases.
• Brush edge of pie crusts with egg, then place lid on filling, pressing edges to seal puff pastry to the shortcrust pastry.
• Brush lids with egg, then cut a 1cm incision in the middle using a knife.
• Bake 30 minutes or until deep golden brown

Eat by themselves or serve with mash potato, peas and gravy

If you are using frozen shortcrust pastry follow below

Pastry:​

• Preheat oven to 180C/ 160°C fan-forced
• Cut out 6 rounds from the shortcrust pastry, then place pastry into pie tins – don’t stretch and pull pastry, causes shrinkage. Have it coming over sides and trim with a knife
• Place pie tins on tray. Top each pie with sheets of baking paper and fill with pie weights ( beads, dried beans or rice)
• Bake 20 minutes, remove, then use paper overhang to carefully remove pie weights and paper ,discard.

Note
You can substitute the chuck steak for beef mince. I will use 1.5kg of mince and reduce beef stock to 3 cups and wine to 1/2 cup.
Reduce cooking time to 1 hour , cool before using