My love has been asking me to make meat pies for years. Last year, I finally accepted the challenge and made my first meat pie. It was a big, family sized Steak Pie. Filled with steak and a to die for gravy. It tasted wonderful and was everything that we remembered from our prior lives in Australia. But it looked ugly. I tried a few times, much to his delight, but each time I would break the top crust as I was putting it on. There was no way I was going to show it to the world! The truth is I am not a good pastry cook. I know, I know – I have to keep on practicing but instead I run and hide my head when the word pastry is mentioned. Or more precisely, or I go and buy a ready made pastry or pre-made pastry dough. (Thank you Pillsbury for coming out with a gluten free pie dough!)
But I decided to try again. This time around I decided to make individual pies. It was no less work, but at least they look pretty! Meat pies are really a labor of love for me. I know how much my husband loves a meat pie, so I have started to make the occasional meat pie. Plus we have to give a little Australian culture to the kids. Getting my hands on a Meat Pie in America is hard but getting my hands on a gluten free one in America is impossible. That means I have to make them!
This recipe really consists of three separate recipes. One is for the pie filling, the second is for a short crust pastry for the bottom of the pie and the third is for a rough puff pastry for the top of the pie. This is not a quick meal – in fact it takes 2 days to make. On the first day you make the pie filling. The process takes about 3 hours. The filling is then cooled in the refrigerator overnight. The pastry can be made on the same day, and kept in the refrigerator or you can make it on the cooking day.
Let me tell you, if you can buy your own puff pastry – do it! Seriously. Unless you are an expert in pastry making, it’s going to make your life easier. Unfortunately for the gluten free community in America, puff pastry cannot be bought at the shops. Yet. I’m in awe of the amount of gluten free foods I can buy now, which were not available 10 years ago, so I hold out hope. In the meantime, you can make a rough puff pastry. It’s not as flaky, but, as the name suggests, it’s a rough imitation of puff pastry.
There is also no reason why not to buy a ready made pie crust too. Just be careful buying one in the USA, as some have sugar. They are made for sweet pies, rather than savory so therefore taste a little strange.
In Australia, nearly every bakery is going to sell meat pies. They come in all sorts of varieties. The most iconic meat pie has a ground beef filling. But you will also find steak pies, like this one. Then there will be steak and kidney pies, steak and bacon pies, beef and mushroom and a whole lot of other varieties.
Another addition which is very popular is mushy peas! My love was thrilled when I found a can of mushy peas at our local British shop. To add these, you simply cut off the top of the hot pie and spoon them in right before serving. My husband loved it – I prefer the pie plain.
The recipe I have provided can be used for both regular wheat flour or can be altered for gluten free. The photographed pies have been made using gluten free flours.
- 1 1/2 lb chuck steak (or any steak suitable for stew)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour or brown rice flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 shortcrust pastry recipe or packaged pie crust
- 1 rough puff pastry recipe or packaged puff pastry
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Cut the beef into chunks, if not already cut by butcher.
- Place flour, salt and pepper into a plastic bag and shake to combine. Add the beef and shake to coat the beef with the flour.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan. Brown the meat in batches, about 5 minutes for each batch. If the meat is sticking, add some more oil. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the frying pan. Add the onion and cook over low heat until soft and golden.
- Return the meat to the frying pan, add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is very tender. Stir the meat every 30 minutes to prevent it from sticking to the base of the frying pan.
- Remove the meat and gravy from the pan and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 425° F. Grease 4-5, 5" pie pans.
- Use the shortcrust pastry to line the bottom and sides of the pie pans. If time allows, cover each pie pan with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator for another 20-30 minutes. This will help reduce shrinkage during cooking.
- Fill each pie with the cold filling.
- Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl. Brush the rim of the shortcrust pastry. Set aside.
- Place the rough puff pastry over the top of each pie. Press the edges together gently, then trim away any extra pastry. Pinch the edges of the pies for decoration.
- Cut two holes in the top to allow steam to escape during cooking. Use the egg and milk mixture again, and brush the top of each pie.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° F and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the tops of the pies are golden brown.
- 8 oz all-purpose flour or gluten free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 8 oz cold butter
- 3-4 tablespoons cold water
- Place the flour and salt into a large bowl. Cut the butter into rough cubes and add to the flour. Using your hands, roughly rub the butter into the flour. You need to see chunks of butter still.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add 2-3 tablespoons of cold water. Using a knife, mix together until it starts to bind. Depending on your flour, you may need to add more water. The dough should hold together without crumbling or feeling wet and sticky.
- Form the pastry into a flat disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rectangle.
- Roll the dough in one direction only until it is about 8 x 20 inches. Keep the edges straight and even. You should be able to see streaks of butter in the dough.
- Fold the dough into thirds, by folding the top third to the center of the dough and then the bottom third of the dough to the center.
- Turn the dough by a quarter turn. Roll the dough again until it is about 8 x 20 inches again.
- Fold the dough again, then cover with plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/8th inch thick.
- 8 oz all-purpose flour or gluten free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 8 oz cold butter
- 3-4 tablespoons cold water
- Place the flour and salt into a food processor.
- Cut the butter into cubes and add to the flour. Process the mixture in short bursts, until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add 2-3 tablespoons of cold water. Using a knife, mix together until it starts to bind. Depending on your flour, you may need to add more water. The dough should hold together without crumbling or feeling wet and sticky.
- Form the pastry into a flat disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/8th inch thick.
I was just in Australia and ate meat pies almost every day. Did you ever eat at Pie Face? A good fast food option instead of McDonalds. I was also pleasantly surprised at the mushy peas inside the steak and pea pie I got there. I’m going to try this recipe and see if I can recreate those delicious Aussie pie memories.
I haven’t eaten at Pie Face. We’re going for a vacation in August, so I’ll have to have a look for one! I notice there are a couple in Brisbane CBD. As kids, we used to just get them in the local bakeries. Those and sausage rolls. I like meat pies, but I LOVE sausage rolls!