Equipment
Ingredients
Steak and Stout Filling
- 800 g beef chuck steak, diced into 3cm cubes
- 30 g plain flour
- 30 ml olive oil
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 2 brown onion, diced
- 2 carrot, diced
- 2 celery, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 30 g tomato paste
- 440 ml stout beer
- 250 ml beef stock
- 5 g fresh thyme, tied in a bundle
- 2 bay leaf, dried
Shortcrust Pastry
- 300 g plain flour
- 150 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 2 g salt
- 60 ml ice water
Egg Wash
- 1 egg, beaten
- 15 ml milk
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Toss the diced beef chuck in a mixing bowl with the plain flour, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding, turning until heavily browned on all sides, then transfer to a clean bowl.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the unsalted butter, diced onion, carrots, and celery to the Dutch oven. Sauté until softened and beginning to caramelize.
Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking continuously until the paste darkens slightly.
Pour in the stout beer, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release the flavorful browned bits.
Return the seared beef and its resting juices to the pot along with the beef stock, thyme bundle, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and braise on low heat until the meat is exceedingly tender.
Remove the filling from the heat. Discard the bay leaves and thyme stems. Allow the filling to cool completely to room temperature.
While the filling cools, prepare the pastry. In a clean mixing bowl, combine the 300g plain flour and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Gradually add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. Knead very lightly to form a smooth disc.
Wrap the pastry disc tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator to allow the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit).
Transfer the fully cooled beef filling into a 22cm pie dish. Roll out the chilled pastry with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 5mm thickness. Place the pastry over the pie dish, trimming excess and crimping the edges to seal. Cut a small cross in the center to allow steam to escape.
Whisk the egg and milk together in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to apply the egg wash evenly over the entire surface of the pastry crust.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp.
Remove the pie from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the gravy to settle and makes serving easier.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure the filling is completely cool, ideally chilled overnight, before assembling the pie. This prevents the butter in the pastry from melting prematurely, which causes a soggy bottom and a dense crust.
- Choosing the right cut of beef is crucial; chuck or braising steak contains connective tissue that breaks down during slow cooking, resulting in melt-in-the-mouth texture and a richer gravy.
- The bitterness of the stout mellows out during the long braise, leaving a deep, caramelized malt flavor. Do not rush the reduction step, as it forms the backbone of the pie's taste.
- For an extra glossy finish on your crust, apply a double egg wash: brush once, chill for 10 minutes, and brush again just before baking.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store covered. Pastry will soften over time.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze baked or unbaked. If freezing unbaked, do not egg wash until ready to bake.
Reheating: Reheat baked pie in a 180C/350F oven for 20-25 minutes until piping hot and pastry is crisp.
