Homemade Beef Pie signifies the end of summer and the beginning of autumn and colder weather. It may be cold and wet outside but with this pie being in the oven I don’t care. I make the filling recipe the day before and pop it into the fridge overnight. The flavours always seem more intense doing it this way. With about 45 minutes before dinner, just roll the pastry, egg wash and pop in the oven. It is that simple.

Serve Homemade Beef Pie as a main dish either on its own or with complimentary food such as mashed potatoes. This beef pie is also lovely cold so any leftover don’t last for long.

Homemade Beef Pie

When you need a recipe that is full of flavour, has an aroma that is enticing and looks amazing, then Homemade Beef Pie is on the list.

4.90 from 124 votes

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: British

Keyword: Alcohol, Beef, Eggs, Herbs, Pastry, Stock, Vegetables

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 3

Total Time: 3 25

Servings: Portions

Calories: 567kcal

Ingredients

Pastry

1 block shortcrust pastry premade
1 large egg free range, beaten

The Filling

1 1/4 kg beef See Note
½ tsp salt for the beef
½ tsp ground black pepper for the beef
1 large onion peel/dice
4 cloves garlic peel/mince
5 tbsp all purpose flour
750 ml red wine See Note
315 ml beef stock
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tomato paste puree
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 leaves bay fresh
2 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

Dice the beef into 1 inch cubes and season all over with the salt and pepper. Divide the beef into 3 or 4 portions.
1 1/4 kg beef, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper
Add 1 tbsp of the olive oil to a large heavy pan and place it over a high heat. Add one portion of the beef and brown all over the seal in the flavours. Once browned, transfer to a plate and repeat until all of the beef is browned. Add more oil is required.
2 tbsp olive oil
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes stirring constantly to avoid it catching.
1 large onion, 4 cloves garlic
Add the flour and stir to coat everything quickly.
5 tbsp all purpose flour
Add the beef stock and stir until all of the flour has dissolved. Add the red wine, tomato paste/puree, Worcestershire sauce, ground pepper and bay leaves and stir to fully combine.
750 ml red wine, 315 ml beef stock, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp ground black pepper, 2 leaves bay
Return the browned beef to the pan and stir. Put the lid on and reduce the heat so it simmers lightly.
Leave to simmer away for about 1 ¾ hours, stirring occasionally.
Turn the heat up a little to a more aggressive simmer for a further 30 minutes remembering to stir often. Simmer until the liquid has reduced in volume and resembles a gravy. The beef should fall apart using a fork. See Note
Remove from the heat and pop the lid back on and allow to cool even over night.
When ready to cook the pie, add the cold filling to the pyrex ( or similar) dish forming a slight dome.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
Roll the shortcrust pastry out into 5 – 7 mm thickness and place over the dish and the filling. Lightly push the pastry down to remove any air pockets. Using a sharp knife, trim the excess pastry off the dish.
1 block shortcrust pastry, 1 large egg
Using a pastry brush, egg wash the top of the pastry and place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

Note: When reducing the liquid don’t let it get too thick as it will continue to thicken as its cooked in the pie and also when cool. You are aiming for a lovely gravy mixture.

Note: When using wine in cooking, always use good quality. For this recipe it would be best to use a full-bodied wine like a Merlot, Burgundy or Malbec. Avoid fruity wine like a Pinot Noir as they detract from the flavour instead of adding to it.

Note: Use a beef with a bit of marbling. This extra fat adds amazing flavour and colour to this dish. Beef such a chuck are ideal.