If you’ve never had the pleasure of tucking into a proper Cornish meat pasty, you’ve missed out on one of the heartiest, most comforting food traditions to come out of Britain. As a home cook, I’ve made many versions of the pasty—some modern, some experimental—but nothing quite compares to the classic: the True Cornish Pasty. It’s rustic, honest, and entirely satisfying in that way only traditional, no-nonsense food can be.
A Cornish meat pasty have a long, proud history. Born from the tin mines and windswept hills of Cornwall, these golden-crusted parcels were originally a miner’s lunch—durable, portable, and nourishing. What set them apart was their practicality: the crimped edge wasn’t just decorative. Miners with dirty, sometimes arsenic-stained hands would hold the crust like a handle and toss it away after eating the rest. That way, they avoided ingesting anything hazardous. Pasties were filling and resilient, able to stay warm for hours or even be reheated on a shovel over a candle flame deep underground.
The traditional Cornish pasty is now protected by law. Under its PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status, only pasties made in Cornwall to a specific recipe and technique can call themselves “Cornish.” This brings us to the ingredients—simple, humble, but perfectly balanced.
At the heart of the meat pasty is obviously beef—specifically, diced or minced skirt steak. It’s not a posh cut, but that’s precisely the point. Skirt has enough fat and marbling to stay juicy during a long bake, and when diced finely, it becomes meltingly tender. It’s the kind of beef that earns its keep in a pasty, adding deep, meaty flavour that infuses the vegetables around it.
Next comes the potato—traditionally, a floury variety like Maris Piper or King Edward. Cut into small cubes (not mashed or grated), the potato gives the pasty body and soaks up all those lovely juices from the beef. It’s a staple in the Cornish pasty, and rightly so. Alongside the potato is swede, known in some places as rutabaga or turnip, depending on where you’re from. Swede brings a gentle sweetness and a buttery, earthy texture that contrasts beautifully with the meat.
Then we have onion—strong, chopped raw and layered in with the other ingredients. It cooks down in the pasty’s own steam, lending sharpness and a little moisture. Combined with a bit of salt and pepper, the filling needs nothing more. No gravy. No additions. The flavours work together as they bake, resulting in a natural savoury richness.
The pastry is just as crucial. A meat pasty is made with shortcrust pastry—not puff, and not flaky. The crust needs to be strong enough to hold the filling, yet tender enough to bite through without a fight. It should be crimped on the side, not over the top, and always golden, never pale.
I remember the first time I made meat pasties at home. I stood there crimping away, not quite nailing the perfect twist but giving it my all. The kitchen filled with the smell of beef and onion and baked pastry, and when they came out of the oven—slightly misshapen but beautiful nonetheless—I knew I’d made something special and all of the family loved them.
Whether you’re in Cornwall or in your own kitchen halfway across the world, a Cornish meat pasty is a reminder of how good simple food can be when done right. It’s a meal wrapped in its own story—and trust me, every bite is worth it.
Meat Pasty
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 500 g plain flour
- 120 g unsalted butter cubed
- 120 g lard cold cubed
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp cold water
For the Filling:
- 300 g beef steak skirt finely diced
- 250 g potatoes Maris Piper, peeled and diced small
- 200 g swede peeled and diced small
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 knob unsalted butter for extra richness
For Assembly:
- 1 large egg free range beaten
Instructions
Make the pastry:
- In a large bowl, rub the flour, butter, lard, and salt together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.500 g plain flour, 120 g unsalted butter, 120 g lard, 1 tsp salt
- Gradually add cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until it comes together into a firm dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.6 tbsp cold water
Prepare the filling:
- In a bowl, mix together the beef, potato, swede, and onion. Season well with salt and pepper. (Optional: add a small dot of butter per pasty for extra flavour.)300 g beef steak, 250 g potatoes, 200 g swede, 1 medium onion, salt, freshly ground black pepper, 1 knob unsalted butter
Assemble the pasties:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan) / 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
- Divide the pastry into 4 equal pieces. Roll each into a round about 20cm across.
- Place a generous amount of filling on one half of each circle, leaving a border. Dampen the edges with a little water, fold the pastry over, and crimp tightly along the edge to seal.
Glaze and bake:
- Place the pasties on a lined baking tray. Brush with beaten egg.1 large egg
- Bake for 50–60 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
14 comments
5*
Surprisingly so easy to make. Looked a mess but the flavours were there.
This was my first time making Cornish pasties from scratch, and they turned out beautifully.
Mine weren’t the prettiest, but the taste was spot on. I’ll definitely be making these again.
A bit fiddly to crimp at first, but they baked beautifully and the crust was sturdy without being tough.
Took me right back to my holidays in Cornwall.
I followed the recipe to the letter and couldn’t believe how easy it was. The pastry held up really well, and the filling was moist without being soggy.
The smell in the kitchen while they baked was mouthwatering. Proper comfort food.
The combination of beef, potato and onion is so simple but so satisfying. I added a knob of butter as suggested and it really made the filling extra juicy.
As a born-and-bred Cornishman, I was sceptical—but these were bang on. Authentic and full of flavour. Even got the side crimp right.
Made these for a family picnic and they disappeared in minutes.
Tasted just like the ones my gran used to make. Flaky crust, perfect seasoning, and the beef was tender and rich.
No one believed I made them at home!
Loved how rustic and filling they were. The swede adds such a lovely sweetness, and the beef cooked perfectly inside the pastry.