Beef Pie with Crust (Printable)
Tender beef and vegetables in rich gravy, encased in a golden, flaky crust for a comforting meal.
# What You Need:
→ Filling
01 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
03 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 cup beef stock
09 - 1 cup red wine
10 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
11 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
12 - 1 tsp dried thyme
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Crust
15 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
16 - 1 tsp salt
17 - 1 cup cold unsalted butter, diced
18 - 6-8 tbsp ice water
19 - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
# Directions:
01 - Set the oven to 375°F.
02 - Toss beef cubes with flour, salt, and pepper to coat evenly.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches and set aside.
04 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
05 - Return beef to the pot. Stir in tomato paste, then pour in red wine and beef stock. Add Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, and bay leaf.
06 - Bring mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 1.5 hours until beef is tender and sauce has thickened. Remove bay leaf and allow filling to cool slightly.
07 - In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Rub in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water until dough forms. Divide into two discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
08 - Roll one dough disc on a floured surface to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Place dough in dish and trim excess.
09 - Spoon cooled beef filling evenly into the crust.
10 - Roll out second dough disc and place over filling. Seal and crimp edges, then cut slits on top to vent steam.
11 - Brush the top crust with beaten egg.
12 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
13 - Allow the pie to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The filling gets so tender and rich you'll forget you're eating meat in a pie.
- Making your own crust sounds scary but it's actually just butter, flour, and patience.
- It feeds a crowd and tastes even better the next day if there's any left.
02 -
- The filling must cool before you add it to the crust or the heat will make the pastry soggy and your bottom crust will never crisp up.
- Don't skip chilling the dough discs or they'll shrink when they bake and stick to the sides of your pie dish.
- If your crust is browning too fast while baking, cover it loosely with foil so the filling has time to heat through.
03 -
- Brown your beef in batches even if it takes longer, because crowding the pan makes it steam instead of sear and you lose all that deep flavor.
- The secret to a glossy, rich sauce is letting that filling braise low and slow for the full hour and a half without rushing it.