Description
A rich and hearty beef and mushroom pie featuring tender chunks of chuck beef, earthy porcini mushrooms, and a savory dark ale-infused gravy, all topped with flaky golden puff pastry. This slow-cooked comfort dish is perfect for a satisfying main course.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Soaking Ingredients
- 20 g dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 1/4 cups boiled water
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 kg chuck beef, cut into 2.5cm cubes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 3 carrots, halved lengthwise then cut into 1.5cm chunks
- 200 g bacon, diced
- 300 g Swiss brown mushrooms, larger ones halved
Liquids and Seasoning
- 1 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup flour (any)
- 300 ml dark ale (or substitute with red wine, Guinness, or more beef stock)
- 2 cups beef stock
- 3 sprigs thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 2 bay leaves
Pastry and Finishing
- 1 - 2 sheets puff pastry
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions
- Soak Porcini Mushrooms: Place dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl and add hot boiled water. Leave to soak for at least 30 minutes. Strain mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid, and roughly chop the porcini mushrooms.
- Prepare Beef: Sprinkle beef cubes with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large heavy-based pot over high heat. Add half the beef and brown all over, then remove. Repeat with the remaining beef. Set browned beef aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add more oil if the pot is dry. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until softened. Stir in finely chopped carrots and celery, cooking for 6 minutes until softened and sweet. Add carrot chunks and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add Flour and Liquids: Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir well to combine. Gradually add dark ale and beef stock, stirring to dissolve the flour and create a smooth sauce.
- Add Herbs and Mushrooms: Add thyme, bay leaves, rehydrated porcini mushrooms, reserved porcini soaking liquid (avoiding grit), and the browned beef pieces. Increase heat slightly and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Simmer Stew: Cook covered for 1 hour and 45 minutes until the beef is tender.
- Cook Bacon and Mushrooms: While stew simmers, cook diced bacon in a skillet over high heat until golden. Remove bacon and reserve drippings. Add Swiss brown mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes until golden. Return bacon to the pan and toss to coat mushrooms, then stir mixture into the stew.
- Final Simmer: Simmer the combined stew uncovered for 15 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pie: Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Pour the stew into a suitable pie dish (approximately 24 x 20 x 4.5 cm). Even out the surface of the filling.
- Top with Puff Pastry: Cover the stew with puff pastry, trimming or folding edges as necessary. Brush the pastry with egg yolk and cut a few slits on the surface for steam to escape.
- Bake the Pie: Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 35 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and the filling is piping hot in the center.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the pie from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Dried porcini mushrooms add umami depth to the gravy but can be substituted with other dried mushrooms if unavailable.
- Use slow-cooking cuts of beef like chuck or gravy beef for tender results. Avoid lean cuts like bolar blade roast as they may dry out.
- Slow cooker alternative: Use 2 crumbled beef stock cubes instead of broth. Follow recipe to step 7, then transfer to slow cooker and cook 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high. Add bacon and mushrooms last 45 minutes. Thicken sauce by simmering uncovered if needed.
- Pressure cooker alternative: Pressure cook stew on high for 25 minutes following slow cooker instructions.
- Pie dish should hold filling near the rim to support pastry. A 24x20x4.5 cm dish or 20 cm square pan works well. Individual ramekins are suitable for smaller portions.
- Preparation ahead: Make filling the day before and cool overnight. Store filling and pastry separately in fridge for up to 2 days. Freeze filling and filled but unbaked pie if needed. Always thaw puff pastry before baking and brush with egg yolk just before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
