Claire’s Braised Beef Pie

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150°C fan (160–170°C conventional)
2. Season beef well with salt & pepper. In a heavy, oven-safe pot, add a splash of olive oil and brown beef in batches until coloured. Remove and set aside, turn the heat to low.
3. In the same pan, add a splash of olive oil, add onion, garlic, carrot, celery & bay leaf, cook over low to medium heat until softened and lightly coloured. A good 20 minutes – take it easy.
4. Add the tomato paste and turn the heat up to medium, stir and cook for 2 minutes until slightly darkened. Add the browned beef.
5. Add vinegar and soy sauce, followed by the stock. Bring to a simmer and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Place in the oven, cook at 150 °C for 3 hours, check after 2.5 hours to make sure there is enough liquid in the pot and top up if needed.
6. Allow filling to cool before transferring to a pie tin ready to top with pastry. Or transfer to storage containers for chilling or freezing. This makes enough for 2 pies.
7. Assemble Pie: Pre-heat oven to 200°C fan-forced. Place cooled pie filling in a pie tin, top with pastry, and brush with beaten egg. Place in the oven and bake at 200°C fan-forced for 20 minutes, reduce the oven to 180°C and continue to bake for a further 20 minutes or until a deep golden colour.

Notes

Slow Cooker Variation

Prepare the recipe as per the method, browning the beef and softening the vegetables before transferring everything to a slow cooker, reduce stock to 450ml.

Cook on High for 8 hours, or until the beef is very tender and easily breaks apart with a spoon.

Tip: To help absorb excess moisture during cooking, place two sheets of kitchen towel over the top of the slow cooker, then secure the lid on top. 

Once cooked, remove the bay leaves. If the filling is still too liquid, set the slow cooker to its Reduce or Sauté function and simmer uncovered until thickened. Stir gently, breaking the beef into chunky pieces.

Allow the filling to cool completely before transferring to a pie dish, chilling or freezing. This recipe makes enough filling for 2 pies.

Claire’s note:

Cooling the filling is the only step everyone wants to skip and the only one you can’t. A warm filling goes into the pastry like a warm pillow – soft, soggy, miserable. Cold filling sets enough that the pastry has time to puff before it surrenders. I usually make the filling the day before, leave it in the fridge overnight, and assemble the pies in the morning. Better pies, less Sunday-afternoon fuss. Serve with any steamed veg, buttery peas and carrots or mashed potato and a heap of buttered cabbage, or steamed cavolo nero finished with garlic and lemon for something a little lighter. The leftovers are even better the next day, if there are any.