Description
A hearty and savory chunky beef and mushroom pie featuring tender slow-cooked chuck beef, rich porcini mushrooms, and a golden puff pastry crust. Perfect for a comforting main course meal that brings deep umami flavors and satisfying textures.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Soaking and Beef
- 20 g dried porcini mushrooms (slices, whole or chopped)
- 1 1/4 cups boiled water
- 1 kg chuck beef, cut into 2.5cm cubes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 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
Thickening and Liquids
- 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, fresh or dried
Mushrooms and Bacon
- 200 g bacon, diced
- 300-400 g Swiss brown mushrooms, larger ones halved
Pastry and Finish
- 1-2 sheets puff pastry (enough to cover pie)
- 1 egg yolk for glazing
Instructions
- Soak Porcini Mushrooms: Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour over the boiled water. Leave to soak for at least 30 minutes, then strain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Roughly chop the soaked porcini mushrooms.
- Prepare Beef: Sprinkle the chuck beef cubes with salt and pepper to season evenly.
- Brown the Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Add half the beef and brown all over until nicely seared, then remove and repeat with the remaining beef. Set all browned beef aside.
- Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: Reduce heat to medium-low. If the pot looks dry, add a little more oil. Add the finely chopped onion and minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Then add finely chopped carrots and celery and cook for about 6 minutes or until softened and sweet. Add the carrot chunks and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add Flour and Liquids: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir through to cook out the raw flavor. Gradually add the dark ale and beef stock while stirring to dissolve the flour and create a smooth sauce.
- Add Herbs and Combine: Add the thyme sprigs (or dried thyme), bay leaves, chopped porcini mushrooms, reserved porcini soaking liquid (avoiding any gritty sediment), and the browned beef back into the pot. Increase heat slightly, stir well, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Slow Cook the Stew: Cook the beef stew gently for 1 hour 45 minutes or until the beef is tender and the flavors have melded.
- Cook Bacon and Mushrooms: Meanwhile, heat a skillet over high heat. Cook the diced bacon until golden and crispy. Remove bacon from the pan, leaving drippings. Add the Swiss brown mushrooms to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until golden. Return the bacon to the pan and toss with the mushrooms, then stir this mixture through the stew.
- Simmer to Finish: Simmer the combined stew uncovered for 15 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat and allow the filling to cool slightly.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F).
- Assemble the Pie: Pour the cooled stew into a suitable pie dish (approx. 24 x 20 x 4.5 cm), spreading it evenly. Top with puff pastry sheets, folding edges as necessary to fit. Brush the pastry top with egg yolk and cut a few slits to allow steam to escape.
- Bake the Pie: Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes until the puff pastry is deep golden and the filling is piping hot.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the pie from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set slightly.
Notes
- Dried porcini mushrooms add a rich umami flavor to the gravy but the recipe works well using other dried mushrooms or even omitting them.
- Use slow-cooking cuts of beef like chuck, gravy beef, or brisket for tender results. Avoid lean cuts such as bolar blade roast to prevent dryness.
- For a slow cooker method, skip beef stock and use 2 crumbled beef stock cubes. After step 7, transfer to slow cooker and cook 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high, then add bacon and mushrooms and cook another 45 minutes. Thicken sauce on stovetop if needed.
- Pressure cooker method: After step 7, pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Then add bacon and mushrooms, cook as above.
- Use a pie dish where the filling is near the top edge to allow the puff pastry to sit nicely. A dish roughly 24 x 20 x 4.5 cm (1.5 liters) or about 8 to 9.5 inches square and 1.8 inches deep works well. Individual ramekins are great for leftovers.
- The filling tastes better the next day. Make the filling a day ahead and refrigerate overnight, then top with puff pastry and bake. The filling freezes well, and so does assembled pie with raw puff pastry (always thaw before baking).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
