Description
Hearty Beer Braised Beef Pie brings rustic comfort straight from the kitchen, packed with tender meat and rich gravy that wraps your senses in pure satisfaction. Flaky pastry cradles savory beef slow-cooked in robust beer, delivering a classic meal that feels like a warm embrace from your favorite home cook.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 pounds beef chuck
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 large onion
- 2 carrots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 1 ½ cups dark beer
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Pie Crust:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup ice water
Finishing:
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Mix 2 ½ cups flour with 1 teaspoon salt in a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Incorporate 1 cup cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter until the texture resembles coarse, irregular crumbs.
- Gradually add ½ cup ice water, gently blending until the dough coheres without overworking the mixture.
- Separate the dough into two equal discs, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for 60 minutes to ensure optimal pastry texture.
- Pat 2 pounds beef chuck pieces dry with paper towels, then generously season with 1 ½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven at medium-high temperature, creating a hot surface for searing.
- Brown beef chunks in batches, creating a deep caramelized exterior, then transfer to a separate plate.
- Sauté 1 diced onion and 2 diced carrots in the same pot for 6-8 minutes until they soften and release their aromatic qualities.
- Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons tomato paste, stirring for precisely 1 minute to bloom the flavors.
- Dust 2 tablespoons flour over the vegetables, coating them evenly to create a thickening base.
- Pour 1 ½ cups dark beer into the pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the flavorful browned bits.
- Incorporate 1 cup beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, and 1 bay leaf with the reserved beef.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 2-2.5 hours at 325°F (163°C) until the beef becomes fork-tender.
- Remove the lid and allow the sauce to reduce and thicken if needed. Let the filling cool completely.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the center position.
- Roll out the first pastry disc and carefully line a 9-inch pie dish, trimming excess dough.
- Spoon the completely cooled beef filling into the prepared crust, distributing evenly.
- Roll the second dough disc and drape it over the filling. Trim the edges and create a decorative crimp.
- Cut 3-4 steam vents in the top crust and brush thoroughly with 1 beaten egg.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes until the crust transforms to a rich, golden-brown color and the filling bubbles.
- Allow the pie to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing, helping the filling set and making clean cuts easier.
Notes
- Make sure your butter is ice-cold when making the pastry to ensure a flaky, tender crust that doesn’t become tough.
- Pat the beef completely dry before browning to help develop a deep, rich caramelized exterior that adds incredible flavor to the pie.
- Let the beef braise slowly and gently, allowing the meat to become fork-tender and absorb all the delicious beer and herb flavors.
- Allow the pie to rest after baking, which helps the filling set and makes cutting and serving much easier without falling apart.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 to 2.5 hours + 35 to 45 minutes baking
- Category: Beef
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 484 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg