Beefsteak Minced Pie Recipes

BEEF STEAK PIE

Steps:

• Prepare pie crust by stirring together the flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a food processor, cut the shortening and butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water over the flour mixture and gently stir it in using a fork, then repeat with the remaining water, adding 2 tablespoons at a time, just until the dough starts to come together. Use your hands to press the dough into a ball, then flatten into a disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Season the meat with the salt and pepper. In a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the seasoned meat, working in batches if necessary, and searing until nicely browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add another tablespoon of oil if the skillet is looking dry, then add the onions and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add the carrots, celery and potato and cook for another 6 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to soften a bit and the onions look translucent. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook 2-3 minutes more.
• Add the chopped rosemary, thyme, and oregano and cook for another 30 seconds, then sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat everything evenly. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Stir in the beef broth until flour is completely dissolved, then add the seared beef back to the vegetables and gravy. Cover the skillet or dutch oven with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally. Allow the chilled pie crust dough to sit on the counter for 10 minutes before rolling it out to assemble the pie.
• Pour the beef stew filling into a deep pie dish until 3/4 full. Any remaining stew can be used to make individual size pies or eaten plain.
• Roll out the pie crust on a floured surface, then transfer it to cover the beef filling, making sure there is some overhand so the crust doesn't shrink entirely away from the side of the pie dish while baking.
• Decorate the pie with leaves cut from scraps of pie crust, if desired and brush the entire crust with the beaten egg. Cut slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.

MINCED BEEF PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the beef mince for 4-5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it browns.
• Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the tomato purée and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for a further minute, then add the chopped mushrooms, the stout or beef stock and a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan with a lid and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside and leave to cool, then turn the meat mixture into a one litre pie dish.
• Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface until it is slightly larger than the pie dish. Gently drape the pastry over the dish, pressing firmly onto the edges. Trim, then shape the edges into a fluted shape.
• Cut some leaf shapes out of the pastry trimmings and decorate the top of the pie, sticking them to the pastry with the beaten egg yolk.
• Make three or four slits in the pastry to allow the steam to escape, then brush the pie with the rest of the beaten egg yolk and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown.
• To serve, slice into wedges.

BEEFSTEAK MINCED PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• To make crust, combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add butter, and with a pastry cutter or two forks, cut butter into flour until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add ice water spoon by spoon, mixing between additions, only until the dough holds together. Remove from bowl, cut in half and cover one piece with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• On a lightly floured board, roll the other half into a circle large enough to fit a 9-inch deep-dish pan. Place the dough in pan, line with foil and weigh down with beans to keep crust from puffing up. Bake until light golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, remove beans and set aside. Keep oven on.
• To make filling, brown shallots and garlic in butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add raisins, apples, lemon and orange zest, and cook 3 minutes. Add cinnamon, mace, cloves and sherry. Bring to boil. Add sugar, stir well, cook 5 minutes and set aside.
• Remove the refrigerated pie dough and allow it to soften. Dredge beef in the flour, then set it aside on wax paper. Reserve any remaining flour to thicken gravy, if necessary.
• Melt the lard in a large skillet. When hot, brown the beef. Add the onions and cook over medium heat until they are slightly golden. Add the thyme, broth and the reserved fruit mixture and simmer for 7 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken. Add two tablespoons flour if the gravy is too thin. Remove from heat.
• Spoon mixture into baked pie shell. Roll out remaining dough and cut into strips 9 by 1 1/2 inches. Cover pie in a lattice pattern. Bake 35 minutes, or until top is golden.

MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Place 375g plain flour and 260g softened unsalted butter in a bowl and rub together to a crumb consistency.
• Add 125g caster sugar and 1 large beaten egg, and mix together.
• Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and fold until the pastry comes together, be careful not to over mix.
• Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 10 mins.
• Scoop the large jar of mincemeat into a bowl and add 2 segmented satsumas, 1 finely chopped apple and zest of 1 lemon.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
• Roll out the pastry to 3mm thick.
• Using a round cutter (about 10cm), cut out 16 bases and place them into muffin trays. Put 1½ tbsp mincemeat mixture into each. Brush the edge of each pie with a little beaten egg.
• Re-roll out the pastry to cut 7cm lids and press them on top to seal. Glaze with the beaten egg, sprinkle with the extra caster sugar, then make a small cut in the tops.
• Bake the mince pies for 15-20 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool before releasing them from the muffin trays and dusting with a little more icing sugar before serving.