Description
This Epic Chunky Beef and Mushroom Pie features tender slow-cooked chuck beef enriched with earthy dried porcini and Swiss brown mushrooms, all enveloped in a crispy puff pastry. Perfect for a hearty main course, this recipe balances savory ale-infused gravy with fresh vegetables for a comforting and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Mushroom Soak
- 20 g dried porcini mushrooms (slices, whole or chopped)
- 1 1/4 cups boiled water
Beef Stew
- 1 kg chuck beef, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- 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 1.5 cm chunks
- 1/3 cup flour (any)
- 300 ml dark ale (or 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
Bacon and Mushrooms
- 200 g bacon, diced
- 300 - 400 g Swiss brown mushrooms, larger ones halved
Pastry Topping
- 1 - 2 sheets puff pastry (enough to cover pie)
- 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 the mushrooms and reserve the soaking liquid, chopping the porcini roughly.
- Prepare Beef: Sprinkle beef cubes with salt and pepper.
- Brown the Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Add half the beef and brown all over, then remove. Repeat with remaining beef. Set browned beef aside.
- Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add more oil if the pot looks dry. Add onion and minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add finely chopped carrot and celery and cook for 6 minutes until softened and sweet. Add the carrot chunks and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add Flour and Liquids: Stir in the flour to coat the vegetables. Gradually add dark ale and beef stock, stirring to dissolve the flour completely.
- Add Herbs and Mushrooms: Add thyme, bay leaves, chopped porcini mushrooms, reserved porcini soaking liquid (being careful to avoid sediment), and the browned beef. Increase heat slightly, stir to combine, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and adjust heat to maintain a slow simmer.
- Simmer Beef Stew: Cook covered for 1 hour and 45 minutes until beef is tender.
- Cook Bacon and Mushrooms: While stew simmers, heat a skillet over high heat. Cook diced bacon until golden and crispy, then remove and reserve the bacon drippings in the pan. Add Swiss brown mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes until golden. Return bacon to the skillet and toss with mushrooms. Stir mixture into the stew.
- Simmer to Tenderize Mushrooms: Simmer the stew uncovered for 15 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Prepare Oven and Pie: Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Pour the stew into a pie dish (about 24 x 20 x 4.5 cm or 1.5 L capacity) and even out the surface.
- Top with Puff Pastry: Cover the filling with puff pastry sheets, folding the edges if needed to fit. Brush the pastry with egg yolk and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
- Bake the Pie: Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and the filling is bubbling hot inside (check with a knife).
- Rest and Serve: Remove from oven and let the pie rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set.
Notes
- Dried porcini mushrooms add savory umami depth but can be substituted with other dried mushrooms if unavailable.
- Use slow-cooking cuts of beef like chuck, gravy beef, or brisket for tender, succulent results. Avoid lean cuts like bolar blade roast as they dry out.
- Slow Cooker Option: Skip beef stock, use 2 beef stock cubes instead. After step 7, transfer stew to slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Add bacon and mushrooms, cook another 45 minutes. Thicken sauce on stovetop if needed.
- Pressure Cooker Option: Follow slow cooker prep but pressure cook on high for 25 minutes.
- Pie Dish Size: Ideal dish holds filling up to or slightly above rim for pastry to sit nicely. A 24 x 20 x 4.5 cm or 1.5 L dish works well, as do 20 cm square or 23 cm deep pie dishes.
- Storage: Filling tastes better next day. Make filling ahead and refrigerate or freeze. Assemble with puff pastry just before baking. Thaw frozen pastry fully before use. Brushing with egg yolk before baking improves browning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
