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Australian Beef Pie Recipe with Puff Pastry and Rich Gravy Recipe

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4.2 from 79 reviews

The classic Australian meat pie made at home featuring a buttery shortcrust pastry base filled with slow-cooked, fall-apart tender beef smothered in a rich red wine gravy, topped with golden puff pastry. This iconic savory pie is perfect as a main meal and delivers deep flavors with tender meat and flaky crust.

  • Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes (plus 4 hours cooling time for filling)
  • Yield: 6 pies

Ingredients

Pie Base (Choose ONE):

  • 1 1/2 batches homemade shortcrust pastry
  • 3 frozen shortcrust pastry sheets, thawed (300g / 10oz)
  • 2 refrigerated pie crusts (US/Can)

Pie Lid:

  • 3 frozen puff pastry sheets, just thawed (300g / 10oz)
  • 1 egg, lightly whisked

Filling:

  • 1.25 kg / 2.5lb beef chuck, cut into 2.5cm / 1" cubes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 5 tbsp plain / all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups (315 ml) low sodium beef stock
  • 3 cups (750 ml) dry, full-bodied red wine (e.g., Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Filling: Sprinkle the beef cubes evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over high heat. Add one-third of the beef cubes and brown them aggressively on all sides until well caramelized, then remove from the pot. Repeat this process with the remaining beef, adding more oil if needed.
  2. Sauté Onions and Garlic: Reduce heat to medium-high. Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the pot and cook for approximately 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
  3. Add Flour: Sprinkle the 5 tablespoons of flour over the onion and garlic, stirring to coat and cook out the raw flour taste.
  4. Add Liquids and Seasonings: Gradually pour in the beef stock while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Once the flour is dissolved, add the red wine, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, coarsely ground black pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine well.
  5. Simmer the Beef: Return the browned beef cubes into the pot, cover with a lid, and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 1 hour and 45 minutes to tenderize the meat.
  6. Reduce the Sauce: Remove the lid and increase heat slightly. Continue to simmer uncovered for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, stirring regularly until the beef is fork-tender and the liquid has thickened into a rich gravy that just covers the meat. Avoid reducing too much as it will thicken further when cooled and baked.
  7. Cool the Filling: Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and allow the filling to cool completely. Ideally leave it to cool overnight.
  8. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pie Bases: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Cut six rounds from your chosen shortcrust pastry option and gently drape each into pie tins. Avoid stretching the pastry to prevent shrinkage.
  9. Blind Bake the Bases: Place the lined pie tins on a baking tray. Cover each with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the weights and parchment using the paper overhang. Return the pastry bases to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until lightly golden and dry. This step can be skipped but helps prevent soggy bases.
  10. Assemble the Pies: Spoon the cooled beef filling evenly into each pie base, mounding slightly. Cut puff pastry rounds slightly larger than the pie rims from thawed sheets. Brush the edges of the shortcrust bases with the whisked egg, then place the puff pastry lids on top, pressing edges together firmly to seal. Brush the lids with egg and cut a 1 cm (0.5 inch) slit in the center of each for steam to escape.
  11. Bake the Pies: Bake the assembled pies in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the puff pastry lids are deep golden and puffed.
  12. Serve: Enjoy the meat pies hot and fresh, optionally topped with tomato sauce or ketchup.

Notes

  • Shortcrust Pastry Options: Use either homemade shortcrust pastry rolled to 2-3mm thickness, thawed frozen sheets overlapped and sealed, or refrigerated pie crusts common in US/Canada. Pre-baking is recommended to avoid a soggy base.
  • Puff Pastry Scraps: Leftover puff pastry scraps can be brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar for sweet treats or garlic butter and parmesan for savory sticks.
  • Beef Choice: Choose chuck beef well-marbled with fat or boneless short ribs for the best tender and flavorful result. Avoid lean cuts like gravy beef for this recipe.
  • Beef Stock: Use low sodium stock sparingly as the reduction process concentrates flavour and saltiness. The richness mainly comes from the browning of the beef and wine reduction.
  • Red Wine: Use dry, full-bodied varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, or Malbec. Avoid light or sweet wines to prevent overpowering sweetness or lack of depth.
  • Pie Tin Size: Use pie tins approximately 20cm (8 inches) diameter for correct pastry sizing.
  • Storage: The filling can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight. Assembled pies are best eaten fresh but can be reheated cautiously to retain pastry crispness.
  • Author: Amelia
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
  • Category: Mains
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Australian

Find it online: https://recipesvibe.com/australian-beef-pie-recipe-with-puff-pastry-and-rich-gravy-recipe/