Steak and Pepper Pie
Tender chunks of slow-cooked beef chuck simmered in a rich gravy loaded with cracked black pepper, encased in crisp, golden pastry.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 75 min
- Total
- 100 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 620 kcal
Equipment
- •large frypan
- •four 12 cm individual pie tins
- •baking tray
- •pastry brush
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 620 kcal
- fat
- 32 g
- carbs
- 44 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 38 g
- calories
- 620 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat.
- 2
Brown the beef cubes in batches until nicely caramelised, then transfer to a plate.
- 3
Add remaining oil to the pan and cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent.
- 4
Stir in the cracked black pepper, tomato paste, and plain flour, stirring for one minute.
- 5
Gradually pour in the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
- 6
Return the beef to the frypan, cover with a lid, and simmer gently on low for fifty minutes.
- 7
Uncover and simmer for ten minutes until the gravy is thick and glossy, then cool completely.
- 8
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C and lightly grease four individual pie tins.
- 9
Line the tins with shortcrust pastry, pressing gently into the base and sides.
- 10
Divide the cooled peppery beef filling evenly among the pastry shells.
- 11
Cover each pie with puff pastry, trim excess pastry, crimp the edges, and brush tops with egg wash.
- 12
Bake on a baking tray for thirty minutes until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown.
Chef's tips
Always cool the beef filling completely before assembling the pies to avoid a soggy pastry base. Using shortcrust pastry on the bottom ensures structural integrity so you can eat the pie out of hand, while puff pastry on top yields a light, flaky crown. Coarsely crush whole peppercorns rather than using fine ground pepper to achieve the authentic bakery bite.
Ingredient substitutions
- beef chuck → gravy beef or beef shin
- shortcrust pastry base → puff pastry for both top and bottom if preferred extra flaky
Storage
Store cooled baked pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze for up to two months.
Reheating
Reheat refrigerated pies on a baking tray in an oven preheated to 180 degrees C for twenty minutes until crisp and heated through.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding hot filling directly to raw pastry, which melts the pastry butter and causes soggy bottoms.
- •Using finely ground table pepper instead of coarsely cracked peppercorns, which alters the signature texture.
- •Skipping the browning step for the beef, leading to a pale and flavourless gravy.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Steak and Pepper Pie?
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