Valleys Beef and Onion Pie
Tender braised beef and caramelised onions smothered in a rich savoury gravy, baked beneath a crisp golden shortcrust pastry lid.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 110 min
- Total
- 130 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 580 kcal
Equipment
- •casserole dish
- •20cm pie dish
- •pastry brush
- •wooden spoon
- •baking tray
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 580 kcal
- fat
- 30 g
- carbs
- 42 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 34 g
- calories
- 580 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat the vegetable oil in a large casserole dish or frying pan over medium-high heat.
- 2
Add the diced beef and fry for 6 minutes until browned on all sides.
- 3
Transfer the browned beef to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the pan juices behind.
- 4
Add the sliced onions to the pan and fry gently for 10 minutes until soft and golden brown.
- 5
Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute to coat the onions evenly.
- 6
Return the beef to the pan along with the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- 7
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes.
- 8
Spoon the tender beef filling into a 20cm pie dish and allow it to cool completely.
- 9
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and place a baking tray on the middle shelf.
- 10
Drape the shortcrust pastry over the cooled pie dish, trim any excess, and crimp the edges firmly.
- 11
Cut a small steam slit in the centre of the pastry and brush the top with beaten egg.
- 12
Bake on the preheated baking tray for 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden.
Chef's tips
Always allow the stewed meat filling to cool completely before laying the pastry on top. Putting raw pastry over a steaming hot filling melts the fat prematurely and results in a soggy, collapsed crust.
Ingredient substitutions
- braising steak → 500g lean minced beef, reducing the simmering time to 25 minutes
- shortcrust pastry → ready-rolled puff pastry for a flakier, lighter pie lid
Storage
Store leftover pie covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat slices in an oven preheated to 180°C for 20 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the centre is piping hot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding pastry over hot filling, which causes the pastry butter to melt into greasy pastry.
- •Rushing the beef simmer, leaving the braising meat tough and chewy.
- •Forgetting to cut a steam vent in the lid, causing gravy to boil over the sides.
Serving suggestions
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