Pies, I mean really, what is more iconically Australian than a meat pie and sauce. Unfortunately every time I feel like a meat pie and then buy one, I am always disappointed. 🙁 Even the fancy (expensive) gourmet pies leave me feeling lacklustre and wishing I had used my food calories on something better.

I decided to make a couple of large pies for dinner, but I must say that the muffin size is better meat to pastry ratio 🙂

2 weeks ago I had a craving for a meat pie and said to myself, self… you need to make one! So that is just what I did. I decided on blade steak because it is cheap and if you cook it for a long time it has that lovely fallapartness that is essential in a good quality Meat Pie. You could easy use mince, or a more expensive cut, but then you wouldn’t need to cook it for as long. I have added mushrooms, because I wanted the yummy mushroom flavour, but you don’t need to put them in. You could also add vegetables, like carrots and zucchini… extra pepper if you wanted a steak and pepper pie. Really, the list is endless. This is just my version and I like it and I hope you do too!

Dinner = Comfort Food!

I also made my own short crust pastry… and a quick puff pastry in the Thermomix… but I KNOW that most of you buy that ready made stuff at the supermarket, because it is convenient and easy. I’m not judging 🙂 but check out the ingredients the next time you buy some! If I am going to buy pastry… normally puff, I only buy “Careme Pastry”as it has all natural ingredients with no crap! Check out their website and see if you can find it somewhere near you… but if you are on a budget it is very expensive so it would be much cheaper to make your own and it really is not that hard, just takes a bit of time. The Short Crust Pastry Recipe is HERE in my Quiche Blog.

This makes 24 meat pies depending on how big you make them and how much filling you use. If you are not putting tops on and just using mashed potato, then it will make more ( You may even like to make a double batch of filling in the slow cooker and freeze for later).

I prefer the min muffin tin sized pies as they are good with some salad and veggies for dinner, but you can make larger ones, just not as many!

Muffins tins are so versatile. Meat (sesame), Potato and Meat, Meat and extra Mushroom.

Ingredients

2 Cloves of Garlic

2 Onions

150g Butter

60g Flour

500ml (g) boiling water

40 g Worcestershire sauce

1 kg of Blade Steak (roughly chopped)

40 g Tomato Puree

1 Tablespoon of Capers

200g Mushrooms

1 Tablespoon Stock Powder or TM Paste

Beaten Egg for Glazing

2 Quantities of Short Crust Pastry or as many sheets as you need

2 Quantities of Puff Pastry or as many sheets as you need

Method

1. In a large pan sauté finely chopped onion and garlic in 20g of the butter.

2. Place remaining butter into the pan allow to melt and whisk in flour and stir consistently until the flour is cooked out (approximately 3 – 5 mins).

3. Pour in half the boiling water and mix well, then add the remaining water as well as all the other ingredients. Allow to come to the boil cook for 30 minutes to allow to thicken (This is where you make your variations… vegetables, pepper, etc…) then transfer ingredients into the slow cooker on low for 6 hours uncovered.

(By uncovered I mean no lid… but just cover with a tea towel, this will allow some of the liquid to evaporate so you have a nice thick meat pie filling, However you will need to check on it every now and then… if the liquid is getting too thick just remove the tea towel and place the lid back on).

4. When cooked, put into the fridge and allow to completely cool.

5. Honestly, this is a great beef stew, so if you want to stop here, then serve with some mashed potato and vegetables please do, as it is very yummy!

mmmm extra mushrooms!

6. When meat is cooled refer TO MAKE UP MEAT PIES below the Thermomix method.

THERMOMIX METHOD

This recipe was made in the T31, but will be exactly the same in the TM5 using manual function.

Prior to making your filling, you might like to make up your pastry and pop it in the fridge to rest… don’t worry about it being their longer, in fact the colder the pastry the better! To make the pastry you can use the short crust out of the EDC or my recipe which is above. I also used the quick puff out of the EDC… I just used more butter than it said when folding and rolling out 🙂 bad me… but very good!

1. Place onion and garlic in the mixing bowl and chop 3 seconds/speed 5, scrape down the bowl and repeat.

2. Add 150g of butter and sauté 2 minutes/Varoma/speed 2.

3. Add flour and cook 5 minutes/100 degrees/speed 2.

4. Add all other ingredients making sure you add the steak last and then put the mushrooms on the very top (it might look like too much but the mushrooms will cook down).

5. Place the mixing basket on top of the lid and cook for 3 hours/80 degrees/speed 2. If you have at TM31 you will need to reset every 60 minutes and the TM5 every 90 minutes, but it is worth it as the meat will be beautiful and tender.

6. When cooked, put into the fridge and allow to completely cool.

TO MAKE UP MEAT PIES

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius and grease muffins tins with oil.

2. Cut rounds of short crust pastry to fit in your muffins tin size and place gently into tins.

Just some of the different sorts of pies I made. You can freeze at this point and when frozen removed from tin and store!

3. Fill pastry lined muffin tins with cold slow cooked meat.

At this stage you can choose to put some extra raw mushrooms on the top and then put on the puff pastry. You can sprinkle with cheese, pepper, put on a slice of tomato or a combination of all three. I like to add a big dollop of mashed potato and don’t even put the puff pastry on top. After you brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg, sprinkle a few seeds on top so they look a bit professional.

4. Wet the edges of your pastry and place a round of puff pastry on top. Gently press the top and bottom together as best you can. (At this stage you can put them in the freezer and have frozen meat pies ready for when ever you want them)

5. Brush with beaten egg and place into oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. if you are cooking them from frozen, they make take up to 45 minutes.

You and your family will love them, they are not expensive to make (just a bit time-consuming) and you know everything that has gone into the pie!

There you have it, what I think is a great meat pie… Actually they were delicious!, so much so I am making them again, even though with the blog I have to make new things all the time!

I hope you think they are as tasty as I do and even if you can’t be bother making the pies at least try the meat in the slow cooker as it is just as delicious!

Don’t forget to pop in and leave a comment, you know how I love hearing from you all!

Enjoy Irresponsibly!

Liz x

Elizabeth Connolly

subscribe to receive 3 FREE eBooks

I have been cooking since I can remember. I am a Thermomix consultant, so now (whenever possible) try to give you Conventional AND Thermomix methods for the recipes. I like to share tips on how to save money and how making food from scratch isn't really that hard (especially with a Thermomix). If you have any questions about the Thermomix or cooking/food in general please email me as I'm happy to chat.
Liz xx
P.S Don't forget to subscribe to receive your 3 free e-Books.