Steak and Stout Pie

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Shamrocks and shillelaghs, it’s the wearing of the green! Everyone is a little Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, especially when it comes to celebrating. Make something feast- worthy with this spectacular Steak and Stout Pie. It’s cozy, company fare for sure, but you don’t need a special occasion to make this impressive dish. It’s easy enough that you can make it tonight.

The steak and vegetable filling is meaty and delicious, but what really makes this a showstopper is the impressive crust. Using a 9-inch springform pan lets you bake up a genuine pub-style pie. Made from hot water pastry that’s sturdy, crisp and buttery, it holds up to perfectly to the heaviness of the meat and potato filling. The dough is simple to make and easy to work with. It rolls out easily and is very forgiving. Weights are included with this recipe so you can weigh out your butter, flour and water, which ensures accuracy and really speeds things along. But if you don’t have a food scale, measuring with cups works just fine.

If you are making this ahead, you can make the stew one day, and make the crust and assemble the pie the next. Brisket is soft, tender and juicy, but you can use other cuts like chuck roast, short ribs, or try-tip roast. You can also use pre-cut stew meat if you like. Served with a green salad (for something green) and the warmed gravy alongside, it will disappear just as fast as you can slice it. Move over corned beef, we’ve got pie.

Steak and Stout Pie

filling:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2.2 pounds beef brisket, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes 
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 Tablespoons flour
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 yellow onions, large diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cups stout
• 2 cups beef stock 
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and 1-inch diced

pastry:

• 3/4 cup (168 grams) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (180 milliliters) water
• 2 3/4 cups (370 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon milk

For the filling: Preheat your oven to 325º F and heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add oil to pan, season beef well with salt and pepper and dust with 2 tablespoons of flour. Sear the beef in two or three batches, until browned on each side, about 8 minutes total; remove meat to a dish once seared. 

Add butter to pan and turn heat down to medium. Add carrots, celery, and onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly brown. Add garlic and cook an additional minute or two. Add tomato paste, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves and beef. Scatter with remaining 2 tablespoons flour and stir well to combine. Add stout, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any brown bits. Add beef stock and potatoes and bring mixture to a boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to oven. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until beef is tender. 

Transfer beef and vegetables to a bowl, leaving the braising liquid in the pan. Place pan over high heat. Bring braising liquid to a boil and reduce by about half. Keep warm over low heat, or if prepping in advance, transfer to a container and place in fridge up to 2 days, or freezer up to 3 months. Season beef and veg with more salt and pepper if needed, then set aside to cool completely.

For the pastry: Meanwhile, make the pastry by combining butter and water in a large saucepan, Bring to a boil and melt the butter, Remove from heat and add flour and salt. Stir to bring together; turn out on a lightly floured surface. When cool enough to handle, knead the dough until very smooth and little elastic, just a few minutes. Wrap in plastic and set aside to rest for 30 minutes. 

When ready to bake, set a rack to bottom position and preheat oven to 400º F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with aluminum foil. On a lightly floured surface, divide pastry in two portions, 2/3 and 1/3 size. Roll the large piece out to 1/4-inch thick and transfer to the springform pan, lining the bottom and up the sides. Fill with the cooled beef and veg. Roll out remaining pastry and drape over filling, crimping and sealing edges with a fork or by pinching with your fingers. Beat egg and milk together and brush over the top of the pie. Cut a vent into the center of the pastry and place on a large baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes then reduce heat to 350º F and continue to bake until pastry is golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Allow pie to cool 10 minutes before unfolding, slicing, and serving with the reduced braising liquid as gravy.

-recipe by Mary Berg