The great Australian Meat Pie!! Shortcrust pastry filled with slow cooked chunky pieces of beef in a rich gravy topped with golden puff pastry, this meat pie recipe requires patience but you will be regarded as a bloody legend by everybody fortunate enough to try one!
It’s way better than your everyday bakery and will rival some of the best meat pie makers in town – Bourke Street Bakery included! Bonus: old school beef mince meat pie recipe included. For a Family Size Meat Pie – see here!
Australian meat pie recipe!!
From midnight post-pub feasting to footy games, quick lunches on the run to essential road trip pit stops, Aussies never need an excuse to get stuck into meat pies!
That moment when you bite through the buttery, flaky golden puff pastry and the molten filling comes oozing out, and you frantically fan your mouth while mumbling “hot, hot, hot!!!”, cursing yourself for not letting it cool down but on the other hand you just don’t bloody care about third degree mouth burns because the pie is SO SO SO GOOD…..
That moment is something that every (non-vegetarian) Aussie is very familiar with.
And it’s a moment that Aussies who have moved abroad miss so much.
So today’s meat pie recipe is dedicated to all Aussies living overseas. Your hunt for a meat pie fix is officially over!!
How to make meat pies
It’s not the fastest recipe in the world – truthfully, it’s quite fiddly – but I absolutely promise it’s worth it. Here’s an overview – and the video below is quite helpful. 🙂
Pie crust base – shortcrust pastry (homemade or store bought) fitted into pie tins then blind baked so they don’t go soggy once filled. Don’t have pie tins? Use large muffin tins or ramekins, or make one giant pie! I got mine from Woolies.
Meat Pie Filling – just like making a beef stew, it’s cooked long and slow so the beef becomes ultra tender and the sauce develops incredible deep, rich flavours; and
Puff pastry pie topping – the crowning glory of the Aussie meat pie experience is that flaky golden puff pastry topping! Store bought, all the way for me. 🙂
Why two types of pastry?
I use shortcrust for the base because it won’t go soggy and has the strength so you can pick the pie up with your hands. Then puff pastry for that classic flaky meat pie lid we love and know so well!
Meat Pie Filling
Here’s what goes in the meat pie filling. This is for a chunky meat pie – pieces of beef slow cooked until fall apart tender which makes an intensely deep, rich flavoured gravy.
The old school version is made with beef mince (ground beef) but the flavour of chunky beef pies is better because you can brown the pieces beautifully which forms the flavour base for the sauce.
After an old school beef mince version?
For a beef mince version, just swap the chuck beef for beef mince and read the recipe notes for how to tweak the recipe. The sauce needs a flavour bump because it will be missing the flavour boost you get from browning cubes of beef – this step is key to a really great meat pie sauce!
Meat Pie pastry
The base of meat pies is made with shortcrust pastry and the lids are made with puff pastry. For convenience, use store bought for both if you wish. In Australia, shortcrust pastry comes frozen in square sheets. If you’re in the US or Canada, use refrigerated pie crusts (the rolled up type).
I like to make the shortcrust pastry because I feel like there’s high returns for small effort (using a food processor, it’s a 5 minute job).
But I always use store bought puff pastry – I’ve made it once, and it’s probably the only time I ever will in my life!
Meat Pie recipe tips
Brown the beef VERY well – this is key to ensure your filling has a rich complex flavour and is a deep dark brown colour. Brown in small batches – don’t crowd the pot otherwise the beef will stew in its own juices and will never brown! If this happens, just take some out.
Beef mince version – use recipe tweaks in the notes to give the sauce a flavour boost (because mince doesn’t brown like using cubes of beef)
Chunky vs beef mince – no question, chunky is superior in flavour and overall eating experience! Just can’t achieve the same sauce flavour using mince (but still so SO tasty!)
Start the day before – if you can. Firstly, it’s best for the filling to be fridge cold to ensure the meat pie base doesn’t go soggy. Secondly, as with all stews, the filling is even better the next day!
Don’t reduce the sauce too much. Some liquid evaporates while the filling is cooling and liquid gets absorbed by the pie crust. When you cut open the pie, you want the filling to ooze out and be nice and saucy, not dry.
Don’t make the pie crust too thin – if making your own shortcrust pastry, don’t make the base too thin otherwise it will break when the pie is picked up. Still tasty – but very messy!
To smear or not to smear?? To this day, I cannot believe there are people who eat meat pies without tomato sauce. I really try to respect personal preferences….. but I will never understand! 😂
Hands – or knife and fork? Knife and fork?? Shame on you! The Aussie meat pie is made for eating with your hands!!!🤣
Worth the effort!
It will take you the better part of a day to make homemade meat pies. It’s quite involved and they’re especially fiddly because we’re making individual pies rather than one large pie.
But you will be regarded as a bloody legend by everybody fortunate enough to put one of these pies in their pie-hole!
Are they as good as what you can buy? YES. Better than your everyday bakery by a long shot, even using store bought pastry. Way WAY better than the average frozen meat pies from the supermarket.
That moment when you pull these golden beauties out of the oven – you’ll feel both excited AND smug (as you should……)
But then, you smear the still-hot-from-the-oven meat pie with some tomato sauce, and take a huge bite….
O.M.G.
There are no words. (But I shall try)
You’ve got a mouthful of buttery shortcrust pastry that literally melts in your mouth, juicy fall apart beef smothered in a rich gravy with flavour money can’t buy, and the flaky crispy puff pastry…..
Be still my beating heart.
There is simply no question. It’s one of the best food experiences in the world! – Nagi x
🇦🇺More Aussie fare🇦🇺
Family Size Aussie Meat Pie – The giant form of these hand held meat pies!
Party Pies (Aussie Mini Beef Pies) – Mini meat pies!
Sausage Rolls – Seasoned pork mixture rolled up in puff pastry. We believe this rivals Bourke St Bakery too!😂
Lamingtons – Vanilla sponge cubes dipped in chocolate and coated with coconut
Anzac biscuits – Crispy, buttery, toffee flavoured oatmeal cookies
Pavlova!! – Crispy meringue on the outside, marshmallow on the inside, piled high with cream and fruit
Scones – Plus magic 3 ingredient Lemonade Scones (3 ingredients)
Watch how to make it
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Aussie Meat Pie recipe
Ingredients
Pie Base – Choose ONE (Note 1):
- 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) (Note 2)
- 1 egg , lightly whisked
Filling:
- 1.25 kg / 2.5lb beef chuck , 2.5cm/1″ cubes (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
- 2 – 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion , diced
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 5 tbsp flour , plain/all purpose
- 1 1/4 cups (315 ml) beef stock, low sodium (Note 4)
- 3 cups (750 ml) red wine , dry full bodied (Note 5)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp black pepper , coarsely ground
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
Filling:
- Sprinkle beef with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add 1/3 of the beef and brown aggressively all over, then remove. Repeat with remaining beef, adding more oil if needed.
- Turn stove down to medium high. Add garlic and onion, cook 3 minutes.
- Add flour, stir through.
- Slowly add beef stock while stirring constantly. Once flour is dissolved, add wine, tomato paste, Worcestershire, pepper and bay leaves.
- Return beef into pot, cover with lid, adjust heat so it’s simmering gently.
- Simmer 1 hr 45 minutes. Remove lid, increase heat slightly and simmer 30 – 45 minutes, stirring regularly, or until beef is fork tender and liquid reduces down to a thickish gravy, just about covering beef (see video). Do not reduce liquid too much – thickens more as it cools & in pie.
- Remove from stove, cover and cool filling (I usually leave overnight).
Pastry:
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Cut out 6 rounds from the shortcrust pastry, then drape pastry into pie tins – don’t stretch and pull pastry, causes shrinkage. (Notes 1 & 6)
- Place pies on tray. Top each pie with large sheets of parchment / baking paper and fill with pie weights (Note 7).
- Bake 20 minutes, remove, then use paper overhang to carefully remove pie weights.
- Return crusts into oven for 5 minutes or until base is light golden and dry (can skip, Note 8). Remove from oven.
Assemble pies:
- Fill pies with cooled filling, push down to fill. Should be slightly mounded.
- Cut rounds from partially thawed puff pastry – cut them slightly larger than the edge of the cooked pastry bases.
- Brush edge of pie crusts with egg, then place lid on filling, pressing edges to seal puff pastry to the shortcrust pastry.
- Brush lids with egg, then cut a 1cm / 0.5″ incision in the middle using a small knife.
- Bake 30 minutes or until deep golden and puffed.
- Devour hot and fresh, topped with tomato sauce or ketchup if desired!
Recipe Notes:
- Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, cut sticks/shapes bake until golden. Try garlic butter, sprinkle with parmesan and pepper, or dukkdah or zaatar. Or just bake sticks plain and use as dippers with soups or stews.
- Cook onion and garlic, then add 1.3 kg / 2.6lb beef mince (ground beef) and brown
- Add flour and remaining ingredients per recipe including pepper but DO NOT ADD SALT
- Add 1 beef cube, crumbled
- Simmer gently, covered, for 1 hr 20 minutes
- Uncover and reduce for 20 minutes
- Add up to 1 tsp dark soy sauce to make the sauce colour a nice brown and add flavour (soy has more flavour than plain salt), simmer for 5 min. Add normal salt if you want it saltier.
- Cool then use as filling per recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Ironclad grip on both Dozer and coffee (equally important at early morning beach sessions)
Off the charts yum. I am a vegetarian but I have made these pies for friends twice and the third time today I am making them in little brioche tins. Ultra cute. Thank you for your fabulous recipe.
Hello again Nagi,
I am making x2 lots one with chuck other with mince.
What mince do you recommend please?
Lean mince ? Or just normal regular mince please?
I’d use regular mince – I hope you love them! N x
I made the mince version of the pies and popped them in my Kmart pie maker. These are the best pies I have made! The filling was tasty and a great consistency. The whole family enjoyed them…always a bonus!
Wahoo! Awesome Janine!
what is the size of the pie tins you are using? I would like to make here in the US and order disposable tins, but not sure of the size for the handheld pies. is it a 5″ tin ? smaller or larger?
Hi Neil, I think mine are slightly smaller than 5″ but thats approx the right size! N x
I finished the recipe today ( started yesterday)
delicious !!! i wish i could paste a picture of the dish here . Thank you again Nagi 5 stars for you 😉
Wahoo! I’m so glad you enjoyed them Jeanne ❤️
I made this recipe at the weekend and everyone said it was better than shop bought! I also used the left over beef with rice for a dinner the next day 🙂
Woah – how great is that!! N x
Hi, I can’t take alcohol. Can please suggest a good substitute? Thank you so much!
use cranberry juice, grape juice or pomegranate juice as a red wine substitute. maybe vinegar ?
Thanks for the suggestions!!
These are a hit with the family, delicious. They did stick to the pie tray a little any suggestion on how to prevent this next time. 😁
Hi Regan, I use non-stick but if you’re finding they still stick, just grease them up a little ❤️
Thanks, yeah I did that… I went and got some new cheap Kmart pie tins and tried another batch and it worked perfectly. Taking these pies on our camping trip this weekend 😁
This recipe looks fantastic !
Any suggestions as to how to convert it for the pressure cooker please ?
These look wonderful can’t wait to try them. I love anything that can be made in advance for freezer meals. Even though our kids are married I still keep meals that they can grab for their young families. Or easy meals during busy work week for us. They are also perfect size to give to the Great Grandmas for quick meals. Win all they way around.
Woolworths! Sad to say they have been gone from the States for years.
I’m so glad you love them Deborah!!
We had house guests from USA over Xmas – father is an ex-pat Aussie. Loved these and they have since gone home and bought a pie maker and requested the recipe…
Another win for Nagi! Thank you!!
Woot!!
Hi Nagi,
Oh my gosh I can’t wait too make these. Thanks for the tip on the pie tins from Woolworths I purchased some yesterday.
I wondered if you think that I could use the slow cooker to cook the meat once browned. That would be awesome if so. Any idea on timing or tips for that… liquid changes?
Hi Helen, you could transfer to a slow cooker but you’d need to then return it back to the stove as the sauce needs to reduce and become thick – N x
Hi Nagi,
Thanks for the reply. I have a Breville slow fast cooker and it browns and reduces. Any advise on how long to cook/reduce for as I have no idea!
Hi Nagi,
Having worked in a specialty pie bakery here in Melbourne I stumbled across your pie recipe and just as a tip your readers may like to know that cooking the day before and allowing the pies to completely cool before reheating in the oven firms up the pastry bottoms to reduce risk of breakage when eating by hand.
Great tip Siobhan!
Hi Nagi
OMG the best pie, absolutely loved them.
You said in your notes that you shouldn’t use to much beef stock, but unfortunately my husband didn’t like the red wine flavour (bad luck I say the more for me). Could you please suggest a replacement.
Thanks
Jodi
Try Guinness, or Marzen style beer. Anything rich and malty, without too much hops.
Delicious! We had meat pies when we visited our son near the end of his time studying abroad in Cairns Australia. I have been looking for a recipe that reminded us of our fabulous trip and this was it! We love trying your recipes, they do not disappoint. Thanks for sharing!
You’re so welcome Gloria!!
Fabulous, the trick was keeping the chuck in smaller cubes, and cooking small lots so the brown aggressively.
Yummy… just right for the bachelor. Thanks Nagi.
Perfect Rodney!!
It is worth the time and effort. Followed instruction exactly and it was A-Mazing!!. Yummy, will be making this again and again. A keeper for sure.
Here in Canada, beef chuck is not something I could find, probably because it has another name?! So I used boneless blade roast as substitute of the beef chuck. Also, I used muffin pan instead of individual pie tins- it yielded 12 medium sized pies.
Perfect Marley, I’m so happy you enjoyed them – N x
I forgot to add, I made my own shortcrust pastry as well. Thanks for sharing.
Hello Nagi! can you tell me where to purchase the pan you made the meat pies in?
Hi Andrea! I’m in Sydney and I bought them from Woolies 🙂 Which country are you in? N x
so easy to make and very very tasty
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Steve!