Name: Australian Meat Pies (Chunky Beef and Red Wine)
Yield: 6 individual 4-inch (10 cm) pies
Cuisine: Australia
Ingredients: 1.25 kg beef chuck, in 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes; ½ tsp salt, for seasoning; ½ tsp black pepper, for seasoning; 27–40 g olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 40 g all-purpose flour; 315 ml low-sodium beef stock; 750 ml full-bodied dry red wine; 35 g tomato paste; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp Vegemite (optional), or ½ tsp dark soy sauce; 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper; 2 bay leaves; 375 g all-purpose flour, for the pastry; 1 tsp salt, for the pastry; 250 g + 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed; 1 egg yolk; 80–100 ml ice water; 300 g all-butter puff pastry, just thawed; 1 egg, beaten; tomato sauce, Australian-style, or ketchup

Method

Filling (a day ahead)

Brown the beef. Season the beef chuck (1.25 kg2½ lb) with the salt (½ tsp) and black pepper (½ tsp). In a large Dutch oven over high heat, brown it very well in small batches in the olive oil (27–40 g2–3 tbsp), then set aside. Don't crowd the pot; dark browning is where the flavor comes from.
Build the braise. Lower the heat to medium-high, cook the onion (1) and garlic cloves (4) 3 minutes, then stir in the all-purpose flour (40 g5 tbsp). Gradually stir in the beef stock (315 ml1¼ cups), then the red wine (750 ml3 cups), tomato paste (35 g2 tbsp), Worcestershire sauce (1 tsp), Vegemite (1 tsp), coarsely ground black pepper (2 tsp) and bay leaves (2). Return the beef and its juices.
Braise. Cover and simmer very gently 1¾ hours. Uncover and simmer 30 to 45 minutes more, stirring often, until the beef is fork-tender and the gravy is just thick enough to coat it. Don't over-reduce; it thickens as it cools and should ooze when the pie is cut.
Discard the bay leaves, taste for salt, and chill overnight.

Pastry

Make the shortcrust. Pulse the all-purpose flour (375 g3 cups) and salt (1 tsp) in a food processor, add the unsalted butter (250 g2 sticks) and pulse until it looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size bits. Add the egg yolk (1) and enough of the ice water (80–100 ml⅓–½ cup) to bring it together in clumps. Press into a disk, wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
Line the tins. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll the shortcrust about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick, not thinner, or the base won't hold up in the hand. Cut 6 rounds a little larger than the tins and ease them in without stretching. Line with parchment and pie weights.
Blind-bake 20 minutes, remove the weights and paper, and bake 5 minutes more, until dry and pale golden.

Assemble and bake

Fill and top. Pack the cold filling into the bases, slightly mounded. Cut lids from the puff pastry (300 g10 oz) slightly larger than the tins, brush the base rims with the egg (1), lay on the lids and press to seal. Brush the lids with egg and cut a small steam vent in each.
Bake 30 minutes, until puffed and deep golden. Rest 5 minutes, unmold, and serve with the tomato sauce.

Notes

Chill the filling overnight. It deepens the flavor and keeps the base from going soggy.
Servo-style variation. Use 1 kg (2 lb) beef mince instead of chuck, swap the wine for more beef stock, add a crumbled beef stock cube and 1 tsp dark soy sauce, and simmer about 45 minutes until thick.
Pie floater. In Adelaide the pie is served upside down in a bowl of thick green pea soup, with tomato sauce on top.
No pie tins. Use large muffin tins, ramekins, or one 9-inch (23 cm) pie dish, baked about 40 minutes.
Keeping. Cooked pies keep 5 days in the fridge, or freeze well; reheat at 350°F (175°C) about 20 minutes.

Australian Meat Pies (Chunky Beef and Red Wine)

Ingredients

Filling

All-butter shortcrust

Lids

To serve