Guinness Pie Recipe

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, or weekend shall I say.  In Northern Ireland not everyone will celebrate it, but we like any excuse for great food, especially when Phil does the cooking!  This Guinness pie is delicious and a family favourite.  Phil is doing a little guest posting for me today and sharing his favourite Guinness pie recipe with you.

Beef & Guinness Pie

Guinness Pie Ingredients

• 2 large red onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, diced small or minced
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced.  You can also use the leaves for extra flavour
• Mushrooms of your choice, sliced
• 1 Kg of stewing beef or steak, cut into approx. 2cm cubes
• Fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• sea salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 440 ml Guinness (a must)
• 2 heaped TBSP of flour
• 150 gr Cheddar cheese, grated (we have a child with a cow’s milk allergy so we use goat’s cheese and it also works well)
• 170 gr ready-made all-butter puff pastry (and another 500gr if you want a pastry base as well as the top)
• 1 egg, beaten
• olive oil

I prepare and marinate the filling a day before to give it a strong rich flavour. I’m rubbish at making pastry so using the pre-made option suits me  well. The vegetables should be cut to size of your personal choice.

1)Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF while you are putting together the pie and filling.

2)  Put a little olive oil in a large frying pan and gently sweat your onions on low heat.  Then increase the heat and throw in the garlic, carrots, celery, mushrooms, beef and rosemary.  Add in a pinch of salt and pepper.

3)  Cook your ingredients for 3 or 4 minutes and then add in the essential Guinness.  Mix in the flour and just enough water to cover your ingredients.

4)  If your frying pan is oven-proof, cover it with a lid and put in the oven for about 90 minutes.  If your frying pan isn’t oven-proof, transfer your contents to a pan/casserole dish, etc. that is.

5)  Stir your stew and return it to the over for another 60 minutes. Ensure the meat is very tender and the stew is rich, dark and thick. If your filling is still liquidy, place back on the hob until it thickens.

6)  Remove your stew from the oven and stir in half the cheese, then season to taste.  Leave to cool.

7)  Now it’s time to turn your attention to the pastry.   Flour a smooth clean surface and roll your pastry out with a floured rolling pin.  Roll it to the thickness of a £1/$1 coin.

 

8) If you’re feeling naughty you can line the bottom of the pie dish with 500g of pastry ensuring you cook it at the bottom of the oven to crisp up.

9)  Pour your stew into your dish and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top.

10)  Carefully place the pastry carefully over the stew and  cut it lightly with a sharp knife in a criss-cross pattern.

11)  To give your Guinness pie a golden and crisp topping, brush the pastry with a beaten egg.

12)  Put your Guinness pie on the bottom shelf  of your oven for about 45 minutes.

13)  Enjoy….This is really good with new potatoes or fries and peas!

If you’re looking for more ideas check out our pages on dinner recipes or multicultural recipes (find some lovely Irish side-dishes here!).  Or click over to out St. Patrick’s Day page for ideas to keep the kids busy.