Description
These Mini Beef Pot Pies feature tender slow-cooked beef with vegetables in a rich, savory gravy, all topped with flaky puff pastry. Perfect for cozy dinners, these individual pies deliver comforting flavors with an elegant presentation.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Beef Stew Filling
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 pounds beef stew meat (or chuck roast cut into small chunks)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 medium onion (roughly chopped)
- 2 medium carrots (peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
- 4 ounces cremini mushrooms (sliced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup Guinness (or any dark Irish stout)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup frozen peas
Pot Pie Topping
- 2 puff pastry sheets
- 1 egg (beaten, for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F to prepare for slow cooking the beef stew and baking the pot pies.
- Sear the Beef: Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Add the beef in batches, searing each piece for about 5 minutes until browned. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, add chopped onion, carrots, and sliced mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened, scraping the browned bits from the bottom to add flavor.
- Add Flour and Tomato Paste: Return the beef to the pot. Sprinkle flour over the meat and vegetables, stirring and cooking for 1 minute. Then add tomato paste and minced garlic, cooking for another 30 seconds.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in the Guinness and cook for 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Add beef broth, bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Stir everything together thoroughly.
- Slow Cook: Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for 2 to 2½ hours until the beef is tender. Remove from oven, stir in the frozen peas, and discard the bay leaf.
- Prepare Puff Pastry: Roll out the puff pastry sheets and cut into 6 to 8 inch rounds, ensuring each is about ½ to 1 inch larger than your ramekins.
- Fill Ramekins: Spoon the beef mixture evenly into 4 inch ramekins. Top each with a puff pastry round, pressing the edges to seal. Brush the pastry tops with beaten egg and cut slits in the pastry to allow steam to escape.
- Bake Pot Pies: Place filled ramekins on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and puffed up.
- Cool and Serve: Let the mini pot pies cool for 10 minutes before serving to allow filling to set and avoid burns.
Notes
- Beef Choice: Chuck roast or stew meat is ideal for slow cooking, as lean cuts can dry out.
- Browning Matters: Take your time to sear beef to achieve rich, deep flavor from caramelized crust.
- Puff Pastry Handling: Keep puff pastry cold until use; warm pastry becomes sticky and less flaky.
- Quantity: This recipe yields about 5 mini pot pies using 4-inch, 3-inch deep ramekins.
- Instant Pot Option: For faster cooking, sear beef in Instant Pot on Saute setting; cook all ingredients on high pressure for 35 minutes.
- Vegetable Variations: Feel free to swap carrots and mushrooms for potatoes, cauliflower, or other favorites.
- Guinness Alternatives: Use red wine or extra beef broth in place of Guinness for similar depth of flavor.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers for 3 to 4 days or freeze cooked stew up to 3 months and baked pot pies up to 1 month.
- Reheating: Reheat in microwave or in oven at 300°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pot pie
- Calories: 620 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
