Minced beef and onion pie may lack the glamour of some pies but by ‘eck they are so good, mine features a Worcestershire sauce rich gravy.
Served as individual pies the crust for them is a simple homemade shortcrust pastry made extra special by combining beef dripping and butter!
Savoury Mince Pies
I love a good pie and nothing really compares with a good homemade meat pie. They are a labour of love but my gosh are they good!
My site is littered with them, everything from the classic cornish pasty to corned beef and potato pie and rabbit pie and lamb Scotch pie make an appearance alongside so many more!
This minced beef and onion pie is an all-time favourite. The filling is simple, it does what it says on the side of the tin, it’s nowt but minced beef and onions cooked in cracking gravy.
My gravy goes in two-footed with loads of Worcestershire sauce to give the pie a little “spice” and depth. A wee bit of Marmite turns that flavour up to 11! It’s very similar to the one that is featured in my mince and dumplings recipe.
There are a group of people who say a pie isn’t a pie if it is not completely encased in pastry. I am not one of these people, but a pie that is wrapped in golden crumbly pastry really is special.
This ticks that box, it comes with a homemade shortcrust pastry that combines butter with beef dripping making the pastry super crisp and crumbly.
The ingredients may be simple, but this pie packs flavour way above it’s pay grade and I love it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these in advance?
Yes, you can make these pies and chill or freeze them both before and after cooking them.
If I am freezing them I prefer to freeze them before cooking. I usually buy disposable foil pie tins if I am doing this, cook them at 200°C or 400°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat and cook for another 60 minutes.
If I am reheating them then I cook them in the pie tins that I mention and pop them out when they are cool. They can be reheated in an oven 180°C or 350°F for 15-20 minutes.
Can I eat these pies cold?
Yes, I prefer to take them out of the fridge for 20 minutes before eating them personally.
How long will the pies store in the fridge?
So long as your meat is fresh when cooked they will be fone in the fridge for 24-48 hours.
Can I use store-bought pastry?
Yes, absolutely. I usually make my own pastry because I can make the amount that I need rather than having to freeze what I have left from a ready-made packet.
Do I have to use the Marmite?
No, but give it a try if you can. I get it, some people dislike Marmite, I am one of those people, I can’t stand it spread on toast.
But when you stir it into gravy it does something magic, it adds an incredible depth of flaovur. It really does not taste like Marmite on toast, I promise!
Serving Suggestions
I’ve kept the sides for this minced beef and onion pie pretty light, I’ve opted for some buttered boiled new potatoes and garden peas.
Another great option is mash, mashed potato would be superb, and the sweetness of swede and carrot mash would work well, as would celeriac mash.
Pie with chips is always a grand old choice, chip shop style chips are perfect, but air fryer chips are a solid option too.
Other good veggie options that are not potatoes or mash are roasted tenderstem broccoli, buttered cabbage and finally some glazed Chantenay carrots.
Equipment Used
I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Food processor. You can also make the pastry in a mixing bowl.
- Cling film.
- Rolling pin.
- Stovetop.
- Oven.
- 30cm or 12″ frying pan or skillet.
- 15cm or 6″ saucepan.
- Weighing scales and or a combination of a measuring jug, cups and spoons.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Sieve.
- Two 250ml pie dishes. I use oval dishes that are 15cm x 11cm x 3cm (6″ x 4½” x 1¼”).
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Small mixing bowl.
- Pastry brush.
Old Fashioned Minced Beef and Onion Pie Recipe
When it comes to pies, an individual minced beef and onion pie may not be the most blingy but it is hands down one of the most tasty, my version features a crispy homemade shortcrust pastry and a fantastic gravy!
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 185g (1½ Cups) Plain Flour
- 45g (3 Tbsp) Beef Dripping
- 45g (3 Tbsp) Butter
- Pinch Salt
- 1 Tsp Malt Vinegar
- Water as required (3-4 Tbsp)
For the Pie:
- 200g (1⅓ Cups) Onion
- 15g (1 Tbsp) Beef Dripping, you could use cooking oil.
- 250g (9oz) Minced Beef
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Puree
- 50ml (3 Tbsp) Worcestershire Sauce
- 500ml (2 Cups) Beef Stock
- 1 Tsp Marmite
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tsp Cornflour
- 2 Tsp Water
Instructions
- Place the flour in the bowl of a food processor and add the beef dripping, butter and salt. It is important that the butter and dripping are cold. Then pulse until the mix has formed a breadcrumb texture.
- Add the vinegar and blend adding water 1 tablespoon at a time until a ball starts to form a ball, transfer to a lightly floured work surface, bring the dough together, wrap in cling film and then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Whilst the pastry is chilling peel and cut the onions into a 5mm (¼") dice.
- Melt the beef dripping for the pie filling over a medium heat in a 30cm or 12" frying pan, then fry the onions for 10 minutes. You want them to soften and go golden, so if they cool too quickly reduce the heat a little.
- Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves.
- Strip the leaves from the sprigs of thyme.
- Turn the heat up under the onions as high as it will go and when the sizzling really picks up add the minced beef and cook until nicely browned. This will take around 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, tomato puree and thyme and cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the Worcestershire sauce and cook until it has reduced by half, then reduce the heat to medium, pour in the beef stock and stir in the marmite.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, now is a good time to have a taste and add salt as required, be careful though because the stock, marmite and Worcestershire sauce are all very salty. Then allow the pie filling to cool before making the pies.
- When the pie filling has cooled it is time to build the pie, begin by straining the gravy from the filling, this is so we can have some for pouring over the pie when it is cooked.
- Roll out the pastry until it is 3-4mm (⅛") thick and cut it in half then cut a piece off large enough to form the lid of each pie.
- Grease and flour two small pie dishes, I use oval pie dishes that hold around 250ml (1 cup) of liquid that are 15cm x 11cm x 3cm (6" x 4½" x 1¼").
- Line a pie dish with a piece of pastry with a generous overhang, and add half of the pie filling and a couple of tablespoons of the gravy.
- Beat the egg in a bowl and brush the edge of the pie, then add a piece of rolled-out pastry for the lid.
- Crimp the lid onto the base and cut off the overhang.
- Brush the top of the pie with more beaten egg and make a small hole in the centre, sprinkle with a little flakey salt, then make the second pie.
- Pop the pies in a preheated oven with a heavy tray in it, cook the pies at 180°C or 350°F for 40-45 minutes.
- When the pies have 5 minutes left heat the leftover gravy in a 6"or 15cm saucepan, mix together the cornflour and water and combine the two cooking and stirring until until the gravy has thickened.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1056Total Fat: 62gSaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 173mgSodium: 1629mgCarbohydrates: 74gFiber: 4gSugar: 11gProtein: 47g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.