Description
These Mini Beef Pot Pies feature tender, slow-cooked beef stew meat simmered with vegetables and a rich Guinness-infused gravy, all topped with flaky puff pastry. Perfect for cozy dinners, these individual pot pies combine comforting flavors with an elegant presentation.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Beef Stew
- 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 beef broth (low sodium)
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup frozen peas
Pastry Topping
- 2 puff pastry sheets
- 1 egg (beaten, for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for slow cooking and final baking.
- Sear Beef: Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Add meat in batches and sear for about 5 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and mushrooms, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes, scraping up browned bits for added flavor.
- Add Ingredients: Return beef to pot, sprinkle flour over meat and vegetables, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and garlic, cooking an additional 30 seconds. Pour in Guinness and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add Liquids and Seasoning: Pour in beef broth, add bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Simmer in Oven: Bring mixture to a simmer, cover, and transfer pot to oven. Cook for 2 to 2½ hours until beef is tender.
- Finish Stew: Remove pot from oven, stir in frozen peas, and discard bay leaf.
- Prepare Pastry: Roll out puff pastry sheets and cut into 6 to 8 inch rounds, ensuring they are ½ to 1 inch larger than baking dishes or ramekins.
- Assemble Pot Pies: Spoon beef mixture into individual ramekins. Top each with a pastry round, pressing edges to seal. Brush the pastry with beaten egg wash and cut slits to vent.
- Bake Pot Pies: Place ramekins in oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.
- Rest and Serve: Let the pot pies cool for 10 minutes before serving to allow filling to set.
Notes
- Beef Choice: Use chuck roast or stew meat for tender, fall-apart beef. Avoid lean cuts to prevent dryness.
- Browning Matters: Taking time to sear the beef develops a deeper flavor in the final stew.
- Puff Pastry Tips: Keep puff pastry cold until use to prevent stickiness and ensure it puffs nicely.
- Ramekin Size: This recipe yields about 5 mini pot pies using 4-inch, 3-inch deep ramekins.
- Instant Pot Shortcut: Sear beef on sauté, then cook all ingredients on high pressure for 35 minutes.
- Vegetable Variations: Substitute or add vegetables like potatoes or cauliflower as preferred.
- Guinness Substitute: Use red wine or extra beef broth if you prefer no beer flavor.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days; reheat in microwave or oven. Freeze beef stew up to 3 months or baked pot pies up to 1 month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pot pie (about 1 cup filling with pastry)
- Calories: 540 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
