Description
These Mini Beef Pot Pies are a comforting and hearty meal featuring tender slow-cooked beef stew meat in a rich, savory gravy with vegetables, all encased in flaky puff pastry. Perfect for a cozy dinner, these individual pot pies are easy to prepare with classic ingredients and can be made ahead for a warm, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 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
- 2 puff pastry sheets
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for 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 generously with salt and pepper. Add the meat in batches, searing each batch for about 5 minutes until browned. Transfer each batch to a plate and repeat.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and mushrooms. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom for flavor.
- Add Flour and Seasonings: Return the beef to the pot and sprinkle the flour over the meat and vegetables, cooking for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and garlic, cooking for another 30 seconds.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in the Guinness and cook for about 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Add beef broth, beef bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Oven Cook Beef: Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 2 to 2½ hours, or until the beef is tender. Remove from oven, stir in 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 round is at least ½ to 1 inch larger than your baking ramekins.
- Assemble Pot Pies: Spoon the beef mixture into each ramekin. Top each with a puff pastry round, pressing edges to seal. Brush the pastry with beaten egg wash and cut slits into the top to vent.
- Bake Pot Pies: Place the ramekins in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.
- Cool and Serve: Let the mini pot pies cool for 10 minutes before serving to allow filling to set slightly for easier eating.
Notes
- Beef Choice: Use chuck roast or stew meat for tender, fall-apart beef; avoid lean cuts which can dry out.
- Browning Matters: Take your time searing the beef for a rich, deep flavor.
- Puff Pastry Tips: Keep pastry cold until ready to use for best puff and texture.
- Ramekin Size: This recipe yields about 5 mini pot pies in 4-inch deep ramekins approximately 3 inches tall.
- Instant Pot Option: For quicker cooking, sear beef on Sauté mode in Instant Pot, then pressure cook at high for 35 minutes with remaining ingredients.
- Vegetable Variations: Substitute or add vegetables like potatoes or cauliflower per preference.
- Guinness Substitute: Use red wine or extra beef broth if you prefer not to use beer.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers for 3 to 4 days; reheat in microwave or oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Freezing: Freeze stew separately up to 3 months or baked pot pies up to 1 month in airtight containers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini pot pie
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
