Aussie Meat Pie

About This Recipe

The Australian meat pie is arguably the country's national dish. Sold at footy grounds, bakeries, petrol stations and convenience stores across the continent, it is eaten by hand, often topped with a dollop of tomato sauce (ketchup) squeezed directly on top. The traditional filling is minced beef and gravy enclosed in a shortcrust pastry base with a puff pastry lid. More gourmet versions include chunky steak, mushroom, or cheese and bacon fillings. There is even an annual Great Australian Meat Pie competition. This recipe follows the classic version with a rich, thickened beef gravy.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gminced beef
• 1 mediumonion(finely diced)
• 2garlic cloves(minced)
• 250 mlbeef stock
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
• 2 tbspplain flour
• 1 tspdried thyme
• 2 sheetsshortcrust pastry(bought)
• 2 sheetspuff pastry(bought)
• 1egg(for egg wash)
• 1 tbspvegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the mince

   Heat oil in a large pan over high heat. Cook mince until browned, breaking up lumps. Add onion and garlic; cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Make filling

   Stir in flour, then add stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire and thyme. Stir well. Simmer 15–20 minutes until filling is thick. Season and cool completely.

3. 3

   Blind bake pastry cases

   Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease 4 individual pie tins. Line each tin with shortcrust pastry, pressing into edges. Blind bake 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Fill and top

   Fill each pastry case with cooled mince mixture. Top with puff pastry, pressing edges to seal. Brush with egg wash and cut a small steam vent.

5. 5

   Bake

   Bake 20–25 minutes until puff pastry is golden. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

   Filling must be cold before adding to pastry shell, or the base will go soggy.

Variations

• •

  Use diced chuck steak slow-braised for 2 hours instead of mince for a Chunky Steak Pie.

• •

  Stir grated cheddar and crispy bacon bits into the mince before filling for a Cheese & Bacon pie.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in oven at 180°C for 15 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions