Beef and Guinness Pie

Beef and Guinness Pie with Puff Pastry has fall apart tender pieces of mouthwatering beef and sauteed veggies coated in a thick Rosemary infused Guinness gravy. Topped with melty cheese and a simple storebought puff pastry, this classic pie is packed with bold, rich, and unforgettable flavors.

When you are looking for other hearty St Paddy’s day recipes you might also like Irish Lamb Stew which is another great guinness recipe. Both go so well with a slice of our Irish Soda Bread.

There are some meat recipes that require a little extra patience in order to get the immense flavor and the melt-in-your-mouth textures we want. This beef and Guinness pie is one of them and believe it when I say, the aromas in your kitchen alone are worth the wait.

The beef spends time simmering in the Guinness which allows it to penetrate and tenderize the meat giving it a depth of flavor like nothing else!

Using a storebought pastry makes this an even simpler dish but if you’re up to making your own from scratch you can do that too.

Underneath the flaky puff pastry sits a stew-like filling, with pieces of beef, sauteed veggies like carrots, celery, and mushrooms in a thick rich gravy made with the permeating flavors of the Guinness and rosemary.

The puff pastry topping is buttery and flaky giving a nice balance to the richness of what lies beneath.

Steak and Ale pie is sometimes used interchangeably with beef and Guinness pie, although I believe Steak and Ale pie originates from Scotland, whereas beef and Guinness pie is Irish.

Steak and ale pie is a variation of a meat pie that has been around since BC. For real, that long!

Most meat pies are hand pies made with a bready crust full of meat, vegetables, and a little gravy. And while I love a traditional meat pie, I didn’t really want to have to make a pie like a shortcrust but I loved the idea of the Guinness and steak and all that it offered.

This recipe is adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Guinness pie and although he’s not Irish, I knew this would be a success. After all, I made his Steak and Ale Pie, and it was amazing!

Instead of a short pastry crust, I made it simple by topping it with puff pastry. The deep rich flavors of the beer and the fall-apart tender beef are braised for over an hour on the stovetop, but the end result is so worth it.

Ingredients

• Beef – I used brisket in this recipe, but any sirloin meat will work. Chopped into bite-size pieces.
• Salt & pepper – Brings out the flavors of the rest of the ingredients.
• Butter – It will be used in both the filling as well as the pastry.
• All-purpose flour – Used as a thickening agent for the pie filling.
• Onion & Garlic – Sauteed along with the other veggies to create a lovely flavor combination with the pieces of beef.
• Veggies – Sliced carrots, celery, and mushrooms.
• Rosemary – Use a fresh sprig of Rosemary if you can help it. It makes all the difference!
• Guinness – Any other stout will also do the trick.
• Cheese – I used a shredded white cheddar but gruyere, gouda or even a mild Monterey Jack would be great.
• Puff Pastry – A store-bought puff pastry sheet is all you need. See below for a link to my homemade crust if you’d prefer.

Tips to make this recipe for meat pie with puff pastry

• Cut the meat into small 1 – 2 inch cubes. This way the meat will cook evenly.
• Season the flour and season the meat. Salt and pepper bring out the flavor of the meat and adding it to the flour as well will enhance that.
• Cut the carrots and vegetables in like sizes as well. Just like the meat, it helps them cook evenly and every bite will be the same.
• Don’t like Guinness stout?  You can use any beer! I’ve made this with a lager and an ale. I suggest using a stronger beer, not a light beer for a heartier depth to the sauce.
• Don’t skip the cheese. I highly recommend shredding your own to avoid the anti-clumping additive on the pre-shredded cheese. The cheese added to the top before baking gives the dish the balance it needs with the strong beer used.

Making Guinness Beef and Puff Pastry Ahead of Time

This recipe is easily made ahead of time. Prepare the recipe up until assembly into the baking dish. Store the braised meat and vegetables in a sealed container in the fridge until you are ready to bake.

Warm the meat in a microwave, or on the stovetop. Place it into the baking dish and add the cheese and puff pastry on top when ready to bake.

How to Reheat Puff Pastry Topped Meat Pie

If you have an air fryer I suggest reheating it at 375 for 15 minutes in the air fryer. The crust will stay nice and flaky.

If you don’t have an air fryer, you can also do it in the oven for the same amount of time.

Meat Pie Variations

Shortcrust topped meat pie

I wanted to save time and effort so I used the puff pastry sheets but if you want to make your own crust, this cornmeal pie crust would work. You will need to bake it longer than the puff pastry which works out to 30 minutes total or until the crust is nice and golden brown. Cut a few slits into the top to let it vent while baking in the oven as well.

Individual servings- personal Guinness pot pies

Place the meat stew into individual ramekins or chili bowls and cut the puff pastry sheets smaller to fit over the top. The baking time will remain the same.

Steak and Ale Pie

Use an ale like Newcastle brown ale instead of Guinness. This is a traditional British pub-style version that is quite tasty.

Common Questions you might have

More Irish recipes you might enjoy for your St Patrick’s day menu

• Guinness Lamb Stew
• Homemade Corned Beef
• St Patrick’s day Cookies
• Irish Soda bread
• No Bake Grasshopper Pie
• Corned Beef Hash & Eggs
• Traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage

FREE TIPS FOR ENTERTAINING WITH EASE AND FUN DELICIOUS RECIPES WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR THE MAILING LIST  BELOW THE RECIPE!

Yield: 8

Beef and Guinness Pie

Print

Beef and Guinness Pie with Puff Pastry has fall apart tender pieces of mouthwatering beef and sauteed veggies coated in a thick rosemary-infused Guinness gravy. Topped with melty cheese and a simple storebought puff pastry, this classic pie is packed with bold, rich, and unforgettable flavors.Great for St Paddy's day or when you want comfort food.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 pounds brisket chopped into bite-size pieces
•  1 teaspoon  salt
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 4 tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped to 1/2" slices
• 2 ribs celery, chopped to 1/2' slices
• 20 mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
•  1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 sprig rosemary
•  About 4 cups (2 cans) Guinness or other stout
• 8 ounces freshly grated Cheddar

Puff Pastry Topping

• Sheet of puff pastry
• 1/4 cup butter

Instructions

1. In a small dish add the flour, salt and pepper and mix well.
2. Sprinkle all but 1 tablespoon of the flour, salt and pepper mixture over the meat pieces trying to get some on all sides. Reserve the 1 tablespoon for later.
3. Heat a stockpot and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to high. Once hot, add the meat pieces and brown on all sides--- about 2-3 mins per side. Once browned remove to a side plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium on the stockpot, add 2 tablespoons of the butter to melt. Once melted add the onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes until the onions are softened.
5. Add t 2 tablespoons of butter (leaving 1 tablespoon for later), carrots, celery and mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are browned -- about 8 minutes.
6. Add the meat back into the stockpot. Add the Guinness beer to cover the meat, stir to combine. Add the sprig of rosemary on top. Simmer on medium heat for 1.5 hours with the lid just cracked a little to let some steam escape on your stockpot. Stir occasionally.
7. Take the 1 tablespoon remaining of each of the butter and flour and mix together, once mixed add to the sauce and let dissolve. (this will help thicken the Guinness sauce.
8. Once the meat is tender, remove the rosemary sprig. Transfer transfer to a small baking dish, or pie plate. Top the meat with the grated cheese making sure to cover the entire top.
9. Preheat the oven to 425°
10. Roll out the puff pastry. Carefully lift the pastry and place it over the top of your baking vessel. Carefully tuck the edges inside the dish. Brush the top with melted butter and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the pastry has puffed and is golden brown.
11. Serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe is adapted from the NY Times adaptation of Jamie Oliver's recipe for Guinness Pie.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 804Total Fat: 55gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 243mgSodium: 662mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 58g

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. Please calculate your own nutritional information if you want it exact to what you make and use my calculations as a guide only.

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