Chunky Beef and Guinness Pie

Serves 6

Freeze Me: Store the cooled beef mixture in an airtight contanier in the freexer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a saucepan over medium-high heat before preheating the oven.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbs olive oil

  • 800g beef chuck steak or gravy beef, cut into 3cm pieces

  • 12 baby onions or shallots, peeled

  • 2 small carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

  • 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced

  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed

  • 35g plain flour

  • 440ml can Guinness

  • 375ml beef stock

  • 2 rosemary sprigs

  • 4 thyme sprigs

  • 2 dried bay leaves

  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, just thawed

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 1 tbs milk

Directions

  • Heat half the oil in a large ovenproof dish over high heat.

  • Add half the beef and cook, turing occasionally, for 5 mins or until brown all over. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef.

  • Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Add onions/shallots, carrot and celery and cook, stiring for 5 mins or until lightly brown.

  • Return the beef to the pan with the garlic and flour and cook, stiring, for 2 mins or until well combined.

  • Add Guinness, stock, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook, stiring occasionally for 1 1/2 hours or until beef is very tender. Uncover and cook for 30 mins or until sauce thickens. Season to taste.

  • Preheat oven to 200c. Spoon beef mixture into an 8-cup (2L) capacity ovenproof dish.

  • Place 1 sheet of puff pastry on a clean work surface. Whisk egg yolk and milk in a small bowl. Season. Brush a little egg mixture over the pastry. Top with the remaining pastry sheet. Arrange pastry over the beef mixture dish, trimming excess pastry.

  • Bake for 30-35 mins or until the pastry is golend brown and puffed.