Beef and Guinness Pie

From the kitchen of Carly

Tender beef braised in rich Guinness creates a dark, glossy stew with depth that simple beef pie can't touch. The stout adds subtle bitterness and sweetness that rounds out the savory meat and caramelized onions. Pure comfort in pastry form.

Beef and Guinness Pie

Guinness adds a bitter edge and surprising depth to this braise, cutting through rich beef chuck so you don't need cream or butter. Green peppercorns give a sharp, almost medicinal note that keeps the whole thing bright. The pastry top cracks into shards when you break through, and the beef underneath is falling apart tender from low, slow heat in the oven.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 2 lbboneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tbspall-purpose flour
  • 1 tspsalt
  • 1/2 tspblack pepper
  • 2 tbspvegetable oil
  • 1 largeonion, coarsely chopped
  • 2garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3 tbspwater
  • 1 1/2 tbsptomato paste
  • 1 cupbeef broth
  • 1 cupGuinness or other Irish stout
  • 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
  • 2 tspdrained brined green peppercorns, coarsely chopped
  • 2fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1Rough Puff Pastry
  • 1 largeegg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tbspwater
  • 4deep bowls or ramekins or similar-capacity ovenproof dishes

Instructions

  1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

  2. Pat the beef pieces thoroughly dry. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, and pepper, then toss the beef through it, shaking off any excess before setting the pieces on a plate. Pour the oil into a wide, 5- to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot and get it over moderately high heat until just smoking. Brown the meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, moving each finished batch into a bowl.

  3. Tip the onion, garlic, and water into the pot and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom and stirring frequently, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook another minute. Return the beef along with any juices from the bowl, then pour in the broth, Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, and thyme. Bring everything to a simmer, cover the pot, and slide it into the oven. Braise until the beef is very tender and the sauce has thickened, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Fish out and discard the thyme sprigs, then let the stew cool completely, uncovered, about 30 minutes. A warm stew will melt the uncooked pastry before it has a chance to set.

  4. Set a shallow baking pan on the middle oven rack and crank the temperature up to 425°F.

  5. Spoon the cooled stew evenly among the 4 bowls, leaving a little room at the top. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry dough out with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch square roughly 1/8 inch thick. Trim the edges and cut the dough into 4 equal quarters. Beat the egg with the tablespoon of water, then brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around each dough square. Flip one square over each filled bowl and drape it down, pressing the sides lightly so they grip. Brush the pastry tops with the remaining egg wash, then freeze the pies for 15 minutes to thoroughly chill the dough.

  6. Slide the pies onto the preheated shallow baking pan and bake until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown, about 20 minutes.

  7. Drop the oven temperature to 400°F and bake 5 minutes more to ensure the dough is fully cooked through.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Pat the beef completely dry before dredging, then resist the urge to move it around in the pot. Let each batch sit undisturbed for a solid minute per side to build real crust, not gray steam.
  • Cool the stew all the way down before topping with pastry. Warm filling melts the dough before it bakes, and you'll end up with a soggy, half-baked top.
  • Don't skip the green peppercorns. They're brined and tangy, nothing like dried black pepper. They're the secret element that makes this taste better than pub food.

Variations

  • Swap Guinness for any dark Irish stout or even a porter. The bitterness is the point, so avoid lighter beers.
  • Add diced potatoes and carrots to the braise during the last 20 minutes if you want a heartier filling and no need for sides.
  • Make one large pie instead of individual bowls: divide stew into a single 9-inch deep dish, cover with one large pastry rectangle, and add 10 to 15 minutes to the final bake time.
  • Use brandy or red wine instead of beer for a more classic beef pie, though you'll lose that signature dark, bitter character.

Make ahead and storage

Stew keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze the braised beef without the pastry top for up to 3 months, then thaw and assemble with fresh pastry when ready to bake.