Name: Aussie beef pie recipe
Prep time: 360 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 405 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: australian
Ingredients: 500 g chuck beef steak, diced; 2 tbs olive oil; 2 garlic clove finely chopped; 1 onion finely chopped; 1 carrot finely chopped; 2 celery stalk finely chopped; 1 red capsicum finely chopped; 1 tbs paprika; 1 tbs tomato paste; 125 ml red wine; 125 ml water; 375ml beef stock (liquid); 2 bay leaf; 1 pinch sea salt and cracked pepper *to taste; 1/4 cup cold water; 1 tbs cornflour; 2 sheets butter puff pastry defrosted; 1 egg lightly beaten; 1 tomato sauce *to serve

by CorridorKitchen Last updated on 04/14/2025

It doesn’t get much more Australian than sinking your teeth into a meat pie. This family-sized pie, complete with flaky pastry and chunky beef filling, is sure to disappear before your eyes. Better make an extra one and freeze it for sometime soon.

How to make an Aussie beef pie: key tips

Begin by chopping your chuck steak into bite-sized pieces, trying not to make the pieces too small. One of the most fabulous traits of a good meat pie is the chunky pieces of meat surrounded by the veg and gravy.

The secret to sog-free pastry is chilling the filling overnight. The cook says: “I had always wondered why my pie came out uniformly soft on the bottom until I came across this tip! The mixture thickens and sets in the fridge, and then you cook the entire pie from cold, rather than a cold pie/hot filling combo. The recipe is quite liquid-heavy. And I’m imagining a side effect would be the flavours developing more.

Key ingredients in this Aussie beef pie recipe

Beef chuck steak is suited to stewing and will become rich and tender in this pie. I hate to deviate from chuck, but you could also use round steak, blade steak or topside instead.

Butter puff pastry creates that divine flaky top on your pie, and biting through those light and puffy pastry layers will be a highlight. You don’t need to fully defrost the pastry before lining the pie dish or placing over your pie – it is easier to work with when it’s a little firmer.

Choose a flavour-filled red wine for the filling. Shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and zinfandel will give your filling a glorious kick.

For a change, try this top-rated chicken and leek pie. And these mini meat pies are ideal for entertaining.

This recipe was originally submitted by CorridorKitchen, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.

- Australia's Best Recipes Team

Ingredients

500 g chuck beef steak, diced
2 tbs olive oil
2 garlic clove finely chopped
1 onion finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
2 celery stalk finely chopped
1 red capsicum finely chopped
1 tbs paprika
1 tbs tomato paste
125 ml red wine
125 ml water
375ml beef stock (liquid)
2 bay leaf
1 pinch sea salt and cracked pepper *to taste
1/4 cup cold water
1 tbs cornflour
2 sheets butter puff pastry defrosted
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tomato sauce *to serve

Method

Step 1

In a heavy-based saucepan, heat the oil and cook the steak until sealed and browned. Transfer to a bowl.
Step 2

Add the vegetables and fry until translucent, about 5 minutes. Return the beef to the pan and add the paprika and tomato paste. Stir through.
Step 3

Add all the remaining ingredients except for the cornflour and water, pastry and beaten egg. Simmer mix for 45 minutes. Combine water and cornflour and stir through mixture. Simmer until thick. Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight.
Step 4

The next day, preheat the oven to 220C degrees. Lightly grease a round glass pie dish and line with a sheet of puff pastry. Fill with the beef filling and top with a second pastry sheet. Crimp the two sheets together with a fork and cut away the excess pastry. Prick some holes in the top of the pie to allow air to escape and brush the top with beaten egg.
Step 5

Bake for 45 minutes or until top and bottom of pie are golden (it helps to use a glass dish so you can see this happening). If the pie browns too quickly on top, cover with foil.
Step 6

Allow the pie to cool for 10 minutes or so before cutting and serving with tomato sauce and any veg you prefer. For me, it steamed green beans and mashed potato. Enjoy!

Equipment

1 saucepan
1 glass pie pan

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

Why do I need to let my Aussie beef pie cool a bit before serving?

Cooling the pie for around 10 minutes after taking it out of the oven allows the filling to thicken up, so that the filling doesn’t run out when you slice it. The meat filling can also be scorchingly hot and burn your mouth, so cooling it a little will help prevent this from happening.

Can I freeze this Aussie beef pie?

Sure, and you can either freeze just the filling or the whole pie. Cool the beef mixture and place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before using to fill your pie. Or wrap your whole uncooked pie securely in plastic wrap and place in a sealable plastic bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Cook the pie straight from frozen – you will need to adjust the cooking time.