Thanking the Pre-Made Pastry Gods: Guinness, Leek and Steak Pie
I’ve been on a little bit of a pastry kick recently. I’m not sure if it’s due to the season and it just seems more homely and warming or the fact that every time my other half bakes he shows me up to my friends. See, I’m the cook in my house and that’s the way it’s going to stay.
However, puff pastry is something I’ve not experimented with and it intimidates me. I’ll spend all afternoon working hard on preparing a delicious filling like this Guinness, Leek and Steak Pie for it all to fail should I not get the puff pastry right — which is why I thank the pre-made pastry gods. Why do I need to make my own puff pastry when I can find it in the frozen food aisle?
The sweetness from the leeks and bold flavor of the Guinness is a perfect marrying of flavors to compliment the meat, the beautiful meat that falls apart to the touch of the fork. So should your pastry making skills fail you, like mine often do, this pie filling would be perfect in a bowl as you are curled up in your leopard print snuggie in front of the television… Did I just say that out loud!
For the recipe, keep reading.
For a pie large enough for four people you’re going to need about 2lbs of London broil, cut into half-inch cubes seasoned with s&p. Let the meat brown in a large cast iron pot with a little butter. Remove the meat, keeping the juice, and throw in 2 large leeks and 1 yellow onion sliced and sauted until soft. Then stir in 3 garlic cloves, minced ,and 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced. Mix altogether then add in leaves of 3-4 sprigs of thyme. Return beef to pot and mix well, stir in a can of Guinness (or other stout) and top off with water until all the ingredients are covered. Place in a 350-degree pre-heated oven for 3hrs, stirring occasionally. If the sauce is still too thin you can reduce on the stove until thickened.
For the pastry, I used a store bought puff pastry and rolled it out until I had the sizes I needed by layering one sheet in an oven-proof, pan then pouring in the filling and covering with the other sheet of pastry. I brushed with egg wash and baked until golden brown.
What kind of puff pastry did you use? Word on the street is all-butter is best, and the only commercial all-butter brands are Dufour (pricey) and Trader Joe’s (inconvenient). I’ve only ever used TJ’s and Pepperidge Farm.
Yes, all-butter. I did use the Dufour brand, it’s what they had at WF and I’ve used it before for a baked brie dish so knew it was reliable. I’d have preferred one large sheet however, the top of the pie was smaller than the lining so I had to break it up so it fit.
I’m right there with you about buying puff pastry. I made it once and it was the worst experience-ever.
That is one delicious dish you have there! I like it. The color says that it is perfectly done.
Ahhh. The leopard print snuggie. And homemade pot pie. Perfection.
How did you know I have a leopard print snuggie?