Aussie Beef Party Pies

beef party pies on a table topped with tomato sauce.

5 from 2 votes

An Aussie icon, these bakery-style beef party pies are a must at any gathering! Encased in a flaky, crispy pastry and filled to the brim with a rich and savoury beef mince gravy, they are the ultimate comfort food to make this season. Freeze them for a make-ahead party food or an easy heat-and-eat dinner.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Australian

Servings:

Calories: 267kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Equipment

muffin tin 12 hole
frying pan
round pastry cutter or sharp knife

Ingredients

For the meat filling

1 medium brown onion very finely diced
3 cloves garlic crushed
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
500 grams beef mince use regular, full fat beef mince for best results.
2 beef stock cubes beef bouillon cubes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons HP sauce
pinch ground black pepper or more, to taste
1-2 tablespoons tomato sauce or tomato ketchup
¼ teaspoon ground sage
bay leaf optional
1 cup water
1-2 tablespoons plain flour

To assemble

3 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry thawed
2 sheets frozen puff pastry thawed
1 egg lightly beaten, to glaze

To serve

tomato sauce

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

For the meat filling

In a large frying pan, sauté the onion and garlic together with the olive oil on low-medium heat, until soft and fragrant.
Add the beef mince and stir with a wooden spoon until browned, breaking down any lumps with the spoon.
Turn the heat to low and add the stock cubes, tomato paste, HP sauce, pepper, tomato sauce, sage and bay leaf (optional) and stir to combine.
Stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes.
Add the water and 1 tablespoon of flour and stir to combine.
Bring to a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is glossy and has reduced and thickened to a gravy-like consistency. Only add more flour to thicken further if needed. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

To assemble.

Place the pastry sheets onto a bench to thaw while the meat filling cools.
Pre-heat oven to 180°C/356 F. Lightly coat a metal muffin tin with oil spray.
Use a circular pastry cutter or bowl and knife to cut the shortcrust pastry into 10cm circles, making 12 bases.
Then, cut the puff pastry into 7-8 cm circles (sizes will vary, depending on your muffin tray).
Gently press the shortcrust pastry circles into the muffin tin and use a spoon to fill the bases with meat filling.
Place the puff pastry lids over the pies and press the edges to seal the lids to the shortcrust bases. A little beaten egg can be brushed over the inside edges of the puff pastry lids, to seal. Make sure the edges are completely sealed so that the pies don't leak while baking.
Brush the tops of the pies with a little beaten egg and poke some holes in the top of the pies with a fork or skewer.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the pies are flaky and golden brown.
Serve with tomato sauce or your favourite savoury dipping sauce.

Notes

Pastry – most savoury meat pies use a crumbly shortcrust pastry base, topped with a flaky puff pastry lid. To save time, I use sheets of frozen shortcrust and puff pastry from the supermarket. However, you can also make your own homemade pastry, if preferred. You will need 3 sheets of shortcrust pastry for the base of the pies and 2 sheets of puff pastry for the lids.
Beef stock cubes – stock cubes (also called bouillon cubes) are dehydrated broth or stock, formed into a small cube. 2 stock cubes (I use OXO stock cubes) are crumbled into the sauce and dissolved in water and form the savoury, flavour base of the gravy.
Allow the filling to cool completely before adding it to the pastry cases. Hot filling will make the pastry soggy and it won’t crisp properly. Make it ahead of time and allow to rest, where possible.
The filling can be made the day before and kept in the fridge until you are ready to assemble.
Be sure to seal the pastry lids properly, or the lids can detach and the filling will leak when baking. The edges of the lids can be brushed with a little egg wash before sealing. Pinch the sides to the pastry to seal, or use a fork to press along the edges.
Make sure there are no holes in the pastry bases, or the filling will leak and make the bases soggy.
Use a non-stick muffin tray or non-stick pie dishes for easy removal of the finished pies.
Make sure the gravy is thick enough before removing the filling from the heat. Add a little more flour, if needed.
Taste as you go and add more pepper, tomato sauce, HP sauce or spices, if needed.
For crispy pie bottoms, use metal muffin trays or metal pie tins. They produce the crispiest base. Silicone or ceramic trays can be used, but the pastry may not crisp as nicely.
Poke a small hole in the top of the puff pastry lids before baking. This allows steam to escape while the pies are baking, making beautifully flaky tops.
Store leftover party pies in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.
You can freeze baked party pies for up to 3 months. Remove the baked pies from the muffin tins and allow them to cool completely. To freeze, wrap the pies in cling wrap and place into a freezer-sae container or freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight or reheat straight from frozen.
The nutrition information is based on the recipe being made into 12 pies, with one pie being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the pies.
This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition