Slow Cooker Beef Pie with Homemade Flaky Pastry

Name: Slow Cooker Beef Pie with Homemade Flaky Pastry
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 510 min
Total time: 540 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 kg diced beef; 500 ml hot beef stock; 2 onions, finely chopped; 2 carrots, finely chopped; 1 celery stalk finely chopped; 225 g plain flour plus extra to dust; 170 g unsalted butter chilled and cut into small cubes; 2 tbsp Vegetable oil; 2 tbsp Tomato puree; 2 tbsp cornflour; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 thyme or rosemary sprigs; 1 egg beaten with a pinch of salt; 0.5 tsp fine salt

Enjoy melt-in-your-mouth tender beef in a rich, savory gravy, topped with a golden, buttery homemade flaky pastry. This comforting slow cooker meal is perfect for a stress-free family dinner that tastes like it took hours of active effort.

Servings6 Portions

Prep Time30 Mins

Cook Time510 Mins

Difficulty

Intermediate

Ingredients

diced beef
1 kg
hot beef stock
500 ml
onions, finely chopped
2
carrots, finely chopped
2
celery stalk finely chopped
1
plain flour plus extra to dust
225 g
unsalted butter chilled and cut into small cubes
170 g
Vegetable oil
2 tbsp
Tomato puree
2 tbsp
cornflour
2 tbsp
Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp
thyme or rosemary sprigs
2
egg beaten with a pinch of salt
1
fine salt
0.5 tsp

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the slow cooker base by pouring the hot beef stock into the pot and setting it to High. In a small bowl, whisk together the Worcestershire sauce, tomato purée, and cornflour until smooth, then stir this mixture into the stock.

Heat half of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Sear the diced beef in two batches until well-browned on all sides, then transfer the meat to the slow cooker. Add the remaining oil to the same pan, reduce the heat slightly, and sauté the onions, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes until golden. Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker along with the thyme or rosemary sprigs.

Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours until the beef is completely tender. Once cooked, allow the filling to cool completely, then keep it chilled in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the pie. This can be done up to a day in advance.

To make the flaky pastry, combine the plain flour, 1/2 tsp fine salt, and the chilled cubed butter in a large bowl. Pour in 115ml of very cold water and use a cutlery knife to gently bring the mixture together into a rough, shaggy dough. Wrap the dough and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.