Steak & Cheddar Pies

Name: Steak & Cheddar Pies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 Prefect Pie Crust Recipe; 500 gm Beef Steak; 1 tbsp Olive oil; 1 Red onion (medium); 3 Garlic cloves; 100 gm Mushrooms; 1 Sprig Thyme; 3 tbsp Flour; 1 cup Beef stock; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar; 100 gm Cheddar steak (cubed); 1 Egg (for egg wash)

A New Zealand staple, these met pies have a rich beef steak gravy with cheddar cheese, herbs and pepper that is encased in a crispy flaky pie crust. These mini pies are perfect with a side salad and some veggies.

The inspiration for this recipe came from the gorgeous New Zealand products I had at my disposal. They are known for their flora and fauna that in turn work in their advantage towards the produce they create. I had some of the best beef steaks and with everyone in my house I knew the steaks on their wouldn’t suffice and so these mini meat pies were born. They are exquisite as I made the stew at home and the pastry as well. You don’t need much to make this recipe but you do need good quality ingredients and I would recommend using New Zealand Beef to ensure the flavor is not compromised.

These steak and cheddar pies call for a pie crust. I will not go into detail about how to make a pie crust today as I have a detailed post on it already, you can read it here: The Perfect Pie Crust. It needs cold butter, flour and cold water to make. You could use you hands to make it or a food processor as well would work just fine. If you are using store bought try to make sure it is a butter based pastry as the flavor is much better.

What ingredients do you need to make the Steak & Cheddar Pies?

To make the crust you can have a look at the Prefect Pie Crust recipe here. To make the filling we need beef steak, red onions, garlic, flour, beef stock, olive oil, worcestershire sauce, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. I do like to serve it with mustard, ketchup and yogurt (some use mayo but I prefer yogurt).

What equipment do you need to make the Steak & Cheddar Pies?

We need a rolling pin to roll out the dough, baking paper or cling film helps with the rolling as well. To make the filling we need a sauté pan and to assemble the pies we need round cutters, a muffin tin, brush, and knife to help with the finishing touches.

What substitutes do you need to make the Steak & Cheddar Pies?

Steak –

I have used half a kilo of beef steak, sirloin is the best for this recipe. I cut it against the grain which basically means I am cutting it across the fibers making them shorter, further to make it more tender. You could use any part of the tenderloin as well. Using tougher cuts of meat like the shank or shoulder needs longer cooking time hence they wouldn’t work in this recipe. I have made it with beef mince too and it is delicious but nothing beats steak.

Onion –

I used a red onion here you can use any that you have but it must be fresh onion. Pickles or powders will not work here.

Garlic –

I like using fresh garlic slices you can use minced garlic or garlic paste as well however you cannot use garlic powder.

Mushrooms –

I love using button mushrooms in this recipe but chestnut mushrooms also work well here. You can use any you have.

Herbs –

I used some fresh thyme, you could use rosemary, tarragon or oregano. Fresh or dried is fine in this recipe.

Flour –

The recipe needs a thickening agent as this will help create the saucy stew, making the pies juicy and very succulent.

Beef stock –

I used fresh beef stock as I had it but you can use a beef stock cube or prepackaged stock in cartons as well.

Cheddar cheese –

This is a steak and cheddar pie recipe hence you cannot skip on the cheddar here but you could use any cheddar cheese you can find.

How to make the Steak & Cheddar Pies?

To make the filling we season the steak with salt and pepper. Then sear it in a saute pan, take it off the heat and let it rest. We then cook the onions in the same pan with some oil. Add the garlic, mushrooms and herbs. Let this cook and once soft, add the flour and stir around. Once the flour has soaked up all the moisture in the pan add the beef stock slowly and stir to ensure no lumps. Add the steak back into the pan and cook until it bubbles up, the liquid will reduce and thicken further. Add the worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar and let it simmer for a couple of mins. Take of the heat, add the cheddar cheese and stir around. Let the filling cool down before adding into the lined pastry cases.

Head to the write up about my Perfect Pie Crust to know more about how to make it. Once the filling has cooled, we spoon it into the line muffin tin and cover each top with a pastry lid. Brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle some seal salt on top and bake for 30 mins until golden brown on top and dry to the touch. Serve with mustard, ketchup and yogurt. I also love serving them with some red wine or beer. To make it a complete meal serve it with a side salad and veggies.

How long can you store the Steak & Cheddar Pies?

Once the filling is cooked you can cool it down and store it in the freezer for 1 month in air tight containers. Once the pies have been baked they can be stored in zip lock bags in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let them thaw before warming in the microwave or in a pan that is on low heat.

Now that we covered how to make these Steak & Cheddar Pies let us get cooking. Happy Baking Ninjas!