Fall apart, ultra tender chunks of beef, bursts of fresh mushroom smothered in the most incredible gravy and topped with flaky, golden puff pastry. My friends, this is not just another beef pie. This is an EPIC Chunky Beef and Mushroom Pie with a little secret ingredient that takes this to the next level!
This is the sort of food that makes me do the happy dance. Literally. I took a massive spoonful and was jumping up and down with glee. It was everything I had hoped it would be, and more.
Non foodies will find it hard to understand the elation you feel when you make something that is this good. I mean, gravy even in its most basic form (and anything you smother in gravy) is fantastic.
But with this Chunky Beef and Mushroom Pie, with just one bite, you know it’s a step up from the usual pie. You may not be able to put your finger on it, but you know there’s something different about it – just better.
This is the secret ingredient – Dried Porcini Mushrooms. Just a tiny amount adds a punch of savouriness and earthiness – in posh foodie language, it adds umami.
Gourmet ingredient? Yes. But:
a) you don’t need much, just 20g/0.7 oz and the soaking liquid forms part of the braising liquid; and
b) ALDI SPECIAL BUY *** ALDI SPECIAL BUY *** ALDI SPECIAL BUY!!!!
About 5 years ago, back when I was in corporate, a group of my colleagues were talking animatedly about the ALDI Special Buys for that week (which, from memory, was ski gear at insanely good prices). There they were, a group of professionals, all dressed up in suits and heels and I couldn’t believe that they were so excited about it that they lined up at ALDI just to get the deal!!
What the????
I had clearly missed the ALDI train. I am now a firm regular on the ALDI train.
Nowadays, whenever one of my foodie friends come across an awesome ALDI deal, we send out a group text. “OMG!!! Luv-a-Duck only $12!!!” “I found lobster tails at ALDI. LOBSTER TAILS!!!!!” “Bargain Bonds at ALDI, OMG, I got stacks!!” (OK, the last one is not food, but yes it has happened. Or maybe it was Calvin Klein, I can’t remember.)
(And yes, there are always lots of caps and exclamation marks).
And this weeks’ ALDI Special Buys including things that are right up my alley – GOURMET COOKING INGREDIENTS! Truffles, gold leaf gelatine, Dutch Cocoa (bakers, take note!), and one of my favourite secret ingredients: dried porcini mushrooms. <3
Dried Porcini Mushrooms are like a secret weapon stock. And I used it to make this Chunky Beef and Mushroom Pie because it makes the most incredible gravy sauce ever.
Topped with some flaky, golden puff pastry (yes, I know it looks crazy yellow but that’s how it comes out if you brush with egg yolk)……and that moment when you break through that pastry to reveal the tender, fall apart beef and the smell of that savoury extra-tasty-gravy….
Well, let’s just say you should prepare to swoon.
Or do as I did. Do a happy dance! – Nagi xx
MORE COSY PIES
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Cottage Pie (beef)
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Shepherd’s Pie (lamb – because Shepherd’s herd sheep!)
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Browse all cosy Winter Warmers
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Epic Chunky Beef and Mushroom Pie
Ingredients
- 20 g / 0.7 oz dried porcini mushrooms (slices, whole or chopped) (Note 1)
- 1 ¼ cups / 312 ml boiled water
- 1 kg / 2 lb chuck beef , cut into 2.5cm/1” cubes (Note 2)
- 1 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 1 celery , finely chopped
- 1 carrot , finely chopped
- 3 carrots , halved lengthwise then cut into 1.5cm/ 3/5” chunks
- 1/3 cup flour (any)
- 300 ml / 10 oz dark ale (or substitute with red wine, Guinness or more beef stock)
- 2 cups / 500 ml beef stock
- 3 sprigs thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 2 bay leaves , fresh or dried
- 200 g / 7 oz bacon , diced
- 300 - 400g / 10 – 13 oz Swiss brown mushrooms , larger ones halved
- 1 – 2 sheets puff pastry (enough to cover pie)
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions
- Place porcini in a bowl and add hot water. Leave to soak for at least 30 minutes. Strain mushrooms and reserve soaking liquid. Roughly chop porcini.
- Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pot. Add half the beef and brown all over, then remove and repeat with remaining beef. Set beef aside.
- Turn stove down to medium low. If the pot is looking dry, add more oil. Add onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Add finely chopped carrots and celery, cook for 6 minutes or until softened and sweet (taste test!). Add carrot chunks and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add flour and stir through.
- Add ale, beef stock, and stir to dissolve the flour.
- Add thyme, bay leaves, porcini, reserved porcini soaking liquid (don’t tip in gritty bits settled at bottom) and cooked beef. Turn heat up slightly, mix, bring to simmer, then cover. Adjust heat so it is simmering gently, not energetically.
- Cook for 1 hr 45 minutes or until beef is tender. (See video)
- Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over high heat until golden. Remove and reserve bacon drippings in pan. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until golden all over. Return bacon into skillet, toss to coat mushrooms, then stir through stew.
- Simmer stew, uncovered, for 15 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Then remove from stove and cool.
To cook:
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F.
- Pour stew into a pie dish, even out surface. Pictured pie dish is 24 x 20 x 4.5 cm / 10 x 8 x 1.8" (1.5L / 1.5 Qt) - see Notes for more conversions.
- Top with puff pastry (if too big, just fold the ends in), brush with egg yolk. Cut a few slits in the surface then bake for 30 – 35 minutes until deep golden and the filling is piping hot in the middle (stick a knife in to check).
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Today’s recipe is brought to you courtesy of ALDI Australia! Made using Dried Porcini Mushrooms which are one of many gourmet cooking ingredients that will be available as part of this weeks’ ALDI Special Buys which are available from today, Wednesday 28 June 2017, until sold out. Hurry! 😉
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
EPIC Chunky Beef and Mushroom Pie recipe video!
LIFE OF DOZER
Always happy. Playing. Sleeping. Or eating. i.e. Always happy.
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Dennis Clark says
Hello Nagi,
I receive your email recipes and have saved some that appeal to me on my hard drive for possible future use. This recipe is one I wish to make soon. I am not sure large of baking dish I should use since I am not sure what size a pie plate is. In the U.S. pie plates are generally round with regular sizes being 8″ or more typically 9″ I believe and the sides are angled out ward at the top. As best I can tell your pie plate is rectangular. What would be a suitable size glass baking dish should I use as far as length, width and depth measured in inches approximately? Your help would be greatly appreciated.
My sincere thanks in advance and do keep the good recipes coming.
Dennis
Dennis Clark
p.s.
I did not vote for the lunatic in our White House 🙂
Nagi says
Hi Dennis! I will check when I get home and let you know. So pleased you are enjoying my recipes, thank you for reading! N xx
Josephine B says
Hi Dennis, I’m an avid reader and maker of Nagi’s recipes, I also live in Australia not far from where she lives. Now for the pie dish Nagi’s used it’s an enameled pie dish which looks like an 11 X 9 X 2 inch (28 X 23 X 5cm). Knowing that most American pie dishes are round 8 inch (21cm) or 9 inch (23cm) I feel you could use a 10 inch (25cm)round dish for this pie. Stretching it to a 9 X 13 inch (23 X 32cm) rectangular dish means you may not have enough of the filling unless you you add a bit more to the filling. My suggestion would be 1/ 2lb – half pound (250g) beef, 1/ 2 onion, 1 stick celery, 1 carrot and maybe an extra 4 ozs. (115g) bacon and even just a few more mushrooms. I have to admit that I’m a recipe addict and love cooking especially anything that Nagi posts. Every recipe I try that’s posted from American sites (Pinterest & others) I have to convert the oz./lbs to g/kg, inches to cm, also temperatures F. to C. so I have printed out charts and stuck up inside my pantry door for quick reference. I hope these suggestions help you and enjoy cooking and eating anything Nagi posts as she’s one of my best sites and I love hearing about Dozer (her dog). By-the-way this recipe is just one of her BEST, make it and TUCK in!!!
Nagi says
Hi Josephine, you are SO WONDERFUL to share that information with Dennis! Thank you very much 🙂 I updated the recipe with my pie dish dimensions including volume so it’s easy to figure out what other pie dishes ca be used for it. And thank you for your amazing compliments, I’m so flattered!! N xx
Josephine B says
Nagi I’ve always believed “When compliments are due, compliments should be given” no matter. Love you as much as Dozer.
Cindy says
Thanks Josephine for this additional information.
Lisa says
Don’t worry we have our own (nor did I). Looks fantastic too – I think my neighbours will share this with me. Plus Dozer – I’m in love.
Tricia says
Ohh Nagi, this looks so good I can feel the inches creeping on the hips !!!
Summer here in France but I think i am going to have to make it anyway, just
can’t wait until winter.
Nagi says
YES YOU SHOULD!! 😜
carlos at Spoonabilities says
Ohhh.. Nagi! That pie looks so yummy and juicy and all the good things that I can think 🙂
Nagi says
But hot for you right now, hmm? ☀️😜
carlos at Spoonabilities says
It’s crazy hot and humid around here for sure.
Nadine B. says
This looks really interesting and yummy, thank you Nagi! I can’t wait to make it!
Your own love for what you do, making wonderful food, comes through so clearly in your recipe descriptions! This is the reason why I keep your recipes and make lots of them! It’s always a cause for joy! All of these happy dots connected all over the world, I’m so glad to be among them!
Also, we have Aldi’s where we live in Upstate New York — our Aldi’s stires are “medium” sized grocery stores — not super stores, but I love Aldi’s and will look for the dried mushrooms! They always have something interesting new coming and going!
Dozer is such sweetie! Give him a treat!
Nagi says
Thank you so much for your lovely message Nadine! And treat passed in and very happily received …. 🐶
marsha says
Would boneless short ribs work for this recipe? I’ve been looking for a good but easy beef and mushroom pie recipe and I think this might be it!
Nagi says
Gosh yes! Perfect 👌🏻
Barb says
This looks fantastic! I may not wait until the weather is cooler to make it. Mushrooms are like bacon in that they make everything better. Dozer is adorable, as always!
Nagi says
I agree!!! Love mushrooms, one of my fave vegetables! ❤️
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Nagi. This looks absolutely wonderful, even though it is HOT here. I love the flavor of beef chuck roast and the more mushrooms the happier I am. This is similar to a stew I make during the winter months, but I certainly do like the puff pastry crust. Puff pastry is always is my freezer , it has so many uses. I buy dried mushrooms from a gourmet provider in upstate New York. That’s the perfect description of Dozer!
Nagi says
Ha! If I were you I’d be sweating just LOOKING AT THIS! 😂
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says
This makes me crave comfort food for sure! So pretty, rich, chunky and no doubt terrifically tender. YUM!
Nagi says
Polar opposite seasons!!
Brodie says
Could you cook this in the pressure cooker to speed it up?
Nagi says
Hi Brodie! Definitely! This is what I would do (I will add this into the notes later today): after adding the chunky carrots, add the ale and cook over high heat until the alcohol smell evaporates. Then add everything else per recipe BUT skip the skip the water and add 2 x crumbled beef cubes instead. 25 minutes on high should do the trick, and when you add the mushrooms, simmer with the lid off on the stove (or hopefully your pressure cooker has a simmer function!) to reduce the gravy down and thicken, then proceed with recipe. To speed up the cooling, I divided the stew between a the pie dish and a bowl and refrigerated for 20 minutes or so. 🙂
Brodie says
Cooked this for dinner last night was delicious . I purchased my meat pre-diced and it was a bit smaller so dropped it back to 20mins in the pressure cooker to keep some texture. Then to speed up the thickening I added a bit of gravox. I spread the filling thinly on a grill pan and put it the freezer to cool is quickly (didn’t cool it completely as was trying to keep time down). With prepping everything as I go, I got the total cook time down to about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (P.S Left overs where just as good.)
Nagi says
WOAAAAAH!!! I am SO SO happy to hear you enjoyed thisBrodie, thank you so much for letting me know! N xx