• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

RecipeTin Eats

Fast Prep, Big Flavours

  • My RecipeTin
  • Recipes
  • Recipes By Category
    • Mains
      • Chicken
        • Chicken mince
      • Beef Recipes
        • Ground Beef (Mince)
      • Pork
      • Lamb
      • Turkey
      • Shrimp / Prawns
      • Salmon
      • Fish
      • Salad Meals
    • Quick and Easy
    • Soups
    • One Pot
    • Stews
    • Slow Cooker
    • Sides
      • All
      • Vegetables
      • Show Off Salads
      • Rice
      • Potato
    • Pasta
      • All
      • Pasta bakes
      • Pasta salads
    • Sweet
      • Cake recipes
      • Cupcakes & Muffins
      • Cookies
      • Puddings & Cosy Desserts
      • Bite Size
      • Pies
      • Slices & Bars
      • Frosting & Icing
    • Cuisine
      • Asian
        • All
        • Stir fries
        • Noodles
        • Soups
        • Chinese
        • Japanese
        • Korean
        • Thai
        • Vietnamese
      • French
      • Greek
      • Indian
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
      • Middle Eastern
      • South American
    • Dietary
      • Gluten Free
      • Low Calorie
      • Vegetarian
    • Other Categories
      • BBQ
      • Breakfast
      • Burgers
      • Cocktails
      • Party Foods
      • Rice Recipes
      • Roasts
      • Sandwiches & Sliders
  • ✨Special✨
  • Collections
  • About
    • Me
    • RecipeTin Meals
    • Free Recipe Books
    • Contact
    • eBooks
      • The Food Photography Book
      • Chicken Wings Cookbook
    • Food Bloggers Central
    • Nitty Gritty
      • Policy: Use of Recipes & Images
      • Privacy & Disclosure
Home Beef Recipes

Party Pies (Aussie Mini Beef Pies / Meat Pies)

By:Nagi
Published:19 Jan '15Updated:5 Aug '20
172 Comments
Recipe v

There’s few foods more quintessentially Aussie than Party Pies! They made an appearance at every birthday party I attended as a kid…. and many as an adult! 😂 Homemade is a gazillion times better than the frozen store bought ones. Tender beef filling with a pie gravy inside flaky pastry – it’s your dream come true!

A stack of Party Pies on baking paper with tomato sauce (ketchup)

Party Pies

“Classic Aussie meat pies – in mini form made in muffin tins!”

In the lead up to Australia Day on 26 January 2015, I’m going to share a series of classic Aussie fare. And I can’t think of anything more quintessentially “Aussie” than meat pies. Meat pies are to Australians what hot dogs are to Americans. You can’t go to a footy game here without being surrounded by blokes (and some lasses….) boisterously cheering on their teams with a pie in one hand and a beer in the other. Crumbs down their shirt, tomato sauce smeared around their mouth….I’m painting a classy picture of Aussie blokes, aren’t I??!

OK, so I’m exaggerating a wee bit. Not all Aussie blokes are like that. But you get the picture. 🙂

Every time I have a pie, I’m reminded of childhood outings to places like the zoo and aquarium where we’d be treated with a pie for lunch. My brother, sister and I would sit, lined up on a bench (or, more likely, just sit on the ground somewhere), peel off the pastry lid, mix tomato sauce (ketchup) into the filling and impatiently wait for it to cool down enough so we could start digging in. We’d eat the filling with a plastic spoon which was not only practical, but also meant we got to save the best for last – the pastry.

I still eat my pies with a spoon. In private. 🙂

The pies you typically get at footy games and bakeries are the larger size ones – around 10cm/4″ in diameter. But I’m particularly fond of party pies – small ones that are made in muffin tins rather than having to get special pie tins to make the larger ones. Plus they are easier to eat without a plate.

Party Pies and meat filling spilling from inside of one

Though this recipe is really easy to make, it does take time. Honestly, the first time I made this I was a bit cynical about whether it would be worth the effort. Because you can get really great quality party pies nowadays, not only from the supermarket but also from bakeries.

I swear to you, it is worth the effort. So. Dang. Good. And it tastes real. I can never describe it exactly. I guess it’s the flavour of preservative-free food? I don’t know. All I know is that it’s worth the effort.

– Nagi

PS. This makes a big batch because I find it hard to braise a smaller amount of beef and make a good sauce. Plus they freeze so well, I figure you may as well make a lot while you’re at it!


More Aussie favourites

  • Scones – and Lemonade Scones 3 ingredient shortcut scones!

  • Caramel Slice

  • Pikelets

  • Lamingtons

  • Pavlova

  • Sausage Rolls

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

A stack of Party Pies on baking paper with tomato sauce (ketchup)

Party Pies (Aussie Mini Beef Pies)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 50 mins
Baking, Party Food
Australian
Servings16
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 524
Classic Aussie fare - a meat pie with a beef filling that's been braised until tender. Great food for parties that freezes extremely well! The great thing about mini pies is that you can make them in pie tins, muffin tins or even cupcake trays! Just make sure to cut the rounds so they fit the tin that you use.

Ingredients

Filling

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 lb / 1.5kg chuck steak , cut into 1cm / 2/5" cubes (or other beef cut suitable for slow cooking)
  • 2 onions , peeled and diced (brown, yellow or white)
  • 3 garlic cloves , minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 4 cups / 1 litre / 1 quart beef stock/broth
  • 1 cup red wine (anything dry and dark, not light like pinot noir)
  • 2 dried bay leaves (or 3 fresh)
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt , plus more to taste
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
  • 4 tbsp water

Pastry

  • 1 egg yolk , lightly beaten (or 1 whole egg, for a slightly less dark golden finish)
  • 4 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry (25cm x 25cm / 10" x 10"), thawed
  • 3 - 4 sheets frozen puff pastry (25cm x 25cm / 10" x 10"), thawed (Note 1)

To Serve

  • Tomato Sauce / Tomato Ketchup

Instructions

  • Place 1 tbsp of oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add half the beef and sear until the outside is lightly browned. Remove from the pot into a bowl and repeat with remaining beef.
  • Lower the heat to medium high and add the remaining olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent - around 5 minutes.
  • Return the beef to the pot along with all other Filling ingredients other than the cornstarch / cornflour and water. Mix to combine. The liquid should be just enough to cover most of the beef but there should be a bit protruding through the surface.
  • Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to low / medium low so it is bubbling very gently. Leave to cook for 50 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until the beef is very tender. Because the beef is cut so small, it shouldn't take much longer than 1 hour. If the liquid evaporates too quickly, just add a bit more water.
  • When the beef is ready (or almost ready), mix the cornstarch / cornflour and water together then pour it into the pot. Mix through and allow to cook for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce. Adjust salt to taste.
  • Remove pot from the stove and set aside to cool. The sauce will thicken more when it cools.

Assemble the Pies

  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
  • Spray 16 holes of Texas muffin tins or pie tins (8cm / 3.2" diameter across top). I made half in muffin tins and half in pie tins.
  • Cut the pastry base out of the shortcrust pastry using a 10 cm/ 4" round cutter (I use an empty 800g/14oz canned tomato tin - perfect size). This fits both the pie and muffin tins.
  • Press the rounds into the tins and fill to the brim with the Filling.
  • Cut the pie tops out of the puff pastry using a 8 cm / 3.2" round cutter (a scone cutter is the perfect size).
  • Place the lids on top of the filling, gently pressing to try to join the top with the casing.
  • Pearce the lids 3 or 4 times with a small knife. Brush with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until dark golden brown (or deep golden brown if you used a whole egg for the wash).
  • Allow to rest for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Serve very warm with tomato sauce (tomato ketchup).

Recipe Notes:

1. You can just about get all the lids that you need from 3 sheets of puff pastry (because the lid rounds are smaller than the shell). But just in case, have a 4th on hand otherwise you might end up with one pie without a lid, which would be very sad!
2. These freeze well after baking. You can reheat them from frozen, or thaw them first.
3. I have estimated the pastry that is discarded when the rounds are cut out in determining the nutrition analysis.
Party Pies Mini Beef Pies Nutrition
Party Pies (Mini Beef Pies) - the classic Australian party / footy food, in mini form. Easy to make and freezes brilliantly.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 218gCalories: 482cal (24%)Carbohydrates: 23.3g (8%)Protein: 30g (60%)Fat: 28.2g (43%)Saturated Fat: 6.4g (40%)Cholesterol: 100mg (33%)Sodium: 468mg (20%)Potassium: 330mg (9%)Fiber: 0.9g (4%)Sugar: 1.1g (1%)Vitamin A: 50IU (1%)Vitamin C: 1.7mg (2%)Calcium: 20mg (2%)Iron: 3.8mg (21%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

 

SaveSave

SaveSave

Previous Post
One Pan Spanish Chicken and Chorizo
Next Post
Pull Apart Pizza Bread

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Related Posts

Beef Standing Rib Roast (Prime Rib) medium rare with slice cut, showing the inside

Standing Rib Roast (Prime Rib)

Pulling a slice out of freshly cooked Family Meat Pie

Family Meat Pie

Close up of Cafe de Paris melting on steak

Café de Paris butter – sauce for steak

More Beef Recipes

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Cooked this? Rate this recipe!




172 Comments

  1. Suzanne says

    September 13, 2020 at 12:01 pm

    5 stars
    I made the filling, then cooked them in my pie maker. Perfect.

    Reply
  2. Karen says

    September 5, 2020 at 2:54 am

    I live overseas and a sudden craving had me looking for a recipe for meat pies! The result was very messy but tasted delicious, and lets face it meat pies are messy and look a bit like a massacre once you’ve smothered with tomato sauce and dug in. I use a muffin tin and used a bit bigger size for the base which made them deep and more filling. Tricky to get the lids to stick but in the end squished the edges with a fork. I ran out of pastry so have filling to freeze for next time! Thanks for the nostalgia!

    Reply
  3. Caroline Clayson says

    August 12, 2020 at 7:59 pm

    The first time I made this it worked well, the second time I made it the bottom didn’t cook. Is it because the meat mixture was cold the second time??? Help !!!!it was delicious though

    Reply
  4. Vanessa says

    July 22, 2020 at 6:18 pm

    Would this recipe also work with the mince filling used as an alternative in the full size meat pie recipe?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 23, 2020 at 2:52 pm

      Yes 100% Vanessa! N x

      Reply
  5. Kaz says

    June 12, 2020 at 6:52 pm

    Oi oi oi 😆

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 13, 2020 at 7:07 am

      😂

      Reply
  6. Bronwen Ellen says

    May 3, 2020 at 7:28 pm

    5 stars
    My son made these , they were awesome. My husband thinks he is the Guru of meat pies , nothing will beat his local bakery . Well , these were so much better than his bakery pies 💋👍👍amazing

    Reply
  7. Chris-27 says

    May 2, 2020 at 2:55 pm

    I’ll buy the puff pastry for the lids, but do you think that 2-1/2 cups of flour would make enough pie crust dough for the bottoms? (Who am I kidding … I’ll always find a use for extra pastry!)

    Reply
  8. Nelofer says

    March 9, 2020 at 4:30 pm

    Hi, can I skip the wine from
    this recipe? Thanks

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 10, 2020 at 8:11 am

      Hi Nelofer – you can sub with extra beef broth and a splash of Worcestershire in its place if you don’t have wine – N x

      Reply
    • Nelofer says

      March 10, 2020 at 9:09 pm

      Thanks a lot for ur quick reply . Will definitely try this recipe as my son love Aussie pies 😊

      Reply
    • JB says

      July 12, 2020 at 7:50 am

      Pomegranate juice works wonders with this recipe

      Reply
  9. Damian says

    December 22, 2019 at 11:48 pm

    Hi there. How many days would the pies keep in the fridge? This is the second recipe of yours I am using. The Slow cooker beef brisket with bbq sauce has been a huge success with my family! Thanks in advance!

    Reply
  10. Charlotte Simpkins says

    December 6, 2019 at 8:00 am

    Hi, how deep was each pie? Looking for a tin the right size…

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 6, 2019 at 9:27 am

      Hi Charlotte, usually about 1″ deep or you can use a Texas muffin tin – N x

      Reply
  11. Heather says

    November 30, 2019 at 12:33 pm

    For a party I’d love to try these but want to make ahead and freeze to save time day of. Will these still taste great and what temp/time would you recommend? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 30, 2019 at 2:39 pm

      Hi Heather, these freeze great – just thaw and cook as per the instructions 🙂

      Reply
  12. Fardeenah says

    October 15, 2019 at 10:45 am

    Hi Nagi. Do I need to blind bake them first?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 15, 2019 at 12:25 pm

      Hi Fardeenah, not for this recipe – N x

      Reply
      • Fardeenah says

        October 15, 2019 at 11:10 pm

        Thanks a lot Nagi. Making them this Thursday for International Lunch at my little girl’s school. We are in Qatar, representing Australia!

        Reply
  13. Fardeenah says

    September 24, 2019 at 3:42 am

    Hi Nagi thanks a lot for this recipe which I’m trying for a school lunch next week. I’m wondering if I could swap the chuck beef for beef mince? Also, if I’m using muffin tins, don’t I need to blind bake the pie crusts first? Thanks for getting back to me.

    Reply
    • Leigh-Anne says

      October 1, 2019 at 10:01 am

      I can’t see why not, obviously would cook mince a lot less.

      Reply
      • Fardeenah says

        October 9, 2019 at 5:59 pm

        Thanks for your reply.

        Reply
      • Fardeenah says

        October 9, 2019 at 6:01 pm

        What about blind baking for mini pies? Would it be better?

        Reply
      • Emma Jones says

        November 12, 2019 at 7:52 am

        Hi there could I do the filling in the slow cooker? And how long for? Thank you

        Reply
  14. Charlene says

    July 22, 2019 at 2:44 am

    Hi Nagi

    Thanks for the recipe, another winner. It was hit with kids and hubs, they asked for thirds 😀Didnt use red wine but it was still good, I subbed with more low sodium beef stock.Cant wait to try the beef and mushroom pie. Greetings from a chilly Cape Town.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 22, 2019 at 8:23 am

      Woot! I’m so glad they were a hit with the family!

      Reply
  15. Adele Berndt says

    May 13, 2019 at 3:26 am

    5 stars
    I made these tonight but made 2 small and 1 larger pie. I did the beef in the slow cooker and it tasted awesome. Alcohol free wine works really well. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 13, 2019 at 8:22 am

      That’s so great to hear Adele!

      Reply
    • Emma Jones says

      November 12, 2019 at 7:54 am

      Hi Adele

      How long did you cook in the slow cooker? Thank toy

      Reply
  16. Syd says

    April 15, 2019 at 6:42 am

    You may want to change the “total” time to about 1 1/2 hrs, since you cook the meat for 1 hr and then the assembled pies for about half an hour. Just a thought! Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
  17. Jenny says

    February 20, 2019 at 4:11 am

    3 stars
    My kids found the filling a bit rich (probably should have measured the wine 🙂 I made them again with mince and left out the wine and my husband ate 10 in a row! Thanks a million.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 20, 2019 at 9:38 am

      Hi Jenny, I’m glad your husband loved them! You can always substitute the wine for more broth and a splash of Worcestershire sauce for the kids ☺️

      Reply
  18. David Olsen says

    January 25, 2019 at 6:29 pm

    Just finished making the meat filling now. I added a dash of American mustard to the mix and instead of cornflour, I used Greens gravy granules. It thickened up nicely and tastes spectacular. Thanks

    Reply
  19. Doone Campbell says

    January 25, 2019 at 7:41 am

    Hi Nagi,
    Am about to cook your party pies in readiness for an Australia Day party tomorrow- I will freeze them overnight. Just a question about reheating – how long on high in the microwave if frozen and/or how long in the oven if thawed in a moderate oven??

    Reply
  20. Paula says

    November 29, 2018 at 5:14 am

    4 stars
    Made the meat yesterday=- it is awesome. Put them together today, mine made 24 muffin size. Which really are a decent size. 4 stuck to pan, so i’m hoping getting them cold will help get those out. Delish. I did use store bought pie crust for the bottom

    Reply
    • Nagi Maehashi says

      December 5, 2018 at 1:33 pm

      I’m so glad you loved them Paula!

      Reply
Older Comments
Newer Comments

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Meet Dozer

Official taste tester of RecipeTin Eats! Meet Dozer
As Featured On

What's for Dinner?

Close up of beef enchiladas in a baking dish, fresh out of the oven

Beef Enchiladas

Butter Chicken served over basmati rice in a bowl, ready to be served

Butter Chicken

Overhead photo of 2 black bowls with Chinese Chicken Salad with Asian Dressing, ready to be eaten

Chinese Chicken Salad

Salisbury Steak recipe in skillet.

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken - 7 ingredient magic. The coconut fragrance is heavenly! recipetineats.com

Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken

Fast prep. Big flavours!

Never miss a recipe

Back to Top
  • Related
  • RecipeTin Japan
  • Food Bloggers Center
  • Help
  • Contact Us
  • Image Use
  • Privacy Policy & Terms
Site Credits Maintained by Zao Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled © RecipeTin Eats 2022 · All Rights Reserved Back to Top