Australian Gourmet Meat Pies

This is a recipe we make every Christmas. In Sydney, meatpies are a big part of the culture. We found a gourmet deli that had pies made with sirloin, instead of the ground beef, and found they were the best. After trying out a few recipes, this one is our favorite.

Ingredients:

2 ¼ lbs beef- top sirloin chopped into ½ “ pieces or lean ground beef

2- 14oz cans of low-sodium beef stock

3 TBS tomato sauce

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup red wine

1 tsp fresh or dried oregano

1 tsp steak spice

1 chopped shallot or ¼ white onion chopped finely

½ chopped red pepper (optional)

1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)

Salt/pepper as needed

Thickener:  2 TBS Flour + ¼ cup water OR 2 TBS cornstarch + ¼ cup water

Crust:  Puff Pastry (Pepperidge farm – 1 package makes 4 pies and it comes with 2 sheets) or Tenderflake – comes in two pieces and you roll out each one into a 10x10 square.

Saute the shallots/onion in 3 TBS olive oil.  Gently fry for 2-3 minutes.  Add beef and brown on Med-high.  Add stock, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, red wine & seasonings. 

Simmer for1 ½ to 2 hours till very tender.  Add thickener.  Boil gently 1-2 minutes till thick. Cool.

For crust, cut the puff pastry sheet into 4 equal squares.  Roll lightly so each piece will fit the bottom of a small tinfoil pie plate.  Fill with the cooled mixture.  Top with mushrooms or 2 tbs grated cheddar cheese if using.  Cut another sheet into 4 and roll slightly - use these pieces for the tops of the pies.  Use a fork to go around the edges to seal.  Cut excess pastry off with a knife. 

Place pies on a baking sheet and bake at 375F - 400F for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Place on lowest rack so the bottom cooks through.  To serve, cool slightly and remove from the foil plate.  Serve with ketchup if you’re a true Aussie.

Makes 4 individual pies.