Old Fashioned Corned Beef Pie

Are you ready for a slice of history?  This corned beef pie actually has roots in the British Army.  For over a hundred years, British soldiers were fed hardtack and bully beef, a finely minced corned beef mixed with a little gelatin, on the front lines.

This meat was often made into sandwiches, but home cooks, in Wales especially, mixed the canned meat with potatoes and vegetables to make it flavorful.

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Questions

What is corned beef pie?

It's a British dish made from a mixture of canned corned beef, potatoes, mirepoix, beef broth, and seasonings.  It's traditionally topped with a hot water pastry, which is quite sturdy and has a unique flaky texture.  The filling is cooked first, then baked with the pastry on top.

How do you open a can of corned beef?

• Break off the key from the side of the can.
• Insert the metal tab on the can into the slit in the key.
• Turn the key.  The metal strip around the can will roll up around the key.
• Remove the lid and dump the beef out of the tin.

Can I make it ahead of time?

Yes, it definitely can be made in advance.  The filling can be cooked a few days ahead of time and baked with the pastry on top when you want to serve it.  A fully baked pie can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, you can freeze the filling for up to 2 months.  I wouldn't recommend freezing the pastry, as it may not be very crisp after freezing.

How to Make

You'll need some yummy veggies, canned corned beef (or fresh), and some seasonings.

Cook up those veggies in a Dutch oven for about 25 minutes, and you have a super flavorful, tempting-to-eat-some filling.

Throw everything together to get a beautiful dish.  Just bake, and enjoy!

Pro Tips

• The filling can be made the day before, and assembled and baked when desired.
• Use good-quality canned corned beef or freshly cooked beef for the best taste.
• Make your own hot water crust.  Pre-made pastry is not the same thing.
• Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.  Reheat in the microwave.

Recommended Tools

• Enamel Dish: a must-have for making beautiful and traditional pies.
• Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup: a durable measuring cup for liquids and solids.
• Pastry Brushes: these sturdy brushes don't lose their bristles easily.
• Vegetable Peeler: the easy-grip handle and swivel blade of this peeler make it super easy to use.

Other British Savory Pies

• Steak and Ale Pie
• Woolton Pie
• Chicken and Leek Pie
• Minced Beef Pie
• Dingle Pie

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Recipe

Old Fashioned Corned Beef Pie

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★★★★★

5 from 7 reviews

• Author: Emma
• Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 1 large pie 1x

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Description

Old fashioned corned beef pie is a British comfort food dinner that your whole family will love.  Potatoes, carrots, celery, and garlic flavor this old-fashioned meat pie made with homemade shortcrust pastry.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Filling

• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 2 cups yellow onion, chopped (288g)
• 1 ½ cups carrot, diced (227g)
• 1 cup celery, diced (123g)
• 4 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 3 red potatoes, peeled and diced (514g peeled weight)
• 2 12-ounce cans corned beef, crumbled (2 340g tins)
• 2 cups beef stock (500 ml)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ¼ teaspoon English mustard, such as Colman's
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

For the Pastry

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (300g)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled (75g)
• generous 5 tablespoons lard (75g)
• pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 4-6 tablespoons water

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Instructions

Making the Pastry (10 minutes + 1 hour chilling)

1. Pour the flour into a medium mixing bowl and add the butter, lard, and salt.  Pinch the fats and mix together with the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Mix in the vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water, then gradually add additional water until a smooth pastry forms.
3. Knead gently a few times, then shape into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least an hour.

Making the Filling (45 minutes + 25 minutes cooking + 20 minutes cooling)

1. While the pastry is chilling, make the filling.  Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven.  Once the butter is bubbling, add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic.  Cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
2. Stir in the potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes, then mix in the crumbled corned beef until well blended.
3. Pour in the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, English mustard, and black pepper and stir until combined.  Cover and bring to a boil.
4. Remove the lid and allow the mixture to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes and vegetables are cooked through, stirring occasionally.
5. Skim off any liquid that hasn't evaporated, then stir in the fresh chopped parsley.
6. Pour the filling into a 9 by 13-inch cake pan and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Baking the Pie (10 minutes + 45 minutes baking + cooling)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Beat an egg with a fork and set aside.
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it's a little less than ⅛ inch thick.  Line the base of a 6-cup (1.5 liter) pie dish with the pastry, trimming off any excess.
3. Evenly spread the cooled filling in the pastry-lined dish, then brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg.
4. Re-roll the remaining pastry and cover the pie with it.  Press down the edges to seal, then trim off the excess pastry.  Crimp the edges as desired, brush the top with beaten egg, and cut a few vent holes in the top.
5. Bake for 45-55 minutes at 400 F, until the pastry is well browned.  Cover the edges with aluminum foil if they brown too quickly.
6. Let the pie stand for about 15 minutes before serving.  Serve hot or cold.

Notes

• The filling can be made the day before, and assembled and baked when desired.
• Use good-quality canned corned beef or freshly cooked beef for the best flavor.
• There's no need to add salt because the canned beef contains a lot of sodium.
• Make your own pastry.  The hot water crust can't be substituted with store-bought pastry.
• Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.

• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: British

Keywords: corned beef, pie, potato