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.
Love British meat pies? Don't miss these wonderful recipes for chicken and leek pie and steak and ale pie.
What Is Corned Beef Pie?
Corned beef pie is a British savory pie made from canned (tinned) corned beef, potatoes, and shortcrust pastry. During World War 2, England's strict rationing required everyone to be resourceful with limited ingredients. Other dishes, like the vegetarian Woolton pie, arose during this time of scarcity.
Canned corned beef, also called bully beef, was part of the British soldiers' rations, and also afforded a cheap, easy, and nutritious protein source for civilians as well. Since the 1940s, corned beef pie has become an old-fashioned comfort food staple in the UK, and especially in Wales. Now you can recreate it in your own kitchen and get a taste of this wonderful dish!
Ingredients
The simplest versions of this corned beef pie are little more than corned beef, onion, and potatoes baked in a double pastry crust, but this recipe is a more flavorful modern version that includes a mirepoix and other seasonings for a rich, balanced flavor. Here's the key ingredients that you'll need!
- Corned Beef: Traditionally, canned or tinned corned beef was used; make sure to use a good quality brand for the best flavor. However, minced corned beef brisket or round (called silverside or topside in the UK) works just as well.
- Potatoes: I like to use a firm, waxy potato, like red potatoes, as they hold up well during the simmering and baking and don't turn into mush.
- Mirepoix: A blend of onion, carrot, and celery (called mirepoix in French cooking terms) enriches the existing flavors in this dish.
- Pastry: I highly recommend making your own flaky shortcrust pastry for this pie; it's far better than store bought! Use the simple pastry recipe in this post or use your favorite shortcrust.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Corned Beef Pie
You'll need some yummy veggies, canned corned beef (or fresh), and some seasonings.
- Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until they're softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. (image 1)
- Add the diced potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. (image 2)
- Stir in the corned beef, then add the remaining filling ingredients (parsley, mustard, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth). (image 3)
- Simmer on low for 30-50 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the liquid is mostly evaporated. Let the filling cool. (image 4)
- Line a pie dish or plate with pastry, then spread the cooled filling inside. (image 5)
- Brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg, then cover with pastry on top. Trim off the excess, crimp the edge, and brush with egg again. (image 6)
- Bake the pie at 400°F for 40-45 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Cover the edge of the crust with foil if it starts getting too dark. (image 7)
- Let the corned beef pie stand for 15-20 minutes, then slice and enjoy! (image 8)
Recipe FAQs
Corned beef is simply beef that has been cured or pickled in a salt solution. The term "corned" refers to the large pieces of rock salt, called "corns," that used to be part of the curing process. Although any cut of beef can be cured with this method, usually only briskets and rounds are corned.
The salt-curing process that turns a regular beef brisket into corned beef usually includes adding nitrates to the meat, which preserves its natural pink color. The nitrates convert the protein myoglobin into nitrosomyoglobin, and the meat stays pink even after it's cooked.
Since this savory pie was born during WW2 rationing in the UK, it's traditional to use good-quality canned (tinned) corned beef for ease. But you can use a freshly cooked, minced corned beef brisket or round as well. Either canned or freshly cooked meat will taste delicious and have a great texture in this pie!
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.
The filling can be cooked up to 3 days in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to bake. A fully baked pie can also be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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.
Serve
Corned beef pie is usually served with classic British sides, such as Heinz beans and English chips (French fries). Many people like to drizzle a little English brown gravy or HP sauce (brown sauce) on their slice of pie for extra moisture and flavor, but I think this pie is lovely plain too.
This cozy comfort food would also be nicely accompanied by a serving of mashed potatoes and mushy peas on the side! Round out your meal with a traditional pud, such as treacle sponge pudding, chocolate roulade, or coffee walnut cake for an extra-special meal.
Expert 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 pastry for the best flavor.
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
Other Savory Pies
Recipe
Old Fashioned Corned Beef Pie
Ingredients
For the Pastry
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
- 5 tablespoons lard
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 4-6 tablespoons water
For the Filling
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cups yellow onion, chopped
- 1 ½ cups carrot, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 4 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 3 red potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 12- ounce cans corned beef, crumbled
- 2 cups beef stock
- 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
Instructions
Making the Pastry
- 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.
- Mix in the vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water, then gradually add additional water until a smooth pastry forms.
- 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
- While the pastry is chilling, make the filling. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven, then add the onion, celery, carrot and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes, then mix in the crumbled corned beef until well blended.
- Pour in the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, English mustard, black pepper, and parsley and stir until combined. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer uncovered on low heat for about 30-45 minutes, until the potatoes and vegetables are cooked through and nearly all the liquid has evaporated. Be sure to stir occasionally.
- 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
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Beat an egg with a fork and set aside.
- 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.
- Evenly spread the cooled filling in the pastry-lined dish, then brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg.
- 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.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes at 400°F, until the pastry is well browned. Cover the edges with aluminum foil if they brown too quickly.
- Let the pie stand for about 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot or cold.
Video
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 for the best flavor.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Sue Bainbridge
Absolutely wonderful recipe thank you so much for sharing 🥰
Emma Fajcz
You're very welcome, Sue! We're so glad you enjoyed the pie!
Alex
The pie's filling is wonderful, and the potatoes and meat blend well together. The golden pastry is crisp and adds a warm golden flavor to the overall flavor.
Emma Fajcz
Thank you, Alex!
Beth
A lovely pairing of flaky pastry and corned beef. A hearty and enjoyable British pie!
Emma Fajcz
So glad you enjoyed it, Beth!
Mary
can this pie be reheated if so for how long please
Emma Fajcz
Yes, it can be reheated. Cover with foil and bake it at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until hot.
Igenlode Wordsmith
Doesn't "hot water crust" (pork pie) pastry normally involve melting the fat in boiling water and adding flour? The recipe given --rubbing in and adding cold water-- appears to be for standard shortcrust pastry, although the idea of using hot water crust with corned beef is an interesting one...
Emma Fajcz
Thanks for letting us know about this mistake in the post, Igenlode. It's been corrected.