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Home » Main Course » Savory Pies

Old Fashioned Corned Beef Pie

Published: Feb 13, 2020 · Modified: Mar 10, 2022 by Emma · This post may contain affiliate links, which can earn us a commission.

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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.

plate of corned beef pie with fork

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  • Questions
  • How to Make
  • Pro Tips
  • Recommended Tools
  • Recipe

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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.

ingredients for the filling of a corned beef pie

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

corned beef pie filling in a Dutch oven

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

unbaked corned beef pie

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

The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated.

Recipe

person holding a plate of corned beef pie

Old Fashioned Corned Beef Pie

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.
5 from 7 votes
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Course: Dinner
Cuisine: British
Keyword: beef pot pie, corned beef, potato
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 426kcal
Author: Emma

Ingredients
 

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

For the Pastry

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
  • generous 5 tablespoons lard
  • pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
  • 4-6 tablespoons water
US Imperial - Metric

Instructions

Making the Pastry (10 minutes + 1 hour chilling)

  • 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 (45 minutes + 25 minutes cooking + 20 minutes cooling)

  • 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.
  • 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, and black pepper and stir until combined.  Cover and bring to a boil.
  • Remove the lid and allow the mixture to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes and vegetables are cooked through, stirring occasionally.
  • Skim off any liquid that hasn't evaporated, then stir in the fresh chopped parsley.
  • 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)

  • 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 45-55 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.  The hot water crust can't be substituted with store-bought pastry.
  • Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 426kcal (21%)Carbohydrates: 51g (17%)Protein: 15g (30%)Fat: 18g (28%)Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mg (18%)Sodium: 809mg (35%)Potassium: 865mg (25%)Fiber: 4g (17%)Sugar: 5g (6%)Vitamin A: 4514IU (90%)Vitamin C: 28mg (34%)Calcium: 55mg (6%)Iron: 4mg (22%)
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alyson Murphy

    February 23, 2021 at 11:15 am

    5 stars
    Delicious, I did however replace the Worcestershire sauce for tomato ketchup, amount to your to taste

    Reply
    • Emma

      February 23, 2021 at 12:22 pm

      I'm glad that you found the corned beef pie tasty, Alyson!

      Reply
    • Alyson

      March 11, 2021 at 11:58 am

      Just made one for my son in law and one of his mate... not sure if that was a good idea 😂😂 Wish I could add a photo

      Reply
      • Emma

        March 11, 2021 at 3:06 pm

        😂 I guess it would only be a good idea if they left some for you to enjoy! You can always add a photo to one of our corned beef pie pins on Pinterest.

        Reply
  2. Carrie Co-Dyre

    February 04, 2021 at 11:17 am

    Is the pie crust placed on the bottom of the pie plate as well as top. Video doesn’t show this however recipe says to?

    Reply
    • Emma

      February 04, 2021 at 12:50 pm

      You can do it either way. I usually don't put a bottom crust on most savory pies, as they tend to be quite juicy, which makes the bottom crust soggy.

      Reply
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