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.
David Eden
Probably the nicest corned beef pie I've ever had. My usual efforts are litte more than beef, potato and onion. The addition of the mirepoix, garlic, stock, mustard and worc (Hendersons relish in my case) really lift the recipe without over powering the homely comfort food flavours.
Emma
That's wonderful to hear, David! Thanks so much for making our recipe and for your kind comment.
Alyson Murphy
Delicious, I did however replace the Worcestershire sauce for tomato ketchup, amount to your to taste
Emma
I'm glad that you found the corned beef pie tasty, Alyson!
Alyson
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
Emma
😂 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.
Carrie Co-Dyre
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?
Emma
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.
Frances
What do you serve with this pie?
Emma
You can serve mashed potatoes, boiled peas, crusty bread, or a light salad on the side. This pie is quite versatile and can go with many different dishes. Enjoy!
Beth
This fantastic pie is filled with juicy corned beef and soft potatoes and carrots. The pastry goes perfectly with the pie. Everything is flavorful and delicious!
Emma
I'm glad that you enjoyed the corned beef pie, Beth!
Alex
This delicious dish is quite unique. The pastry is crunchy and flaky, and the veggies inside are soft and have a lovely flavor. YUM! This is so good that I could eat two slices.
Emma
That's wonderful to hear, Alex! Thanks for your kind words.
Jo
What can you use instead of a Dutch oven please as I'd really like to try this one
Emma
Splitting the filling between two saucepans or using a high-sided skillet are the best Dutch oven alternatives. Enjoy!
Monica
I just made this for our Thanksgiving potluck, my first ever pie of any type! I used a corned beef brisket cooked in the slow cooker and shredded - it was lovely, everyone enjoyed it! Thank you so much! Also extra 'thank you's for the easy recipe multiplier. I chose to use the entire 4 lb brisket and make it deep dish with a spring form pan so I needed to double everything and I don't trust my maths. 🙂
Emma
It must have tasted so yummy with the corned beef brisket, Monica! It sounds like your pie turned out great. Thanks for using my recipe!
Fiona Wilson
I made this recipe instead of my own one day for my dad, my sister, and her husband. Now, they ask for this one all the time. It’s more time consuming than my recipe, but it’s worth it and it freezes really well. I always make two and freeze one.
Emma
Thank you so much, Fiona! Corned beef pie is a lovely dinner, and I'm thrilled to hear that you and your family enjoy it so much! ❤ Happy baking.
Sheila Russell
Really enjoyed this pie, I halved the recipe and there was enough for 4 or 5 meals!
Emma
So glad you liked it, Sheila! Thanks so much for making the corned beef pie!
Virginia Fabritz
I haven't made this yet. I need to know if the English mustard is dry or liquid from a bottle or a little jar. I cannot send emails because my phone won't let me, but I can receive them.
Emma
Hi Virginia! The English mustard I'm referring to is Colman's, a liquid yellow mustard in a very small bottle. It has a strong horseradish flavor, which really adds a punch!
Have fun making the corned beef pie! 🙂
Dmcd1961
Oh my days, this is so lush. We loved it with seconds requested. Every plate clean. Easy to make and would change nothing at all in the recipe. Didn’t make pastry, cheated and bought it. Just as good.
Emma
I'm thrilled that you and your family enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a review! 🙂