By:Nagi
176 Comments
There’s few foods more quintessentially Aussie than Party Pies! They made an appearance at every birthday party I attended as a kid…. and many as an adult! 😂 Homemade is a gazillion times better than the frozen store bought ones. Tender beef filling with a pie gravy inside flaky pastry – it’s your dream come true!
Party Pies
“Classic Aussie meat pies – in mini form made in muffin tins!”
In the lead up to Australia Day on 26 January 2015, I’m going to share a series of classic Aussie fare. AndI can’t think of anything more quintessentially “Aussie” than meat pies. Meat pies are to Australians what hot dogs are to Americans. You can’t go to a footy game here without being surroundedby blokes (and some lasses….) boisterously cheering on their teams with a pie in one hand and a beer in the other. Crumbs down their shirt, tomato sauce smeared around their mouth….I’m painting a classy picture of Aussie blokes, aren’t I??!
OK, so I’m exaggerating a wee bit. Not all Aussie blokes are like that. But you get the picture. 🙂
Every time I have a pie, I’m reminded of childhood outings to places like the zoo and aquarium where we’d be treated with a pie for lunch. My brother, sister and I would sit, lined up on a bench (or, more likely, just sit on the ground somewhere), peel off the pastry lid, mix tomato sauce (ketchup) into the filling and impatiently wait for itto cool down enough so we could start digging in. We’d eat the filling with a plastic spoon which was not only practical, but also meant we got to save the best for last – the pastry.
I still eat my pies with a spoon. In private. 🙂
The pies you typically get at footy games and bakeries are the larger size ones – around 10cm/4″ in diameter.But I’m particularly fond of party pies – small ones that are made in muffin tins rather than having to get special pie tins to make the larger ones.Plus they are easier to eat without a plate.
Though this recipe is really easy to make, it does take time.Honestly, the first time I made this I was a bit cynical about whether it would be worth the effort. Because you can get really great quality party pies nowadays, not only from the supermarket but also from bakeries.
I swear to you, it is worth the effort. So. Dang. Good. And it tastesreal. I can never describe it exactly. I guess it’s the flavour of preservative-free food? I don’t know. All I know is that it’s worth the effort.
– Nagi
PS. This makes a big batch because I find it hard to braise a smaller amount of beef and make a good sauce. Plus they freeze so well, I figure you may as well make a lot while you’re at it!
More Aussie favourites
Scones – and Lemonade Scones 3 ingredient shortcut scones!
Caramel Slice
Pikelets
Lamingtons
Pavlova
Sausage Rolls
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Party Pies (Aussie Mini Beef Pies)
Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 25 minutes mins
Cook: 25 minutes mins
Total: 50 minutes mins
Baking, Party Food
Australian
4.82 from 33 votes
Servings16
Tap or hover to scale
Classic Aussie fare - a meat pie with a beef filling that's been braised until tender. Great food for parties that freezes extremely well! The great thing about mini pies is that you can make them in pie tins, muffin tins or even cupcake trays! Just make sure to cut the rounds so they fit the tin that you use.
Ingredients
Filling
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 lb / 1.5kg chuck steak , cut into 1cm / 2/5" cubes (or other beef cut suitable for slow cooking)
- 2 onions , peeled and diced (brown, yellow or white)
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups / 1 litre / 1 quart beef stock/broth
- 1 cup red wine (anything dry and dark, not light like pinot noir)
- 2 dried bay leaves (or 3 fresh)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt , plus more to taste
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
- 4 tbsp water
Pastry
- 1 egg yolk , lightly beaten (or 1 whole egg, for a slightly less dark golden finish)
- 4 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry (25cm x 25cm / 10" x 10"), thawed
- 3 - 4 sheets frozen puff pastry (25cm x 25cm / 10" x 10"), thawed (Note 1)
To Serve
- Tomato Sauce / Tomato Ketchup
Instructions
Place 1 tbsp of oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add half the beef and sear until the outside is lightly browned. Remove from the pot into a bowl and repeat with remaining beef.
Lower the heat to medium high and add the remaining olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent - around 5 minutes.
Return the beef to the pot along with all other Filling ingredients other than the cornstarch / cornflour and water. Mix to combine. The liquid should be just enough to cover most of the beef but there should be a bit protruding through the surface.
Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to low / medium low so it is bubbling very gently. Leave to cook for 50 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until the beef is very tender. Because the beef is cut so small, it shouldn't take much longer than 1 hour. If the liquid evaporates too quickly, just add a bit more water.
When the beef is ready (or almost ready), mix the cornstarch / cornflour and water together then pour it into the pot. Mix through and allow to cook for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce. Adjust salt to taste.
Remove pot from the stove and set aside to cool. The sauce will thicken more when it cools.
Assemble the Pies
Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
Spray 16 holes of Texas muffin tins or pie tins (8cm / 3.2" diameter across top). I made half in muffin tins and half in pie tins.
Cut the pastry base out of the shortcrust pastry using a 10 cm/ 4" round cutter (I use an empty 800g/14oz canned tomato tin - perfect size). This fits both the pie and muffin tins.
Press the rounds into the tins and fill to the brim with the Filling.
Cut the pie tops out of the puff pastry using a 8 cm / 3.2" round cutter (a scone cutter is the perfect size).
Place the lids on top of the filling, gently pressing to try to join the top with the casing.
Pearce the lids 3 or 4 times with a small knife. Brush with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until dark golden brown (or deep golden brown if you used a whole egg for the wash).
Allow to rest for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Serve very warm with tomato sauce (tomato ketchup).
Recipe Notes:
1. You can just about get all the lids that you need from 3 sheets of puff pastry (because the lid rounds are smaller than the shell). But just in case, have a 4th on hand otherwise you might end up with one pie without a lid, which would be very sad!
2. These freeze well after baking. You can reheat them from frozen, or thaw them first.
3.I have estimated the pastry that is discarded when the rounds are cut out in determining the nutrition analysis.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 218gCalories: 482cal (24%)Carbohydrates: 23.3g (8%)Protein: 30g (60%)Fat: 28.2g (43%)Saturated Fat: 6.4g (40%)Cholesterol: 100mg (33%)Sodium: 468mg (20%)Potassium: 330mg (9%)Fiber: 0.9g (4%)Sugar: 1.1g (1%)Vitamin A: 50IU (1%)Vitamin C: 1.7mg (2%)Calcium: 20mg (2%)Iron: 3.8mg (21%)
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Hi, I'm Nagi!
I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!
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Reader Interactions
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176 Comments
Glenda Darbyshire says
Great recipe Nagi. I made3 dozen exactly of these delicious pies yesterday. Best party pies.Reply
- Lee says
If you were making party-sized pithiviers, would you bake them for a similar time?
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- Kevin says
Use the offcuts of puff pastry and cut into all sorts of shapes. brush with butter and then sprinkle cinnamon sugar on. Bake on a tray lined with parchment paper until puffed up and golden and you get a side snack as well and no waste 😁.
Party pies are brilliant as well. Will keep this recipe and use repeatedly!
Reply
- Nicolette says
I made this recipe but vegan….I used well rinsed red lentils instead of meat and vegan stock instead of a meat stock. To get the meaty flavour I added 1-2 tbl of mushroom soy sauce (works a treat as a meat flavoured substitute). They were delicious (I also used my own pastry with flour and water to make even healthier) but I love the recipe. ThanksReply
- Elle says
Yum yum and yum.We actually used chunk steak and seared all 8 of them then threw into the slow cooker for 8 hours. Needed a little extra cornflour to thicken at the end though.
Made for footy grand final and even with my team losing, they still tasted fab 👌
Reply
- Blitzo says
Awesome! i love eating pies this is one of my favorite. Thank you for posting.
Reply
- Carol Wright says
Nagi, here is the Guardian section I mentioned earlier. It had a live link to the recipe on your site 🙂
“If tiny meat pies – a classic Australian party staple – were simple to make from scratch, they probably wouldn’t dominate so much space in the freezer aisle. This recipe from Nagi Maehashi of Recipe Tin Eats, will take time and patience, but once you bite into the flake of homemade pastry, and see the spill of warm, tender beef and gravy inside, the pre-made version may be forever spoiled.”
Carol
Reply
- Carol Wright says
Hi Nagi, and Season’s Greetings from across the ditch!
Just wanted to tell you that today your party pies made The Guardian food section as a suggestion for New Year canapes. You got a name check 🙂 Fame indeed.
Take care, and all the very best for a happy and healthy year ahead.
Carol in Auckland xReply
- Sylvie says
Going to try to make them on Sunday for our American friends , our NRL team “Penrith ,panthers” is in the grand final this weekend back home , so definitely party pies and sausage rolls on the menu.
.miss a good Aussie pie🥲Reply
- Sarah says
Hi Nagi,
Just wondering what alternative cuts are good for this, I’ve got blade roast, topside and roast beef all in the freezer, would any be a good substitute?Reply
- Apple Ng says
Hi, I want to make this one day before the party. May I ask whether it is ok to reheat these pie from refrigerator on the next day? If yes, what temperature and for how long in fan forced oven? Thank you!
Reply
- Lindi says
I do exactly what do with the a spoon, half my score always go the the pie crust, so many bakeries have a great pie filling and top but pie crust is thick no flavour except uncooked flour. Back in the 60’s on Saturdays was our treat while playing golf, all the kids went to the local for four and twenty pies and a milkshakes. They are not so good any more…lol Love your party pies, have made several times. I might even say I like it more than my recipe I have been baking for the past few decades in my old catering business.Reply
- Carol Estasy says
I made these pies recently and froze the leftover filling. Today I am using the meat to make a large pie in the same way. I will let you know how it turns out. The pies were delish by the way.
Reply
- RC says
Ta for the Aussie food series! I left Australia almost 32 years ago, but today I started my way down memory lane when I was looking at one of the biscuit cookbooks we still have from back then, I have made meat pies before, but party pies popped in my head for the first time in forever! And then I see sausage rolls, piklets and lamingtons. I’m in nostalgia paradise!
Reply
- Kellie P says
I have made these over and over. There are never any leftovers. So delicious. Takes a while but it’s worth it. I used Pillsbury Pie Crusts for the bottoms, and Pillsbury Crescent Rolls for the tops. And I baked the bottoms for a bit before filling, so they’re not soggy. I may try making a bigger batch so we can have leftovers.Reply
- Amy says
I never leave comments on recipes, but I couldn’t hold back on this one! I’ve been in the US for 12 years, and yesterday had a sudden nostalgic craving. I made these and your sausage rolls, and both are SO. GOOD. My American husband tried one of each and suggested we drop everything and move to Aus this weekend. Thanks for fulfilling my homesick craving!Reply
- Suzanne says
I made the filling, then cooked them in my pie maker. Perfect.Reply
- Karen says
I live overseas and a sudden craving had me looking for a recipe for meat pies! The result was very messy but tasted delicious, and lets face it meat pies are messy and look a bit like a massacre once you’ve smothered with tomato sauce and dug in. I use a muffin tin and used a bit bigger size for the base which made them deep and more filling. Tricky to get the lids to stick but in the end squished the edges with a fork. I ran out of pastry so have filling to freeze for next time! Thanks for the nostalgia!
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- Caroline Clayson says
The first time I made this it worked well, the second time I made it the bottom didn’t cook. Is it because the meat mixture was cold the second time??? Help !!!!it was delicious though
Reply
- Vanessa says
Would this recipe also work with the mince filling used as an alternative in the full size meat pie recipe?
Reply
- Nagi says
Yes 100% Vanessa! N x
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