Is Beef Mince Off if It Looks Brown

This easy minced beef and onion pie with shortcrust pastry is a classic meal that is hard to beat. The rich meat filling and crisp shortcrust pastry make this savoury mince pie hard to resist.

A slice of minced beef and onion pie with peas and gravy.

This recipe is dedicated to my Mum who served me a particularly delicious minced beef and onion pie during a recent visit.

It got me thinking about some of the foods my family loves but I rarely cook. An old-fashioned, simply but richly flavoured savoury mince pie is certainly near the top of the list of our favourites. Here's my rendition.

Mince and onion savoury pie with a slice removed.

Why you'll love this Savoury Mince Pie

Forget the Pukka pies your local chip-shop might serve up, this minced beef pie has so much more going for it:

The golden shortcrust pastry is light and crisp and the perfect partner to that mince and onion pie filling
And it's not just got a pastry lid – this pie has a pastry base too, with the meaty filling encased in the middle
This recipe produces a delicious traditional English meat pie teeming with flavour thanks to the slow cooking of the onions at the start of the recipe
It's a crowd-pleasing savoury pie that can be paired with plenty of side dishes
The recipe can be adapted to make individual minced beef pies

Honestly, this traditional mince and onion pie is so delicious it would make a worthy addition to celebration meals such as Christmas or Easter instead of the usual roast meats.

If you like the look of this pie, you may also be interested in my steak and stilton pie.

Ingredients Notes

Ingredients for ground beef pie with text overlay.

Use minced (ground) beef with around 10% fat content for the best balance between flavour and health considerations. Any higher and the filling might seem greasy but meat with 5% fat can dry out more quickly during cooking.

Garlic is optional. It's unlikely Grandparents or Great Grandparents included it when making a minced beef and onion pie but it does enhance the flavour somewhat.

Worcestershire sauce is easy to get hold of in the UK. Made to a secret recipe, it has a meaty savoury deliciousness about it that certainly helps impart plenty of rich flavour to recipes. If you struggle to get hold of it use soy sauce in its place.

Plain (all-purpose) flour contains no raising agents so is the ideal choice for making shortcrust pastry. Do not use self-raising flour in its place.

Use real butter for the pie crust for the best flavour and texture. Baking margarine is no substitute here.

Step by step instructions

Making this minced beef pie is easy and the steps can be broken down into 3 separate stages:

Cook the minced beef and onion pie filling
Make the pastry
Assemble the pie and bake

1. Make the mince and onion filling

Dice the onion and fry in a little oil for 10-15 minutes until soft and beginning to colour. Stir frequently. Stir in minced garlic (if using)
Add the meat and brown
Sprinkle in a tablespoon of flour and mixed herbs, stir and cook for 2 minutes
Add salt, pepper, stock and Worcestershire sauce
Cook gently for 20-30 minutes, stirring several times
Let cool completely

Collage of images showing pie filling being made.

2. Make the shortcrust pastry

Put the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir briefly
Cube the butter and rub it into the flour using the tips of your fingers
Add half the water and stir with a blunt knife, until the dough just comes together – add more water, little by little, as necessary. Aim for a soft, but not sticky dough
Tip onto a lightly floured work surface, knead briefly, then split in half and form into two discs. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes

Collage of images showing shortcrust pastry being made.

3. Assemble and bake

Roll out one piece of pastry on a floured work surface to 2-3mm thick and use to line the pie tin. Brush the edges with a little beaten egg
Pile the minced beef and onion filling into the pastry case and brush the pastry edge with beaten egg
Roll out the remaining pastry and use to top the pie. Press the edge of the pastry to seal the pie and trim the excess pastry with a blunt knife. Use a sharp knife to make slash lines around the edge of the pie for decoration, or, if you are feeling fancy, re-roll any off-cuts of pastry and use to decorate the pie (e.g. leaves, lettering etc…)
Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg, make a slit in the centre to allow steam to escape and bake for around 45 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden

Collage of images showing a meat pie being assembled.

Expert tips

Ensure the mince and onion pie filling is cold before assembling the pie, otherwise the pastry will melt during assembly
Make it quick and easy by using pre-made pastry from the supermakret chiller section
For variation use puff pastry
Get ahead: make the minced beef pie filling the day before then cool and store in the fridge until ready to assemble and bake the pie
Use the fiilling with a mashed potato top to turn it into cottage pie
Or go for a hybrid pie by using pastry on the base but adding mashed potato on the top of the minced beef and onion pie filling

Frequently asked questions

Is this a plate pie?

A plate pie is a pie that is constructed in a shallow pie dish and has just one layer of pastry on the top. This minced beef pie is not a plate pie as it is made in a deeper pie dish and has a layer of pastry both under and on top of the minced beef filling.

Can I freeze it?

Yes. Once made just let the pie cool completely then wrap in clingfilm and freeze until required. When ready to use let it defrost overnight in the fridge then remove the wrap and reheat in the oven (150C/ 300F/ GM 2 for 20 minutes.

Leftovers can also be frozen. Cut into slices, wrap individually and freeze. When ready to reheat it's best to remove any clingfilm then place the pie on a square of foil. Pull up the foil to cover the exposed sides of the pie to stop the filling from drying out then reheat in the oven.

Don't forget to label and date the pie before putting it into the freezer. It will keep well for up to 3 months.

Can I make the mince in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can. I advise sweating the onion and browning the beef before adding to the slow cooker to ensure depth of flavour in the meat pie filling. Then add them to the slow cooker pan along with the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 5 hours.

Tip: as the slow cooker doesn't allow for evaporation, use just half of the stock and top up with more only if your pie filling gets too dry.

What to serve with savoury mince pie

Minced beef pie can be quite filling because of the pastry, which is rich in butter. A serving of vegetables with a small portion of potato-based carbohydrates alongside is usually sufficient to satisfy hungry appetites. Here are a few ideas for those side dishes:

Mushy peas
Garden peas
Tenderstem brocolli
Roasted mushrooms
Roasted root vegetables
Fat chips
Creamy mashed potatoes
Boiled new potatoes
Roast potatoes

Whatever your favourite side dishes to a slice of this minced beef and onion pie, make sure you serve a jugful of rich, thick gravy alongside.

A slice of minced beef and onion pie with peas and gravy on a plate.

More savoury pie recipes worth making

Mediterranean Lamb Pie

Cheesy Vegetable Potato Pies

BEEF PASTIES (WITH OPTIONAL HORSERADISH)

Black Lentil Beetroot Pie

Have you made this savoury mince pie? Let me know how you got along by leaving a comment or rating below. You can also show me your creation on Instagram by tagging me @jane_littlesugarsnaps.

Close up of a slice of minced beef pie with peas and gravy.

▢
1 x 8-inch (20cm) pie dish around 2 inches (5-6cm) deep

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

For the meat pie filling

▢ 600 g Minced (ground) beef use 10% fat
▢ 1 Large onion approx 300g
▢ 1 Garlic clove optional
▢ 1 tablespoon Plain (all-purpose) flour
▢ 150 ml Beef stock made from a cube is fine
▢ 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce use soy sauce if unavailable
▢ 1½ teaspoons Mixed herbs
▢ ½ teaspoon Salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon Black pepper

For the shortcrust pastry

▢ 350 g Plain (all-purpose) flour
▢ 175 g Butter
▢ ¼ teaspoon Salt
▢ 120 ml Cold water
▢ A little beaten egg

Make the pastry

Put the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir briefly
Cube the butter and rub it into the flour using the tips of your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs and no large lumps of butter remain
Add half the water and stir with a blunt knife, until the dough just comes together, adding more water, little by little, as necessary – aim for a soft, but not sticky dough. Use your hands to gather the dough into a ball
Tip onto a lightly floured work surface, knead briefly, then split in half and form into two discs. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes

Make the pie filling

Dice the onion and fry in a little oil for 10-15 minute until soft and beginning to colour. Stir frequently. If using the garlic, mince it and stir into the onions
Crumble the meat into the pan and stir until browned all over
Sprinkle in the tablespoon of flour and mixed herbs, stir and cook for 2 minutes
Add salt, pepper, ⅔ of the stock and the Worcestershire sauce then cook gently for 20-30 minutes, stirring several times. Add more stock if the mixture gets too dry
Let cool completely then either use or refrigerate until required

Assemble and bake

Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ GM 4
Roll out one piece of pastry on a floured work surface to 2-3mm thick and use to line the pie tin
Pile the minced beef and onion filling into the pastry case and brush the pastry edge with beaten egg
Roll out the remaining pastry and use to top the pie. Press the edge of the pastry to seal the pie and trim the excess pastry with a blunt knife
Use a sharp knife to make slash lines around the edge of the pie for decoration, or, if you are feeling fancy, re-roll any off-cuts of pastry and use to decorate the pie (e.g. leaves, lettering etc…)
Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg, make a slit in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape and bake for around 45 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden

Ensure the minced beef and onion filling is cold before assembling the pie, otherwise the pastry will melt during assembly
Make it quick and easy by usingpre-made pastry from the supermakret chiller section
For variation usepuff pastry
Get ahead: make the mincced beef pie filling the day before then cool and store in the fridge until ready to assemble and bake the pie
Use the fiilling with a mashed potato top to turn it intocottage pie
Or go for ahybrid pie by using pastry on the base but adding mashed potato on the top of the minced beef and onion pie filling

Freezing Instructions

Once made just let cool completely then wrap in clingfilm and freeze until required. When ready to use let it defrost overnight in the fridge then remove the wrap and reheat in the oven (150C/ 300F/ GM 2 for 20 minutes.

Don't forget to label and date the pie before putting it into the freezer. It will keep well for up to 3 months.

Making the meat pie filling in a slow cooker

I advise sweating the onion and browning the beef before adding to the slow cooker to ensure depth of flavour in the meat pie filling. Then add them to the slow cooker pan along with the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 5 hours.

As the slow cooker doesn't allow for evaporation, use just half of the stock and top up with more only if your pie filling gets too dry.

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Source: https://www.littlesugarsnaps.com/minced-beef-and-onion-pie/