Guinness Pie

This dish is adapted from a New York Times recipe. It's got two of my favorite attributes.

You can make it ahead and it's a one pot meal. Guinness Pie the perfect dinner for a cold winter's day when you want to come home from playing in the snow and tuck into a comforting plate of delicious food. I often prepared meals like this when my kids were young and our days were filled with outdoor adventures. By end of day, when my energy was at its lowest point, there was nothing better than knowing dinner was already prepped and ready be to be popped into a hot oven.

In my humble opinion, what sets this apart from your average beef pie is the combination of dark, rich Guinness stout, sharp cheddar cheese and slowly braised beef. I like to use chuck steak. It's a great affordable option with lots of flavor. I always make the flaky crust from scratch. For me, the minimal effort it takes to prepare the dough is easier and more satisfying than using purchased pie crust. But if you prefer to use store bought pie crust, that works too. If you're really feeling indulgent, enjoy this delicious pie alongside a nice glass of wine and an additional vegetable like roasted asparagus. 

I recently served this dish at a dinner for some friends to rave reviews. They requested a blog post, so here it is. Happy cooking!

I miss those days of long wintery walks in nearby Riverside park with my kids.
It was always nice to know we had a comforting dinner waiting for us at home.

Don't be put off by the long cook time for the beef filling. Plan ahead and
assemble all your ingredients. Executing the simple instructions for this recipe is a snap.

I prefer to chop all my vegetables before I begin sautéing.

Don't be afraid to make pie crust from scratch. It's easier than you think.

I often prepare the pie crust dough a day before assembling the pie.

Don't skip the egg wash. It encourages your crust to reach that mouthwatering golden color.

Guinness Pie

For the filling:

Ingredients:
4 tbl butter
2c peeled, chopped onions (red or white)
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced 
3 ribs of celery, cleaned and chopped
1 lb of mushrooms (I use white button or cremini) cleaned and sliced
3 lbs chuck steak, cut into 2" pieces
1 tbl dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbl flour
4c of Guinness stout (or more as needed)

1c of grated, sharp cheddar cheese

For the pie crust:

Ingredients:
1 1/2c flour
2 1/4tsp baking powder
4 tbl butter (cold, cut into 4 pieces)
4 tbl vegetable shortening (or lard if you want a really delicious, flaky crust)
ice water (about 3tbl)

egg wash (1 egg beaten with a splash of water)

Directions:

Make the filling:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

1. In a large dutch oven with a lid, melt 2tbl of butter over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms and 2 more tbl of butter to the pot. Continue to sauté for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and mushrooms have given up all their liquid.

3. Sprinkle beef liberally with salt and pepper and add to the pot. Add the thyme and flour.
Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.

4. Add the stout. Be sure the liquid covers the beef mixture, adding more if needed.
Cover and place into the preheated oven. 

5. After 1 1/2 hours, remove the pot from the oven, remove the lid and stir. Stir in half the cheddar, cover and cook in the oven for another hour.

Make the crust:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and shortening (or lard) in pieces and combine until blended and the mixture looks like sand.

2. Slowly add the ice water just until the mixture holds together.

3. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to one day ahead.

Assemble the pie:
1. Once cooked, place the beef mixture into a 9"x12" baking pan. I like my LeCruset stoneware pan, but any ceramic or glass baking dish will do (like Pyrex).

2. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese over the beef.

3. On a floured board, roll out the pie crust and cover the beef mixture. 

4. Crimp the edges of the pie with a fork and brush with egg wash. Using a sharp knife, cut some air vents into the top of the pie or use your fork to pierce the top.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until the filling is bubble and top is golden.