Fall apart, ultra tender chunks of beef, bursts of fresh mushroom smothered in the most incredible gravy and topped with flaky, golden puff pastry. My friends, this is not just another beef pie. This is an EPIC Chunky Beef and Mushroom Pie with a little secret ingredient that takes this to the next level!
This is the sort of food that makes me do the happy dance. Literally. I took a massive spoonful and was jumping up and down with glee. It was everything I had hoped it would be, and more.
Non foodies will find it hard to understand the elation you feel when you make something that is this good. I mean, gravy even in its most basic form (and anything you smother in gravy) is fantastic.
But with this Chunky Beef and Mushroom Pie, with just one bite, you know it’s a step up from the usual pie. You may not be able to put your finger on it, but you know there’s something different about it – just better.
This is the secret ingredient – Dried Porcini Mushrooms. Just a tiny amount adds a punch of savouriness and earthiness – in posh foodie language, it adds umami.
Gourmet ingredient? Yes. But:
a) you don’t need much, just 20g/0.7 oz and the soaking liquid forms part of the braising liquid; and
b) ALDI SPECIAL BUY *** ALDI SPECIAL BUY *** ALDI SPECIAL BUY!!!!
About 5 years ago, back when I was in corporate, a group of my colleagues were talking animatedly about the ALDI Special Buys for that week (which, from memory, was ski gear at insanely good prices). There they were, a group of professionals, all dressed up in suits and heels and I couldn’t believe that they were so excited about it that they lined up at ALDI just to get the deal!!
What the????
I had clearly missed the ALDI train. I am now a firm regular on the ALDI train.
Nowadays, whenever one of my foodie friends come across an awesome ALDI deal, we send out a group text. “OMG!!! Luv-a-Duck only $12!!!” “I found lobster tails at ALDI. LOBSTER TAILS!!!!!” “Bargain Bonds at ALDI, OMG, I got stacks!!” (OK, the last one is not food, but yes it has happened. Or maybe it was Calvin Klein, I can’t remember.)
(And yes, there are always lots of caps and exclamation marks).
And this weeks’ ALDI Special Buys including things that are right up my alley – GOURMET COOKING INGREDIENTS! Truffles, gold leaf gelatine, Dutch Cocoa (bakers, take note!), and one of my favourite secret ingredients: dried porcini mushrooms. <3
Dried Porcini Mushrooms are like a secret weapon stock. And I used it to make this Chunky Beef and Mushroom Pie because it makes the most incredible gravy sauce ever.
Topped with some flaky, golden puff pastry (yes, I know it looks crazy yellow but that’s how it comes out if you brush with egg yolk)……and that moment when you break through that pastry to reveal the tender, fall apart beef and the smell of that savoury extra-tasty-gravy….
Well, let’s just say you should prepare to swoon.
Or do as I did. Do a happy dance! – Nagi xx
MORE COSY PIES
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Cottage Pie (beef)
- Shepherd’s Pie (lamb – because Shepherd’s herd sheep!)
- Fish Pie
- Leftover Turkey Pot Pie with Garlic Bread Topping
- Browse all cosy Winter Warmers
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Epic Chunky Beef and Mushroom Pie
Ingredients
- 20 g / 0.7 oz dried porcini mushrooms (slices, whole or chopped) (Note 1)
- 1 ¼ cups / 312 ml boiled water
- 1 kg / 2 lb chuck beef , cut into 2.5cm/1” cubes (Note 2)
- 1 – 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 1 celery , finely chopped
- 1 carrot , finely chopped
- 3 carrots , halved lengthwise then cut into 1.5cm/ 3/5” chunks
- 1/3 cup flour (any)
- 300 ml / 10 oz dark ale (or substitute with red wine, Guinness or more beef stock)
- 2 cups / 500 ml beef stock
- 3 sprigs thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 2 bay leaves , fresh or dried
- 200 g / 7 oz bacon , diced
- 300 – 400g / 10 – 13 oz Swiss brown mushrooms , larger ones halved
- 1 – 2 sheets puff pastry (enough to cover pie)
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions
- Place porcini in a bowl and add hot water. Leave to soak for at least 30 minutes. Strain mushrooms and reserve soaking liquid. Roughly chop porcini.
- Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pot. Add half the beef and brown all over, then remove and repeat with remaining beef. Set beef aside.
- Turn stove down to medium low. If the pot is looking dry, add more oil. Add onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Add finely chopped carrots and celery, cook for 6 minutes or until softened and sweet (taste test!). Add carrot chunks and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add flour and stir through.
- Add ale, beef stock, and stir to dissolve the flour.
- Add thyme, bay leaves, porcini, reserved porcini soaking liquid (don’t tip in gritty bits settled at bottom) and cooked beef. Turn heat up slightly, mix, bring to simmer, then cover. Adjust heat so it is simmering gently, not energetically.
- Cook for 1 hr 45 minutes or until beef is tender. (See video)
- Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over high heat until golden. Remove and reserve bacon drippings in pan. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until golden all over. Return bacon into skillet, toss to coat mushrooms, then stir through stew.
- Simmer stew, uncovered, for 15 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Then remove from stove and cool.
To cook:
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F.
- Pour stew into a pie dish, even out surface. Pictured pie dish is 24 x 20 x 4.5 cm / 10 x 8 x 1.8″ (1.5L / 1.5 Qt) – see Notes for more conversions.
- Top with puff pastry (if too big, just fold the ends in), brush with egg yolk. Cut a few slits in the surface then bake for 30 – 35 minutes until deep golden and the filling is piping hot in the middle (stick a knife in to check).
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Today’s recipe is brought to you courtesy of ALDI Australia! Made using Dried Porcini Mushrooms which are one of many gourmet cooking ingredients that will be available as part of this weeks’ ALDI Special Buys which are available from today, Wednesday 28 June 2017, until sold out. Hurry! 😉
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
EPIC Chunky Beef and Mushroom Pie recipe video!
LIFE OF DOZER
Always happy. Playing. Sleeping. Or eating. i.e. Always happy.
SaveSave
Fantastic recipes properly made food
Love the epic beef and mushroom pie recipe!
One question……….. how much celery??? Is “1 celery “ the whole bunch or just one stalk?
( I ended up using roughly the same quantity as the diced carrots).
My husband says this is in the top five things I’ve ever cooked. I cooked it exactly as is stated here, but next time I think I’ll add some diced potatoes just because I would have liked a few more vegetables. I will definitely keep this recipe!
Made this dish twice and it never fails. I used red wine instead of ale and it tasted delicious warming and hearty! Love this dish x
Followed your recipe exactly and it is amazing I will use this recipe from now on thank you so much
It certainly is epic!! I made it as individual pies, a bit more time consuming, but absolutely delicious!! Thank you Nagi!!
Aldi 2017 stuff sort of dates it…
My wife LOVED this recipe. I did as well. It was good two days later, maybe even better.
Nagi, your recipes are so well done. Love your sausage rolls and Christmas is coming! YUMMY!
I used 1.5kg brisket and holy moly nagi this is absolutely delish. Versatile too, plenty leftover after making a pie to make stews or some kind of shredded beef cottage pie. Btw I’m now a porcini convert, couldn’t believe the flavour from the steeping water – another great tip. Can’t wait for this new book of yours to arrive. Thank you so much for making us all look like complete champions in the kitchen, you are a queen 👑
Lots of cooks/chefs use the word ‘epic’ when describing recipes, but this absolutely is! I thankfully had the foresight to double the recipe and make two pies as my teenage son nearly devoured one on his own. This will become a regular. Thank you Nagi!
Gee whiz, this was like winning the lottery 🤭. Your recipes never fail to impress every single person I’ve ever cooked for. Nagi you are a food goddess & converted me from all other sites since finding you years ago. I cater for the doctors in Oncology & they were blown away by this pie. I never have to worry about any failed attempts when cooking your meals. You won me over at Lamb shank, my very first RTE dish ever attempted. Thank you a zillion times over. 🙏♥️
This pie is so delicious and my family really enjoyed it. I used red wine instead of ale. The meat filling would also be delicious served on mashed potato. Another great recipe from Nagi. Thanks!
Delicious. I did find the taste of the Guinness wasn’t strong by the end though, so next time will add more. The family all liked it, as usual with all your recipes Nagi. Thank you!
Epic????
Doesn’t even come close to describing how bl**dy delicious this was! I’ve made this previously with Guinness, didn’t like it (I really don’t like beer), but when I had a half bottle of a booty Shiraz left over, I decided to give this another shot with the red. Hooley dooley! Made it the day prior to assembling the pie to allow the flavours to meld, and meld they did it was a flavour explosion, plus added some extra veg (pumpkin, eggplant, zucchini when the mushrooms went in). Absolute stunner, thank you Nagi! And I don’t even like pie/casserole, go figure?!
I have made this pie after stumbling across the recipe online. I made it also for my in-laws and I cannot recommend enough! This recipe is worthy of a pie award and is not your every day pie. This would be good enough for a dinner party! Absolutely first class, well done and thank you!
Nagi, another winner! I made this last night, and both my Father and Husband loved it! I didn’t have dried mushrooms, as they were over $6 Can at Sobeys. I had brown mushrooms, so I gave them a bit of a boil in water with a little soy sauce for umami. I added some of the resulting broth to the gravy. Best thing? Leftovers tonight!
Followed your recipe exactly and it is amazing I will use this recipe from now on thank you so much
Another hit. I was sceptical after having your pies with more traditional liquids, but once the mushrooms and bacon were added, and the liquid thickened, it was magic. I made sure to cool almost completely before encasing, and added some beans in. The beef was like marshmallow, and seconds had by everyone.
Your beef & mushroom pie was the best we have ever tasted and friends/family agreed too! You are truly an amazing cook and I will follow your recipes. Thank you so much!!!±
This pie is incredibly delicious. I added pastry underneath the filling (and blind baked it for 15 minutes before adding the filling) and it was divine. I want to make it at Christmas but one of my guests can’t eat mushrooms – any suggestions of a vegetable I could use instead?