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
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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.
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Not sure why but unfortunately never really got to try the final product! For some reason during the simmer process everything became burnt! Maybe the flour?? Keen to give this another try..
Cooking this tonight for afl grand final. Smells and tastes amazing. About to put in oven with pastry on top. Thanks for the great recipe
Hi Noel. I’m sorry to hear you ran into troubles. It sounds like either your heat was too high which made the liquid simmer out (but it must’ve been very high!), or perhaps you under measured the liquid? I’d suggest next time keeping an eye on it – check it a little more regularly so you can gauge how fast the liquid is evaporating 🙂 Stews are famous for being forgiving so you can add water if need be / keep cooking until meat is fall apart etc ! N x
Aaaarggghhh!!! This isn’t a pie –
It’s a casserole with a lid!!! A pie has to have a bottom and sides!! But I’m going to make it as a proper pie and I’m sure it’s blooming delicious!! 👍🏻😁😀
What about cottage or shepherds pie Chris 🤔 😉 N x
Made twice now with red wine option and shortcrust pastry top (as the fam prefers it to the puff pastry). Lovely large pie, which feeds the whole family easily. A real favourite in the house!
Thank you Nagi, I waited for Aldi to have these at their special buys 😉 and it’s a great way to use the dried Mushrooms. I used red wine as I had it handy, next time I will use Ale. Love your work and please don’t stop!
Tried it last weekend. Absolute winner with the family. Very tasty. Thank you.
You’re so welcome Mehmet! N x
Hi Nagi, can’t wait to cook this! If using pressure cooker, when do I add the cooked bacon and mushrooms? Thanks 🙂
Thanks.
Hi Nagi. Can the beef be substituted with chicken instead?
Hi Jessie, you sure can – beef has a richer flavour but if you use chicken, cut the cook time down to 1 hour as it won’t take as long to cook. N x
Last night was perfect weather to serve these for guests. I slow cooked the ingredients for 5 hours, allowing it to reduce by taking the lid off the pot for the last hour. I thickened it slightly with corn flour. I used a combination of both dark ale and Shiraz……the tastes were amazing! I also made the Chicken pot pies and served with mash. The left over sauce was heated and used as gravy to.pour over the mash and pies. So delicious!
This was delicious- I received many positive comments when I cooked it for my family. I used shiitake mushrooms as I couldn’t find porcini at the shops and also substituted with a lager instead of dark ale and it turned out great. It took several hours to prep and cook but was totally worth it.
Hi Nagi
Do you think this will work with lamb leg?
Hi Sarah, as long as it’s chopped into chunks the same size it will work fine 🙂 N x
Oooh this was tasty and tender! You are brilliant! Many thanks…👍
Hi Nagi – I made this on the weekend and it was delicious but ended up being in more of a broth than a thick gravy. I followed your recipe exactly and left it overnight before creating the pie. Just wondering if this happens when I cook it again, if you have any tips for making the sauce thicker if I notice it seems thin. I was a bit nervous to let it simmer for longer than the 1 hour 45min. Thanks
Hi Julia, sounds like it just needed to simmer slightly longer to reduce to a thick gravy – Alternatively you could make a cornflour slurry (1 tbls cornflour to 3 tbls water) and add it to thicken the sauce if you do not wish to simmer it longer – N x
We had this last night, it’s the best! I didn’t have ale so used red wine. There was enough filling to make a family sized pie for us and a smaller size for my mum and brother to share. I would make the filling just as a casserole and serve on polenta or mash. The dried mushrooms are a must. I couldn’t get porcini so used dried shiitake I got from Woolworths.
I made this dish today, delicious!
Perfect comfort food in lockdown
Tonight I made this, I couldn’t decide between your meat pie recipe and this so I combined the two :D. Basically followed your meat pie recipe but used all the ingredients in this recipe (except the porcini as I couldn’t find it). Was delicious. Next time I make more gravy, its probably because of the added ingredients (particularly the mushrooms) that soaked up a lot of the liquid.
One word – YUM.
This recipe is DELICIOUS!!!!!! I did make it without the mushrooms because nobody in my family will eat them. I don’t recommend substituting the cut of beef. The beef was so tender it just melts in your mouth and that is partly why this dish is amazing!!!
Wahoo, that’s awesome to hear Connie! N x
HI Nagi
Great site! Just wondering, where besides Aldi’s can you get porcini mushrooms? I can’t wait for Aldi to come around to stock these because I can’t wait to try your recipe … haha. I tried woolies and coles and couldn’t find them.
Thanks
You can find them at most fruit shops or delis
Hi Nagi,
I have been eyeing this recipe for a few months now! Pot pies are my absolute favorite dish to cook.
I have some ground beef on hand, and I’m curious if you have any tips on how I might use this instead of the chuck. Do you think it could work?
I made this but with home made short crust. It was truly delicious served with broccoli and roast potatoes
YUM, sounds fabulous Sharon! N x