Big beef in red wine pie

Big beef in red wine pie

Slow cook a cheap cut of meat like braising steak in rich red wine gravy for the perfect base to a classic pie

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 25 mins

Cook time

Cook 3 hrs

Freezable

Freeze unbaked

Method

  1. If you have time, place the beef in a large bowl with the herbs and star anis and season well with pepper. Pour over all the wine, cover with cling film and chill for up to 24 hrs. The next day sit a colander over another bowl and drain the beef well. Pick out the herbs and star anis and set aside. If you don't have time just start with all the ingredients prepared and ready to cook.
  2. Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 - 4. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large casserole until very hot then brown the meat well in batches. For each batch, heat more oil and brown for around 10 mins before transferring to a plate and repeating the process. When all the meat is done add the vegetables and cook for 5 mins until starting to colour then add the herbs and star anis and cook for a minute more.
  3. Sprinkle sugar over the vegetables, then scatter over the flour and stir together. Cook for a few minutes until starting to brown, stir in the tomato purée then pour over the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan with your spoon. Tip in the beef and any juices then crumble in the stock cubes. Pour over just enough boiling water from the kettle to cover the meat and vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and bring everything to the boil, stir well, cover and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hrs until the meat is really tender. This can be done up to 3 days in advance and chilled until ready to make the pie or frozen for up to 3 months.
  4. To make the pie heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Tip the filling into a 2-litre pie or baking dish. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to fit the pie dish with a slight overhang and drape over the dish. Crimp the edges if you are able to and poke a couple of little steam holes in the middle. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake for 30 mins until golden brown. This is goes well with mash and buttered green beans.
Try

MARINATING

If you have time add lots more flavour to the beef by marinating it in the red wine and herbs for up to a day before, but this certainly isn't essential.

PER SERVING

1014 kcalories, protein 59.6g, carbohydrate 55.3g, fat 52.5 g, saturated fat 20.2g, fibre 5.8g, sugar 12.7g, salt 1.8 g

Recipe from bbcgoodfood.com, February 2012.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • 01 March 2012

    Humble Dude rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    OK, but . . . nothing spectacular. Cooking time is significantly longer than 3 hours cooking, as the meat needs to be browned in batches for 10 minutes each batch, so probably at least 3 batches, maybe up to six if you can only brown 250g at a time. Then you have to cook the veg, then 2.5 hours in the oven, then adding the crust and another half hour in the oven. At least 3.5 hours, realistically four for the quantities in the recipe.

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  • 03 March 2012

    Desbralass commented on this recipe

    I've found that browning the meat toughens it,so drain it,set it aside,then follow the recipe from frying the veg in the oil with the retrieved herbs.It sounds a bit like a recipe I have for burgundy beef.Very tasty,though.

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  • 26 November 2012

    skimby rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • 19 January 2013

    spookie commented on this recipe

    can also be served without the crust with mash and veg. tasty recipe.

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  • 28 January 2013

    lauryn87 commented on this recipe

    Nice pie, would go well with red cabbage. I browned the meat first then cooked the filling in the slow cooker so it was was really tender. I then used half the filling to make a pie for 4 and froze the rest. Will probably finish off as a stew with mash and veg.

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 25 mins

Cook time

Cook 3 hrs

Freezable

Freeze unbaked

Ingredients

  • 1½kg braising steaks , cut into large chunks
  • large sprig of fresh thyme
  • 3 fresh bay leaves
  • 1 star anise , optional, but add if you have
  • 750ml bottle cheap red wine
  • 3 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 4 sticks celery , chopped
  • 1 large onion , chopped
  • 6 large carrots , cut into chunks
  • 2 garlic cloves , chopped
  • pinch golden caster sugar
  • 3 tbsp plain flour , plus extra for dusting
  • 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 beef stock cubes

FOR THE TOPPING

  • 500g block shortcrust or puff pastry , preferably all butter
  • 1 egg , beaten
  • flaky sea salt
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PER SERVING

1014 kcalories, protein 59.6g, carbohydrate 55.3g, fat 52.5 g, saturated fat 20.2g, fibre 5.8g, sugar 12.7g, salt 1.8 g

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