Beef Pot Pie Puff (Printable)
Tender beef and vegetables in savory gravy beneath golden, flaky puff pastry crust.
# What You Need:
→ Beef and Marinade
01 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into ¾-inch cubes
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Vegetables
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 large onion, diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 ½ cups frozen peas
09 - 1 ½ cups baby potatoes, diced
→ Sauce
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
12 - 2 cups beef stock
13 - ½ cup dry red wine (optional)
14 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
15 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
16 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
17 - 1 bay leaf
→ Crust
18 - 1 sheet ready-made puff pastry (about 9 oz), thawed if frozen
19 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Season beef cubes generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches to avoid overcrowding, transferring browned pieces to a plate.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the pot, then sauté onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
04 - Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add tomato paste, mixing well to combine with the flour mixture.
05 - Pour in red wine if using and deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Return browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot.
06 - Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and sauce has thickened.
07 - Discard bay leaf. Stir in frozen peas and cook for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Transfer beef mixture to a 2-quart baking dish.
09 - Drape puff pastry over the filling, trimming excess and pressing edges firmly against the dish rim to seal. Cut 3-4 small slits in the pastry for steam to escape. Brush entire pastry surface with beaten egg.
10 - Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until pastry is deeply golden and crisp. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving to allow filling to set.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The puff pastry creates this impossibly light, flaky crown that everyone fights over
- Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if they last that long
02 -
- Browning beef in batches prevents the meat from steaming, which is the secret to developing that deep, savory flavor
- Letting the filling cool slightly before adding pastry prevents a soggy bottom crust
03 -
- Chill your puff pastry briefly if it becomes too warm to handle, as it will be easier to drape without tearing
- Place a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any bubbling over, which saves you a dreaded oven cleanup later