Beef Pot Pie

This hearty beef pot pie is pure comfort and perfect for a winter night. The flaky pie crust is filled with a hearty, rich red wine beef stew.

Beef pot pie is heaven on a plate.

I’ve really been enjoying my baking era! From Eggnog Cupcakes to Never Fail Rolls and Turkey Pot Pie, I’ve just loved having a new world of cooking open up to me! I’ve never considered myself a very adept baker, though I have a few things I can make successfully. Baking is much more of a science, and I have always been a measure-with-my-heart kind of cook. Recently, I’ve found myself really enjoying the structure of baking, and it’s also improved my cooking skills as well. My goal is to improve as a baker and bring more precision to my overall cooking ethos.

Pot pie is a great outlet because it combines the precision of baking with what I consider the fun part of cooking! The filling can be modified in many ways depending on your preferences, and as long as you keep the ratios of ingredients similar, you can’t mess it up!

How to make beef pot pie

Like my turkey pot pie recipe, this dish has two components: the crust and the filling.

The Crust

You’ll need:

• All-purpose flour
• Cake flour
• Kosher salt
• Cold butter
• Cold shortening
• Cold water

Why use cake flour in a pie crust?

Cake flour is a delicate flour with less protein than all-purpose flour. The lower protein means it produces less gluten. A blend of cake flour and all-purpose flour helps create a flakier crust. If you don’t have cake flour, you can substitute it with all-purpose flour at a 1:1 ratio.

And if you just don’t feel like fussing with homemade crust, you can make this with store-bought pie crust instead!

How to make the pie crust

• Step 1: Combine the flours and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the cold, diced butter and chilled shortening. Use a pastry cutter to blend until a coarse, crumbly mixture forms.
• Step 2: Stir in the cold water and mix until a dough ball forms.

• Step 3: Dump the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the dough and transfer to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. The dough will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

The Filling

While the pie dough chills, you’ll make the filling. Here’s what you need:

• Beef: You’ll need 2 pounds of beef stew cubes. I had just bought a whole tenderloin, and, candidly, I didn’t slice it up very well, so I ended up with a LOT of tenderloin tips. I used those tenderloin tips for this beef stew, but beef stew cubes will work perfectly. You can also buy a 2-pound chuck roast and dice it yourself.
• Vegetables: I load the pot pie with celery, onion, carrots, and peas. You’ll need 2 cups of diced celery, onion, and carrots. Then, you’ll add 1 cup of frozen peas at the end. You can get creative with the vegetables, but try not to add more than the recipe dictates, or you’ll have too much filling for the pot pie. For example, you could replace one carrot with a parsnip or a small turnip. If you want corn in the pot pie, you could use ½ cup frozen peas and ½ cup frozen corn. Whatever combination you decide to use, just be sure to keep the ratio of vegetables the same.
• Seasonings: I use salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, and minced garlic. You can replace the fresh thyme and rosemary with dry counterparts if you like!
• Butter, flour, and tomato paste: You’ll use butter, flour, and tomato paste to create a thick and luscious filling.
• Red wine and beef broth: I use red wine and beef broth. If you don’t have red wine, replace it with more beef broth.

How to make the beef pot pie filling

• Step 1: Pat the beef dry and season it with salt and pepper. Brown the beef in batches and transfer it to a bowl.
• Step 2: Add the celery, onion, and carrots and sauté briefly before adding the garlic, thyme, and rosemary.

• Step 3: Add the tomato paste and coat the vegetables. Cook until it sizzles and deepens in color. From there, add the butter and the flour. Toss to combine and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Step 4: Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Whisk until a slurry forms.

• Step 5: Add the beef broth and whisk until smooth. Add the browned beef and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking. If the stew reduces too quickly, add a few splashes of water periodically.
• Step 6: Add the frozen peas once the beef is very tender. Stir to incorporate and turn off the heat.
• Step 7: Transfer the beef to a wide bowl and let it cool completely for 30 minutes to 1 hour on the counter.

Why must you cool the filling before adding it to the pot pie?

At this point, you must cool the filling before rolling out the pie crust. Why? Your pie crust is made with lots of butter and flour. When added to the oven, the butter must start at a cold temperature to maintain its structure as it bakes. If the butter is too warm, it will melt too quickly, resulting in a mushy crust instead of flaky and crusty.

Adding warm filling to the pie crust will immediately melt the butter, creating a mushy, soggy bottom. Do NOT skip the cool-down step of the filling. I recommend placing the filling in a wide dish instead of a deep bowl to cool down. This will allow the filling to cool off more rapidly and more evenly. If you add the hot filling to a deep bowl, all the heat will be concentrated in the middle and will take longer to decrease the temperature.

Ideally, your filling will be no warmer than 50ºF. You can use an instant-read thermometer to test the temperature before rolling out the pie crust. You can allow the pot pie filling to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. For food safety reasons, do not allow the filling to stand at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Alternatively, refrigerate the filling overnight and make the pot pie the next day.

Once your filling has cooled off, you can finish the pot pie.

How to assemble the beef pot pie

• Step 1: Before beginning, preheat the oven to 425ºF. Combine a beaten egg and milk in a small bowl and set it aside.
• Step 2: Cut the chilled dough in half. Return half of the dough to the refrigerator. Place the other half on a floured work surface and use your palm to flatten it into a disc. Roll the dough into a circle about 1 inch larger than your pie dish using a floured rolling pin.
• Step 3: Carefully peel the dough from the counter and lay it into a 9-inch pie dish.
• Step 4: Pour the cooled filling into the pie crust.
• Step 5: Roll out the remaining half of the pie dough into the same size as the previous half, about 1 inch larger than the pie dish. Carefully lay it on the pie dish. Cut off the excess and use your fingers to seal the top and bottom of the crust together. At this point, you can use your fingers or a fork to crimp the crust.
• Step 6: Cut small slits into the top of the crust to create vents for the steam to escape. Brush the top of the pie with the egg and milk mixture. You likely will not use all of the egg wash.
• Step 7: Place the pie dish on a baking sheet and transfer to the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Rotate the pie once midway through cooking to help the top brown evenly.

How long do you need to cool a pot pie before cutting it?

Allow the pot pie to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. If you cut the pie while it’s steaming hot, the filling will ooze out of the pie.

For beef pot pie, I love to finish with a few fresh thyme leaves while the pie is still hot. They’ll add a nice aroma to the crust!

How long will beef pot pie keep in the refrigerator?

Homemade pot pie will last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator as long as it’s kept in an air-tight container.

To reheat it, you can bake the pot pie in an oven-safe baking dish at 350ºF until heated. The exact time will depend on how much you’re reheating and whether you’re reheating individual slices or an entire pie. Start with 15 to 20 minutes and incrementally add time until the pie is heated.

You can also air-fry individual slices of leftover pot pie by placing them on parchment paper. Reheat at 350ºF. Refrigerated pot pie may take 5 to 10 minutes to reheat, while frozen pot pie may take 10 to 15 minutes to reheat fully.

Can you freeze homemade pot pie?

Yes! Freezing pot pie is easy. Wrap in a few layers of plastic wrap or foil. You can wrap individual slices or an entire pie, depending on your preference. I like to place the wrapped pie in a freezer bag. Homemade pot pie will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. You can reheat it following the instructions above.

Beef Pot Pie

This hearty beef pot pie is pure comfort and perfect for a winter night. The flaky pie crust is filled with a hearty, rich red wine beef stew.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Inactive time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 6 hours hours

Servings: 8

Calories: 624kcal

Equipment

• Pastry cutter
• Rolling Pin
• Mixing Bowls
• 9-inch pie dish
• Baking sheet
• Pastry brush
• Wide pot
• Whisk

Ingredients

Pie crust:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cake flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cups unsalted butter (1½ sticks, chilled and small-diced)
• ¼ cup shortening (chilled)
• ½ cup cold water

Beef pot pie filling:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds beef stew cubes ( or tenderloin tips)
• 2 cups diced vegetables (such as carrots, celery, and onion; see Note 1)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (plus more to taste)
• 6 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (minced; or use 1 teaspoon dry thyme)
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (minced; or use 1 teaspoon dry rosemary)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Egg wash:

• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1 tablespoon whole milk

Instructions

Make the pie crust:

• Combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, and kosher salt in a large bowl and use a fork to mix them.
• Add the cold, diced butter and the chilled shortening to the bowl of flour. Use a pastry cutter to blend the fat into the flour until a crumbly, coarse mixture forms.
• Mix the cold water into the flour until a dough ball forms. Don’t worry if there are a few loose crumbles. Use your hands to pull everything together into a dough ball.
• Dump the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and use your hands to gather any loose crumbs into the dough ball.
• Wrap the plastic wrap tightly around the ball of dough. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Start the pot pie filling:

• While the dough chills, make the pot pie filling.
• Pat the beef cubes dry and season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Add half the beef cubes and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side until browned all over. Transfer to a bowl and continue browning the rest of the beef cubes for 3 to 5 minutes per side until all the beef is browned. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent the beef from burning. Transfer them to the bowl of browned beef. Leave any fond in the bottom of the pot.
• If needed, add another small drizzle of oil to the pot and turn the heat to medium.
• Add the diced celery, carrots, and onions to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, turning regularly, until the vegetables soften. Add a very scant amount of salt.
• Add the garlic, thyme, and rosemary and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Toast the flour:

• Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste to the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute until the paste sizzles and deepens in color.
• Melt the butter into the vegetables. Once bubbly, add ⅓ cup all-purpose flour and stir to coat. Cook for 2 minutes until the flour becomes nutty and aromatic.

Add the liquid:

• Add 1 cup of red wine and bring to a boil. Whisk until a slurry forms. Add the beef broth and continue whisking until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Be careful not to add too much salt; the stew will become saltier as it cooks.

Simmer the pie filling:

• Add the browned beef and any juices from the bowl to the pot. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring the stew occasionally to prevent it from sticking. Add a splash of water if the stew reduces too quickly. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Finish the pot pie filling:

• Add the frozen peas to the stew and stir to incorporate. Turn off the heat.

Cool the pot pie filling:

• Transfer the pot pie filling to a wide dish. Cover loosely with cling wrap and let stand for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. I recommend transferring it to a wider dish instead of a deep bowl for a more rapid cool-down. See Note 2.

Roll out the pie crust:

• Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Mix the beaten egg and the milk in a bowl and set aside.
• Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Cut the ball in half and return half of the dough to the refrigerator. Place the other half on a lightly floured surface and press it into a disc. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a circle about 1 inch larger than your pie dish.
• Carefully lift the dough from the counter and place it into a 9-inch pie dish. See Note 3.
• Add another sprinkle of flour to your work surface. Roll out the other half of the dough into a circle about 1 inch larger than the pie dish.

Make the pot pie:

• Pour the cooled pot pie filling into the prepared pie dish. Carefully lift the top crust from your surface and place it on top. Trim off any excess and discard it or use it for decoration. Use your fingers to seal the pie crust edges. Crimp the crust with your fingers or a fork if you like. Use a sharp knife to create a few small slits in the top of the crust to allow the steam to escape.
• Brush the crust with the egg and milk mixture. You likely won’t use all of it.

Bake the pot pie:

• Place the pie dish on a large baking sheet. Transfer to the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and flaky. Rotate the pie once midway through baking for even browning.
• Remove from the oven and let stand for 20 minutes.

To serve:

• Cut the pie and transfer to plates. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: I used 2 ribs of celery, 1 small yellow onion, and 2 small carrots to yield about 2 cups of vegetables. Try not to do more than 2 cups of diced vegetables as it will create too much filling for the pie. You can mix and match as you like. Try replacing a carrot with a parsnip, turnip, or potato instead.

Note 2: The pot pie filling should be no warmer than 50ºF. After it stands for 30 minutes to 1 hour, you can either proceed with making the pot pie or refrigerate the filling for up to 1 day before making the pot pie. For food safety reasons, do not let the pie filling stand at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Note 3: Though unnecessary, you may wish to lightly grease the pie dish with a touch of shortening. I add a very small amount of shortening for extra security against the crust sticking to the dish.

Nutrition

Calories: 624kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 36g | Sodium: 1303mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin C: 13mg

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