Help - beef and mushroom pie?

Skint_Catt

I have cubed beef, mushrooms and onions and pastry for the lid - want to put it all together for a beef and mushroom pie! I've made it before but can't remember how I did it! Do I put it all in cold and cook it in the pie in the oven? Or do i fry the beef, onion and mushrooms then pour on the gravy, add the lid, then bake? I'm so dumb at things like this when I don't have a receipe to follow!

Gingernutmeg

If I were doing something like that I'd cook the beef off, and add the rest of the bits and the gravy, then put it in a bowl, put the lid on and bake. You could do it all raw but sometimes when you do that the filling can end up a bit 'grey' looking, so I'd rather make sure it looks ok and then top it afterwards.

Bobbykins

Hi Skint-cat

don't have a recipe myself, but I'm sure you must cook the filling first. The pastry would cook in about 30 mins, wheareas the meat would take much longer. (does that make sense?)

I always pre-cook the filling when I'm making meat based pies.

HTH

Bobby

Skint_Catt

Thanks both. I was sure that I should cook the beef and soften the mushrooms and onion first! Do I just make a jug of gravy or so I use beef stock? Not sure what the difference is other than you don't serve stock at the table!

Skint_Catt

Ah never mind its a disaster anyway. The beef I bought as an expinto mush, the gravy which OH bought (powder instead of granules) is lumpy and disgustingly thin and the egg I was going to brush over the pastry lid is now in the bin via the floor. I've just had a rubbish day all around and just not hungry now!

Bobbykins

Oh dear skint-cat.....sorry I can't help, but have a few hugs:
((((((((hug))))))))

Skint_Catt

puff pastry sank too!``Ah well start again!

Stephen_Leak

Oh, Catt. I've found a recipe in my culinary library and will post it for future reference tomorrow morning. A big hug (and a very naughty sneaky little peck on the cheek), to try and make things better in the meantime.

angchris

when i do beef n mush pie i always buy braising steak..cube and fry to brown n seal the edges and chop an onion or 2 cover with water and make a stew first by bubbling on hob for hour or 2 with a few oxo cubes adding the mushrooms in the last half hour. when the meat is tender, i make the gravy thick with cornflour or by adding gravy powder.put in a dish then slap on puff pastry and cook in oven...jobs a good un :j

Skint_Catt

Thanks all. Just don't know what went wrong this time but I was generally haveing a bad day all round!

I made toad in the hole for the second time the other night too (new to this!) and added two eggs instead of one like people suggest and heated the oil/tin which I didn't do before and it was awful - stayed soggy and didn't rise! Going back to my old method!

Stephen_Leak

Recipe, as promised. Bloke friendly and hopefully Catt-proof. You could swap the beer for an OXO cube in water and leave out the parsley and maybe even the flour.

BEEF & MUSHROOM PIE

Flash Cooking for Blokes, p.159
Serves 3 – 4
Preparation 20 mins, Cooking 2 hrs 35 mins , Easy

INGREDIENTS

500 g (1 lb) stewing beef
1 large onion
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 tablespoon wholemeal flour

300 ml (½ pint) beer

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 egg
15 button mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
450 g pack frozen ready rolled shortcrust pastry

EQUIPMENT

Sharp knife
Chopping board
Saucepan with lid
Set of measuring spoons
Wooden spoon
Bowl

900 ml (1½ pint) pie dish

DEFROSTING

Thaw frozen pastry according to the instructions on the packet. 4 hours in the fridge seems typical.

METHOD

Chop the beef into 2 cm (1 in) cubes. Peel and chop the onion. Put the oil in the saucepan over a moderate heat. Fry the beef for 2 minutes, stirring, to brown. Lift out. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes until it is golden, stirring to stop it sticking. Add the flour and stir round. Add the beer, salt & pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat until it is just boiling (simmering). Add the meat. Put the lid on and cook very gently for 2 hours. Check the beer level from time to time and top it up if it starts to dry out.
Break the egg into a bowl and pick out any bits of shell. Mix the eggs with a fork. Wipe the mushrooms clean. Discard any nasty ones. Chop the ends of the stalks. Wash, shake dry and finely chop the parsley. Add the mushrooms and parsley to the pan. Mix and pour into the pie dish.
Unroll the pastry. Cut a strip off and place on the moistened rim of the pie dish. Moisten the strip. Cover the dish with the pastry, pressing the edges down firmly.

Trim the edges and make a hole in the centre. Brush with egg so it comes out of the oven shiny. Cook at 200°C, 400°F, Gas mark 6 for 30 minutes.