Beef, Vegetable and Caramelized Onion Pot Pies

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The weather is colder and this makes it a perfect time for a Winter warming pot pie , rich in flavours and goodness.  Using inexpensive cuts of meat and vegetables this recipe is great for those on a budget, combined with the deliciously rich crisp pastry made with suet,  flour and water .  Beef suet is classically used in English Pot Pies and  I have used  it here as a crispy baked pastry.  Its flavor is richer than normal pastry and is perfect for a beef pie.  Inexpensive, delicious and nutritious – try it for a  wholesome winter meal.

Beef, vegetable and caramelized onion pot pies   Author: shades of cinnamon.com Recipe type: savory Serves: 6 Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 2 hours Total time: 2 hours 30 mins Print   This recipe makes 6 small pot pies Ingredients

• 1 Knorr Beef stock pot
• 1 block 150g beef suet
• 1 punnet PnP soup mix
• 500g beef shin
• ¼ cup PnP white wine vinegar
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1 tsp sugar
• 500ml water
• for the pastry:
• 300g self raising flour
• 150g finely chopped beef suet
• +/- ¼ cup ice cold water
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Cut the meat off the bone and chop into cubes and toss in 2 Tablespoons flour and salt and pepper.
2. Roast the bones until the marrow has browned
3. Slice the onion and fry in 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil until soft. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and ¼ cup white wine vinegar and allow to cook slowly and caramalise. Set aside.
4. Chop the mixed vegetables and the garlic. (carrot, potato, leek, turnip , celery – or veges of your choice)and cook in the same pot for about 10minutes. Set aside and add to the caramalized onions.
5. Add 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil to the pot and cook the meat until browned.
6. Return the vegetables to the pot, add 1 Knorr beef stock pot, 2 cups water and season to taste. Add the marrow from the bones and cook on low for about 1½hrs or until the meat is tender and vegetables soft. The marrow gives a delicious rich flavor to the gravy which should be nice and thick at this stage.
7. Place the meat mixture in ramekins for small pies or a large dish if you are making only one pie.
8. To make the pastry :
9. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the salt.
10. Add the suet and mix into the flour using the blade of a knife.
11. When it’s evenly blended, add a few drops of cold water and start to mix with the knife . Bring the dough together , adding drops of water until it begins to get really sticky.
12. Using your hands bring the ingredients together until you have a nice, smooth elastic dough, which leaves the bowl cleanly.
13. Wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate until chilled . Roll onto a well-floured surface to 3mm-thick rounds and place over the beef pot pies. Brush with egg wash and bake in 180ºC oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

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