Please vote for me in Week 2 of the Pick and Pay Food Bloggers Challenge and the theme is “Meaty Moment” . The link to vote is
http://freshlyblogged.co.za/recipe/beef-and-caramelised-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.
- 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
- Cut the meat off the bone and chop into cubes and toss in 2 Tablespoons flour and salt and pepper.
- Roast the bones until the marrow has browned
- 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.
- 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.
- Add 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil to the pot and cook the meat until browned.
- 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.
- Place the meat mixture in ramekins for small pies or a large dish if you are making only one pie.
- To make the pastry :
- Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the salt.
- Add the suet and mix into the flour using the blade of a knife.
- 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.
- Using your hands bring the ingredients together until you have a nice, smooth elastic dough, which leaves the bowl cleanly.
- 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.