The dish to eat in Sydney · Australia

Meat pie

Name: Aussie beef and gravy pies
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: 6 pies
Cuisine: Australia
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) beef chuck, cut into 1/2-inch (1.5 cm) cubes; 3 tbsp flour seasoned with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper; 3 tbsp oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) beef stock; 1/2 cup (120 ml) dark beer or red wine; 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tbsp Vegemite (optional, for depth); 2 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf; 1 lb (450 g) shortcrust pastry and 1 lb (450 g) all-butter puff pastry, store-bought or homemade; 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk; Tomato sauce (ketchup), to serve

Photo: Finbar.concaig, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · source

A hand-sized pie of flaky pastry around beef in rich gravy, eaten with tomato sauce.

Australia's national snack, and in Sydney a late-night tradition: since 1945, cab drivers, sailors and celebrities have queued at a harbourside van for a pie with peas.

Where to eat it Cook it at home

Where to eat it: the best three in Sydney

Harry's Café de Wheels
Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo
Order: The Tiger: a pie with mushy peas, mash and gravy
A pie cart by the naval docks since 1945, now a Sydney landmark.
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Bourke Street Bakery
Bourke Street, Surry Hills (and branches)
Order: The beef and pepper pie or the lamb and harissa
The bakery that made Sydney pies a serious thing again.
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Flour and Stone Annexe
Woolloomooloo
Order: The beef pie, with flaky butter pastry
Nadine Ingram's bakery, rated among the best pies in the city.
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All three are on Chef Amazing’s list The best meat pie in Sydney, which you can save and take with you.

Cook it at home: Aussie beef and gravy pies

Serves 6 piesTime 3 hr 30 min

The filling is a slow braise of chuck in dark gravy, cooled before it goes in the pastry. Shortcrust on the bottom (so it holds) and puff on top (so it flakes) is the bakery way.

Pans and tools

Dutch oven
Six 5-inch pie tins
Rolling pin
Baking sheet
Pastry brush

You’ll need

2 lb (900 g) beef chuck, cut into 1/2-inch (1.5 cm) cubes
3 tbsp flour seasoned with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper
3 tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) beef stock
1/2 cup (120 ml) dark beer or red wine
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Vegemite (optional, for depth)
2 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf
1 lb (450 g) shortcrust pastry and 1 lb (450 g) all-butter puff pastry, store-bought or homemade
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk
Tomato sauce (ketchup), to serve

Steps

Toss the beef in the seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches, 4 minutes each, until deep brown. Set aside.
Lower the heat, add the onion and cook 6 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
Pour in the beer to lift the brown bits, then add the stock, Worcestershire, Vegemite, thyme, bay and the beef. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low 2 hours, stirring now and then, until the beef breaks apart with a spoon.
Uncover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until the gravy is thick. Season. Cool completely (overnight is best); hot filling melts pastry.
Heat the oven to 400F (200C) with a baking sheet inside. Grease six 5-inch (12 cm) pie tins.
Roll the shortcrust 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick, cut rounds to line the tins with a little overhang, and press in. Fill each with about 2/3 cup filling.
Roll the puff pastry and cut 6 lids. Brush the shortcrust edges with egg wash, lay on the lids and crimp to seal. Trim, cut a small steam hole and brush with egg wash.
Bake on the hot sheet 25 to 30 minutes, until the tops are puffed and deep golden. Rest 5 minutes, then turn out and eat with tomato sauce.

Chef’s tips

The hot baking sheet underneath stops a soggy bottom.

For a Harry's 'Tiger', top with mashed potato, mushy peas and gravy.

Unbaked pies freeze well; bake from frozen for 40 minutes.

Contains: Wheat, milk, egg.

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