Beef Brisket & Beer Pie
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
- Oil for cooking
- 1.3kgs/2.9lbs beef brisket, trimmed cubes (from about 2kgs/4.4lbs total weight, see note above)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 500g/1.1lbs onion (2 extra large or 3 medium onions)
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
- 375ml/13flozs beer
- 1/2 cup/125ml/4flozs beef stock
- 2 beef stock cubes
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons Vegemite (optional but adds a lot of flavour)
- 400g/14ozs mushrooms, sliced
- salt and black pepper
For Lattice Top
- 320g/11ozs plain all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 130g/4.6ozs cold butter, cubed
- 120ml/4flozs ice water
- 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash
Step 1 - Toss cubes of brisket in the flour and salt coating the beef well. Set instant pot, pressure cooker or cast iron pot on sauté and add a bit of oil and brown the beef in 3 batches (do not overcrowd the pot). Remove and keep aside. Then sauté the onions well until softened. Take your time on these adding more oil if needed - don't rush the onions or they won't turn sweet. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the beef back in. Add the beer, beef stock, stock cubes, tomato paste, sugar and Vegemite. Set for 60 minutes on medium heat. If you're cooking this in a cast iron pot on the stovetop cook the beef for 3.5-4 hours until tender. Release pressure, open and stir in the mushrooms. Place the pressure cooker back on for 5 minutes medium heat. Season with salt (if needed) and plenty of black pepper. At this stage you can cool and refrigerate the filling for up to 3 days (or freeze it too). Place the chilled filling in a 23cm/9inch pie dish (I reserve some of the extra gravy to serve with the pie).
Step 2 -To make the pastry top place the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse for 5 seconds. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (little lumps of butter are great and make the pastry beautifully flakey). Add the water and pulse until it starts to ball together. Then empty the mixture out on a large clean surface and knead to form a dough. If you need a drop or two of water you can add it here (don't add too much or it will be sticky).
Step 3 -Take two large sheets of parchment, flour lightly and roll out the dough to 3mm/0.12inches in thickness into a large round. Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Cut into 12 inch thick ribbons. Lay 6 ribbons vertically out on a baking tray. Then pull three of them up and then place a horizontal strip of pastry across the vertical strips. Place the strips back down and then lift the alternate strips of pastry and place another strip horizontally and then repeat so that you get an alternating lattice pattern. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up. Preheat oven to 200C/400F.
Step 4 -Once the pastry is firm enough to lift, remove it from the tray and lift it on top of the pie. Using scissors cut away the edges. Brush with egg wash and bake for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is golden.