Tom Aikens’ minced beef and onion pie with Guinness recipe

Tom Aikens’ minced beef and onion pie with Guinness is a delicious twist on the family favourite and it's perfect for St Patrick's Day. Tom Aikens’ minced beef and onion pie with Guinness is simple, delicious and great if you're looking for a new hearty pie recipe.

Ingredients

• 500g minced beef
• 3g sea salt
• 12 turns of milled pepper
• 300g finely diced onion
• 2g caster sugar
• 150ml vegetable oil
• 50g butter
• 1tsp of thyme leaves
• 8g pain flour
• 400ml Guinness
• 200ml white chicken stock
• 200g ready-made puff pastry
• 1x 8-inch pie tin

Method

1. Place a large casserole pan on to a high heat, when hot slowly add the mince not all at once as it could splash. Do not move the mince at first, as it will cool the pan down, wait 4-5 minutes before you start seeing it colour around the edges, then you can stir the mince. Add ½ the salt and pepper and cook till golden brown for approx another 5-8 minutes.
2. Once coloured, drain the mince into a colander, keeping all the oil that drains off, adding this back to the pan. Put the pan on to a low-med heat, add the butter when it has melted then add the diced onion, thyme, sugar remaining salt and pepper, cook on a medium heat for 10 –12 minutes till the onion is golden brown and caramelised, stirring the onion to get all the sediment off the bottom of the pan. Whilst this is cooking take the pastry and roll out in flour to a 0.5 cm thickness and leave these to rest in the fridge.
3. Add the meat back to the pan mixing it well together, sprinkle on the flour and cook out for 1 minute, then add the stock and Guinness a little at a time stirring well. Once all this has been incorporated turn the heat up full so the mince comes to a slow simmer, simmer for approx 10 minutes till it thickens and reduces slightly stirring now and again. Turn off the heat and tip this into a shallow metal tray to cool.
4. This mix makes approx 1 kilo of filling, but for a pie for four, you will need approx 600g beef mince. Place the mix into your pie dish and the filling next, place on the pastry and crimp the edges around the dish and egg wash the top and edges, bake in the oven at 200c for 30 minutes.