Beef & Beer Pies

**Mandy**'s Note:

What could be more Aussie than the humble meat pie with the addition of another Aussie favourite..beer! I found this recipe in the Herald Sun & just had to give it go. For convenience the meat filling can be made up to 3 days in advance & refrigerated.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 onions , diced
• 150 g bacon , chopped
• 600 g premium beef mince
• 200 g mushrooms , sliced
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 ½ cups beer
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon parsley , chopped
• puff pastry

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200.C.
2. Saute onion & bacon until onion softens & bacon is cooked, set aside.
3. Add mince to pan and cook until browned, add mushrooms and cook until soft.
4. Return onion & bacon to pan and add flour, cook stirring for 3 minutes.
5. Add wine & beer & simmer until most of the liquid has reduced to a sauce consistency.
6. Add worcestershire sauce & parsley.
7. Spoon mixture into individual pie dishes, cover with pastry, (brush with egg or milk if you like) & bake about 20 mins or until pastry is well risen, golden & crisp.
8. NB/ If you choose to make fully enclosed pies, pastry top & bottom, allow mixture to cool before spooning into pastry otherwise it will become soggy.

Reviews

[I'mPat]

Made this is as a full pie (enough for 6 to 8 easy). Did omit the onions due to allergy issues and subbed beef stock for the red wine. I think it would have been better still if I had used a more robust beer such as a stout instead of the Hahn Ice I used. Will make again but buy the right beer for it, instead of using what the DH has there. Thank you Mandy, made as a recipenap for Aussie/Kiwi Swap #19 August 2008.

[Ed&Theresa]

Good combination of flavors. Next time I would use 1/2 as much bacon (personal taste).

[kiwidutch]

Loved it! these were tasty indeed... I liked the red wine and beer additions but would use less red wine next time , just for personal preference. I made mine with just the pastry tops, next time I will make a full pie with bottoms as well. I also omitted the mushrooms since I'm allergic to those but don't think that the ommission would have detracted from it in any way. Please see my rating system: a wonderful 4 stars for a yummy recipe. Thanks!