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Packed with tender chuck roast, caramelized onions, hearty mushrooms and a brandy-infused stew, our flaky pie-crust-wrapped Beef Pot Pie is the ultimate definition of winter cozy.
While chicken pot pie is the most common and recognizable of the savory pies, I believe Beef Pot Pie needs an equal slice of the stardom. Here’s why:
- I mean, beef. Tender pieces of chuck roast slow braised in a beef and brandy-infused sauce. Do I need to say more?
- Luscious caramelized onions and mushrooms you could eat on their own
- A seriously impressive finished product fit to serve to friends.
- A flaky, glistening crust to soak up all that saucy brandy-infused sauce
Key Ingredients
Beef. I use a chuck roast but you can also use pre-cut stew meat. Because chuck roast is a tough cut of meat it does take 1-2 hours to cook down. If you want something quicker, use a tenderloin or sirloin.
Onions. I really wanted this beef pot pie to have it’s own flavor profile and not be identical to beef stew so deeply caramelizing the onions was important to me. Take your time and cook them low and slow.
Mushrooms. For me, mushroom and beef go hand in hand so it makes sense to add them to our pot pie. I like to use hearty cremini mushrooms.
Veggies. Carrots and celery are what I go with but I’d also love to add parsnips next time.
Herbs. Fresh thyme and bay leaves. Be sure to leave the thyme in tact so you can easily fish it out later.
Brandy. Typically in a beef stew you use red wine but I love adding brandy to my french onion recipes so I wanted to mimic that unique flavor.
Pie Crust. For me personally, it’s important to use a homemade crust. Store-bought crust simply does not compare but if you HAVE to, you can. For reference, I used this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Let’s Make Beef Pot Pie
Brown the meat. Arguably the most important step. Properly browning the meat locks in flavor we can build on throughout the cooking process.
Cook the onions and mushrooms. I like to caramelize the onions first, set them to the side of the pan and brown the mushrooms. If you leave them in place for 2-3 minutes the bottoms get super caramelized on brown.
Add remaining veggies. Throw in the carrots, celery and garlic. Cook for a minute or two.
Deglaze. Add the brandy and scrape up all the bits of meat and flavor at the bottom of the pan.
Simmer. Add the broth, thyme and bay leaves along with the browned meat. Simmer the until the meat is fork-tender.
Thicken. Add a little flour to some beef broth. Whisk and pour back into the beef and veggie mixture. Simmer until thickened.
Assemble. Line a pie pan with a bottom crust. Pour the beef mixture in. Weave 2-inch strips of pie crust on top of the filling. Brush with egg and bake!
Substitutions
- For a quicker cooking pot pie, swap out the chuck roast for tenderloin or sirloin.
- Add in parsnips or potatoes for more veggies.
- I think a homemade crust is super important here but obviously you can swap out a store bought crust.
- To save on calories, only use a top crust.
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success
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Cool the filling slightly before assembling to prevent a soggy bottom crust.
- For an extra crispy crust, heat a sheet pan in the oven while it preheats. Place the prepared pot pie on the hot sheet pan.
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Don’t rush the searing the meat or caramelizing the onions and mushroom step. The more caramelized, the deeper the flavor in the finished produce will be.
- If the filling is too thick, add a splash more of broth.
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If you want even more richness, stir in a splash of heavy cream at the end before thickening.
Beef Pot Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces or 2 lbs stew meat (If you get a whole chuck roast, get one that is about 2 1/2-3 pounds and cut off all excess fat)
- 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 3 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 large onion, sliced thin
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 cups 1/2-inch chopped carrot
- 1 cup 1/2-inch chopped celery
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced in quarters if large, half if small
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup brandy or cognac
- 2 1/2 cups Beef broth at room temperature, divided
- 5 springs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 homemade pie crust recipe
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
Equipment
Instructions
- Pat the chuck roast dry and season all over with 2 teaspoons kosher salt.Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add avocado oil. Brown the beef in batches be sure you don’t overcrowd the pan. Sear on all sides until deeply golden, about 10–12 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the same pot. When the butter melts, add the onions. Stir in the butter. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add sugar, water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 10–15 minutes.
- Push the onions to the side of the pan and increase heat to medium-high. Add mushrooms cut side down in the pot. Cook undisturbed until brown and their moisture has evaporated, about 5–7 minutes. Stir with the mushrooms.
- Add carrots and celery. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Carefully pour in the brandy or cognac. Scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
- Return the beef to the pot. Add broth. Stir in thyme, bay leaf, and soy sauce sauce. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover cook on low for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender. Remove thyme stems and bay leaf.
- If making a pie crust, while the beef cooks, make the pie crust and prepare the thickener: Whisk in ⅓ cup flour with 1/2 cup beef broth until smooth. Divide dough into two portions—one for the bottom crust and one for the lattice top. Chill until ready to use. When the beef is tender, slowly stir the flour and broth mixture into the simmering filling. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Stir frequently to avoid sticking until the beef mixture is thickened and glossy. The filling should be rich and stew-like, not watery. Add remaining tablespoon butter. Stir until melted. Let cool slightly before assembling.
- Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick olive oil or avocado spray. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Roll out bottom crust and place into pie dish. Fill with slightly cooled beef mixture. Roll out second crust and cut into 2-inch strips. Weave into a lattice over the top. Trim and crimp edges to seal. For a shiny, golden finish, brush the top with beaten egg.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400 degrees and bake another 20-25 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling through the lattice. If crust browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil. Let rest 15–20 minutes before slicing so the filling sets.
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