St Patricks Day Guinness pasties
St Patricks Day is just over 3 weeks away, a national holiday for the Irish (since 1903) and a day when the rest of us pretend to be Irish just for the craic.
It’s a day for enjoying a pint or three of the black stuff, all soaked up with a bowl of Irish stew. Well, that’s fine in the Northern Hemisphere, where it’s still cold and miserable. But lets be honest, it’s a bit on the heavy side for summer time in Sydney. Too much of that fare and you’re sinking to the bottom of the Bondi sea pool.
A St Pats Day BBQ or picnic seems more befitting the weather. So, I made a Guinness stew filled pasties (pronounced pas-tee not paste-ee). They’re still a tad on the heavy side, but they’re portable and good hot or cold. Pasties are also perfect for serving to your mates if you’re watching the rugby.
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time 3-½ hrs.
Equipment: Saucepan, oven proof dish with a lid
Ingredients
- 1 kg skirt/chuck or gravy beef
- 2 carrots – peeled and diced
- 1 onion – finely chopped
- 2 Desiree potatoes – peeled and diced
- 1 celery stick – finely chopped
- 300ml Guinness draught stout
- 350ml beef stock
- 8 stems of fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper
- Short crust pastry
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Pan-fry the beef in small batches using a little vegetable oil. You want to caramelise the outside to add flavour.
- Add the beef to the ovenproof pot
- Put the onions, carrot ad celery into the pan and lightly brown. Add to the pot with the beef and season with salt and pepper.
- Deglaze the pan with the Guinness; make sure you get all the brown sticky bit off. Then add to the pot with the beef and veg. Stir to ensure everything is evenly distributed.
- Pour the beef stock into the oven dish and add the thyme and bay leaf.
- Put the lid on the pot, cook in the oven for 2-3 hours or until the meat easily breaks apart.
- Allow to cool (or serve as with veg if in the cold North).
- Roll out the pastry, to the thickness f a dollar/pound coin. Using a side plate, cut pastry circles. Wet the edge half round (semi circle), this will help ensure a good seal when you close it up.
- Add 2 -3 spoonful’s of the stew and bring both sides together. Press to make a seal, then crimp between your thumb and fingers
2-3 spoonfuls of beef & Guinness stew onto the pastry rounds
Crimp and seal to stop the juices running out
- Brush with milk or egg and bake until golden brown for 25 minutes.
- Serve hot or cold with a cold Guinness.
Wash down with a pint of the black stuff!
About the Author
Gareth Englishman in Sydney loves a whisky, pies and all things savoury. Digital Marketer by day, cook the rest of the time. Amateur writer, photographer & aspiring anthropologists.
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I love Guinness. I drink it every day.
Now you can eat it too