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A wholesome homemade recipe for Pepper Steak Pies that is easy and delicious! Tried, tested and approved, this is a meal that the whole family will enjoy and repeatedly ask for! Beef chuck is slow cooked in a rich beef and tomato-based sauce infused with herbs, garlic and of course, a healthy amount of cracked black pepper. These pepper steak pies have just the right amount of spice making it suitable for kids and adults alike.

This recipe is one that I am SO excited to share! It is so utterly delish! It is perfect for a winter’s evening and although it may look daunting with pastry involved, it is actually very easy as you will be using store-bought puff pastry – you just make the pepper steak filling.

My whole family LOVES these pies and will always say these are even better than my Chicken Pies (which they love too!)

Ingredients needed to make pepper steak pies

Beef chuck
Flour – for thickening
Cooking oil and butter – for frying the beef
Vegetables, herbs and spices – onion, garlic cloves, thyme, salt, cracked black pepper
Worcestershire sauce
Beef Stock
Tomato Passata
Puff Pastry
Egg and water – for the egg wash

Making the Pepper Steak Pies, Step by Step

1. First, you make the Pepper Steak Pie filling. Place it in the fridge to chill – it is much easier to work with if it is chilled.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C or 390°F

3. Unroll the puff pastry (I use two rolls and make 6 pies). I keep the sheet of plastic that comes with the pastry underneath until I place the pie on the baking tray. Divide each roll of pastry pastry into equal rectangular segments of about 14-15cm (5-6 inches) on the short edge by 21cm (+- 8 inches) along the long edge.

4. Now place the cold Pepper Steak filling on the lower half, making sure to keep a space around the edges to seal the pie properly (1.5cm / 0.6 inch).

5. Now take the upper half of the pastry and fold over the pie filling as shown in the picture below on the right. Using your finger or a fork, press the two pieces of pastry together to seal it.

6. Using a sharp knife, poke a small hole in the top of the pie ( I actually forgot to do this but it is correct technique for allowing some steam to escape whilst baking).

7. Carefully transfer each pie to a baking tray lined with baking paper and a sprinkling of flour. Remove the plastic sheet under the pastry.

8. Using an egg wash (see recipe), brush over the top of each pie – this gives it a lovely golden finish.

9. Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown and puffy. Allow to cool slightly before sinking your teeth into the pies!

As you can see in the picture above and to the right, I used a combination of fork and finger to seal the pies. I like them both but I think the fork looks more definite.

Yummy, yummy, yummy!

Secrets to making perfect pepper steak pies

Chop the beef into really small cubes, as well as the onion – it makes it much easier to fill and fold the pies when the meat is really small.
Make sure the puff pastry is fully thawed before unrolling otherwise it might crack
Chill the filling in the fridge before assembling the pies. A hot filling can make the pastry soggy and soft before you have even put the pastry in the oven.
Make sure to leave a gap/margin of about 1.5cm or 0.6 inch around the filling when you place it on the pastry so that the edges are easy to seal.

Can you re-Heat a Cooked Pie?

yes you absolutely can however it is best to do this re-heating process in the oven. If you are desperate, you can heat in the microwave but it won’t give you a crunchy crust. The best way to re-heat a pie is in the oven, like this:

Oven Method:

Preheat your oven to 175°C or 350°F
Place the pie on a baking sheet
Cover loosely with foil to prevent over-browning.
Heat for about 10-15
Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes if you want to crisp up the crust.

Easy Homemade Pepper Steak Pies

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Author: Louise – Just Easy Recipes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 6 pies 1x

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Description

Tasty homemade Pepper Steak Pies that are easy to make with some basic ingredients and these step-by-step instructions. Learn how to make the best Pepper Steak Pies ever!!

Ingredients

650g chuck steak, chopped into small cubes (about 1.5cm or half an inch) (*See notes)
½ cup flour
1 ½ tablespoons cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves (or 4 small), minced
2 teaspoons dried Thyme
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups beef stock
1 cup Passata (or Tomato puree)
2 rolls (400g each) of Puff Pastry (store-bought)
1 egg, whisked (for the egg wash)
1 tablespoon water (for the egg wash)

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Instructions

If your pastry is frozen, now is a good time to take it out the freezer and allow it to thaw and soften.
On a large baking tray or rectangular baking dish, spread out the beef cubes and sprinkle with flour and ½ tablespoon of black pepper (we will use the rest later).
Using a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, add the butter and oil. Once the oil is simmering, add a third of the beef and fry until browned on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside. Repeat with the remaining beef, working with a third at a time.
In the same pot over medium heat, fry the onions and garlic until soft and translucent. You may need to add a little extra oil to the pan.
Now add in the Thyme, the remaining tablespoon of black pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock and passata (or tomato puree). Stir to combine. Add the beef back to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat immediately and allow to simmer on low heat for approximately 90 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the meat is tender.
Allow the filling to cool completely before using in the pies. Once cooled to room temperature, I place my pot in the fridge to cool it even more.
Preheat the oven to 200°C or 390°F
Roll out your pastry sheet. I keep the sheet of plastic that comes with the pastry underneath until I place the pie on the baking tray. I divided each roll of pastry into 3 equal rectangular segments of about 14-15cm (5-6 inches) on the short edge by 21cm (+-8 inches) along the long edge.
Place half a cup of filling on the bottom half of the pastry, making sure to keep the “margins” clear. Fold the top half of the pastry over the filling and align the top and bottom edges together. Using your fingers, press the pastry together on the left, right and bottom edges forming a seal. Using a sharp knife, poke a small hole in the top of the pie.
Carefully transfer each pie onto a flour-dusted baking tray. Repeat for the remaining 5 pies. Remember you can freeze any pies you don’t plan on cooking.
In a small bowl, add an egg and 1 tablespoon water and whisk gently until combined. Lightly brush the pastry with the egg wash – this will give it a lovely brown and shiny finish!
Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before eating.
Serve with a side of creamed spinach and roasted butternut.

Notes

*I cut off all the fat on the beef chuck so as to not have my kids pick out any squishy bits! So the 650g beef chuck represents the amount of beef without fat – I started with a lot more and had to cut it down. It really comes down to personal preference though.