Crispy Irish Beef Guinness Hand Pies (Printer-friendly)
Golden pastry pockets filled with tender beef and rich Guinness gravy
# What You’ll Need:
→ For the Filling
01 - 1 lb beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into small cubes
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 1 medium parsnip, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 1 cup Guinness stout
09 - 1 cup beef broth
10 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 tsp salt
13 - ½ tsp black pepper
14 - 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
15 - ½ cup frozen peas
→ For the Pastry
16 - 2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry, thawed if frozen
17 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
# How-To Guide:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
02 - In the same skillet, add onions, carrots, and parsnip. Sauté for 4–5 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour and mix well.
04 - Return beef to the skillet. Pour in Guinness, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Add thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
05 - Cover and simmer for 50–60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and sauce thickens. Uncover for the last 10 minutes to reduce further if needed.
06 - Stir in frozen peas. Remove from heat and let the filling cool completely.
07 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out puff pastry if needed. Cut each sheet into 4 equal rectangles (8 total).
08 - Spoon cooled filling onto one half of each rectangle, leaving a border. Brush edges with beaten egg. Fold pastry over filling to form a pocket and crimp edges with a fork to seal. Cut a small slit on top for steam.
09 - Place hand pies on the baking sheet. Brush tops with egg wash.
10 - Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until pastry is golden and crisp.
11 - Cool slightly before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The beef becomes meltingly tender after simmering in stout, developing a depth that slow cooking alone cant achieve
- These portable pies freeze beautifully, making them worth the effort for quick comfort meals later
02 -
- Cooling the filling before assembling is non-negotiable—warm filling makes the pastry soggy and prevents proper cooking
- Overfilling the pies causes them to burst—stick to about 2 tablespoons per pie and leave a clean border
03 -
- Chill your pastry dough while the filling cooks—cold pastry bakes up flakier and holds its shape better
- Brush the edges with egg wash before crimping to create an extra strong seal that won't leak