Australian Meat Pies

The second country in the lineup of World Cup themed dinners: Australia. It took everything in my power not to slather Vegemite on toast. And Daniel might have blocked his ears after a while, but I know I got in at least a half dozen “G’day!’s” before the sun went down. I also may have unintentionally moved our relationship from soulmates to just “mates.” An unfortunate side effect of me playing Steve Irwin for the day.

Blokes and sheilas aside, though, you’re here for dinner. On the menu: Australian meat pies. Savory beef sauteed with onions, garlic, and herbs in a rich brown gravy, neatly tucked inside a buttery crust. These hand held pies are iconic Aussie fare, and I can see why. One bite into the creamy beef pockets and I was in a state of taste bliss. I’d liken them to calzones, but with a more delectable dough. A flaky, golden puff of pastry. I imagine cheese would make them even tastier.

Australian Meat Pies

(makes 4 palm-sized pies)

  • 1 sheet of puff pastry (from a standard pkg of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry)
  • 8 oz raw ground beef
  • ½ cup minced onion
  • ¼ cup minced celery
  • ¼ cup minced carrots
  • 1 TBSP minced garlic
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
  • dash nutmeg
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp soy sauce or worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup beef broth
  • 1 ½ TBSP all-purpose flour
  • 3 TBSP water
  • 1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350°. Heat the oil in a large pan set over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Saute for 1 minute.

Add the garlic and ground beef. Stir to break the beef into crumbles. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, until the beef is just beginning to brown.

Add the salt, pepper, and oregano.

Stir in the ketchup, dijon mustard, soy sauce, and broth.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and water until smooth.

Pour into the pan and stir. Cook until the liquid has thickened into a gravy.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Lay the puff pastry on a clean work surface and cut into quarters.

Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment, leaving one inch of space between each one.

Spoon the meat evenly among the pastry squares, mounding it near one of the bottom corners so that you can easily fold the pastry over to form a triangle.

Using a pastry brush, lightly paint the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg. Pull the pastry over the beef mixture and press to seal the edges into a triangle. Crimp the edges by pressing the tines of a fork gently into the dough.

Brush the tops of the pastry triangles with a light coating of egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pastries are golden brown and puffed.

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43 thoughts on “Australian Meat Pies

    1. Trish

      There is a reason that the meat pies you saw in New Zealand and even those in Australia do not look like this and that reason is that this is NOT a true Aussie Meat Pie.

      Reply
  1. Sophie @ yumventures

    When I was in Australia I ate about a dozen meat pies (in 9 days, which is saying something!). They ARE delicious. Though I couldn’t admit that they are as delicious as Cornish Pastys (which are, essentially, the same thing, but one is British and therefore better in my book :) ) They also have a tradition of floating a meat pie in a bowl of pea soup. I didn’t try that, but might be great for leftovers! Though you probably don’t have any, since these look so amazing.

    Reply
    1. Trish

      Actual this is more in line with “pie floaters”….

      The Meat Pie is very common (and very self-explanatory). It’s a small pie (usually about 4” (9cm) in diameter) filled with ground beef, gravy and covered with “tomato sauce” (which is very similar to ketchup, but not quite as sweet). It is served at “tuckshops” (school canteens) or eaten mainly as a takeaway food. Meat Pies can also be served on a bed of “mushy” peas or mashed potatoes. This is called a “pie floater.” Meat Pies are very popular at sporting events and on construction sites. Generally speaking, it would be very difficult to find an Australian male who disagreed with the sentiment that Meat Pies are about as Australian as you can get.

      Reply
  2. Cindy

    Oh I just happen to have everything (save the dough) on hand. Plus a hungry teenager is home now!

    THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK you. I am calling hubs right now to get him to take out the beef.

    I bet you could fill these with anything!
    xoxox

    Reply
    1. Patricia

      I’m doing my own spin of this right now with a quick-crust. Just flour and baking soda mixed then sprinkled over top then slices of butter spread over that. If you don’t hear back, it was awesome.

      Reply
  3. The Candid RD

    I love that you are cooking according to the World Cup! Great idea. So these are Australian?? They look amazing. Good for you for doing all that work instead of taking the easy way out :)

    Reply
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    1. Can You Stay for Dinner

      Hi Annette, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to offend anyone with the meat pies. I did my best to make a pastry filled with meat that was inspired by Australia during the World Cup, and I did try to research different recipes. I’d love to try a more authentic one, though! Any recipes you could share?

      Reply
        1. Shane

          Hi Trish, no idea why you are fussing so much. I just looked at the link recipe you posted. The ingredients are almost the same the cooking time quite a bit longer. In my opinion the cooking process which Andie does above is explained very well. I prefer that she uses beef broth instead of shop bought stock cubes and her method of thickening is also better. There is very little difference. And before you ask your next question, yes I have had pies in Australia, the best I found was close to Gold Coast.

          Reply
    2. Trish

      I agree, Annette. A true Aussie Meat Pie is made using pie crust for the bottom layer and the puff pastry is used for the top only. Also, a true Aussie Meat Pie is made with minced (chopped very fine) beef or lamb along with mushrooms, onions, or a variety of other ingredients which determine the final outcome of a specific flavor of Aussie Meat Pie. There is also a richer, thicker gravy to make the pie more moist, flavourful and delicious. I am not saying that this meat turnover is not tasty. What I am saying is that it is NOT a true Aussie Meat Pie and for those of us who have had the real thing…. there is no comparison at all. They are one of the first meals, along with a scrumptious latte that my husband (from Melbourne, AU) and I look forward to after arriving in AU and the best ones are from the local bakeries. We have discovered only one TRUE Aussie Meat Pie establishment in the United States so far and it is run by two expatriates. Their website can be found at: http://www.australianbakerycafe.com/ for those who may be interested in checking it out. They do sell and ship real Aussie Meat Pies along with many other Australian favorites. Just to let you know, I am not affiliated with them in any way except that while in the USA this is where I order them when I am too tired to make them myself.
      PS – I’ve never known any American so far that doesn’t love them and yes, there are even vegetarian ones available.

      Reply
  6. Alex Anton

    Can this pie get even better?
    The olive oil will assure a profund and long lasting taste and combined with parsley, will do for a wonderful dish.
    Mushrooms are protein rich, just the right food for sports.
    I could cook it under steam, or with a pan, of course, not a teflon pan, as teflon is toxic if over heated…but non the less, great recipe.
    I will, for sure make this recipe tomorrow morning, and will let you know how that goes.

    Reply
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  8. claudia

    Nice looking pastries, but why are you calling them Aussie meat pies when they’re not? Celery, oregano, mustard – all not aussie. Even the shape and pastry aren’t right at all. Don’t mind riffs on recipes but this just isn’t aussie :(

    Reply
  9. ann

    thanks so much these look delicious – I am making them for book club tomorrow.
    as I have to make twelve, can I bake and reheat do you think without losing the flakiness?

    Reply
  10. ann

    or would I be better off assembling and freezing and baking later? just wondering. I have done this with shortcrust pastry and cornish pasties in the past but am less familiar with puff pastry…….thanks

    Reply
  11. Dianelys Selgas

    I must say that I have already tried a few of your recipes and so far none have been a disappointment. These meat pies are amazingly delicious. Being cuban we make something similar called pastelitos, but since I just moved to NC they don’t sell them anywhere :(. This recipe really brought me close to home (Miami). Thank you!

    Reply
  12. Pam Robertson

    This is not an Australian meat pie. The shape is that of a pastie. The filling would be close if you left out the vegetables. Sorry not even close.

    Reply
  13. jan gridley

    I went to site of Australian bakery Trish mentioned. What kind of pan makes those squarish pies. Would you know? Would like to purchase. By the way your recipe is close enough.

    Reply

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