THE ULTIMATE Tender Slow Cooker Steak Pie

This comforting slow-cooked stew features tender beef chunks simmered in a thick, peppery gravy with fresh celery and carrots and a flaky puff pastry top.

There is nothing better than to come home to a piping hot comforting dinner that requires very little effort. And this easy slow-cooker beef pie is one of the best.

Slow cooker recipes are always an easy dinner-time win at this time of year. Not only do slow cookers create the most amazing flavourful meals, but they are also very cheap to run and require very little effort.

You can find more slow cooker stew and pie inspiration with this very popular chicken and mushroom pie or this slow cooker cottage pie.

🧾 Ingredients

You certainly don't need a lot to make this tender beef pie. A few key ingredients are all you need.

• beef- just a pack of diced beef is all you need. Because we're leaving this beef filling in the slow cooker all day, you only need a cheap pack of stewing beef. Dust the beef in seasoned plain flour to help thicken the filling.
• vegetables- onion, celery and carrots not only help to bulk out this steak pie, but also add so much flavour and texture.
• Stock- I've used beef stock cubes here but you could easily use a stock pot or use some ale in addition to the stock for a steak and ale pie. You could follow this steak and ale stew recipe.
• Pastry- this recipe uses puff pastry but you could easily switch it for shortcrust pastry if you prefer. Just follow the same steps in the recipe.

See recipe card for quantities.

📖 What to add to steak pie

I've started with a very basic recipe that you can customize as you like. Here are some great things to add.

• Mushrooms - mushrooms are so full of texture and flavour and they are a perfect pairing with beef. Simple white button or brown mushrooms work great.
• Extra onions - steak and onion pie is always a classic. Add in an extra large onion to give this pie more heft.
• Chicken or pork - if you happen to have some leftover chicken or pork from your Sunday roast, absolutely add it to this pie.

Seasoning a recipe

A note on seasoning- Every recipe will require salt. I do not specify the amount because the seasoning is very subjective to taste, tolerance, and diet. The best way to use salt is to start early in the cooking process and taste and layer as you cook and as the dish develops.

👩🏻‍🍳 Step By Step

1 & 2- Browning the beef

• Make sure that the beef is dry (use a paper towel to absorb moisture) and toss the pieces in some well-seasoned flour.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pan and brown the beef over medium heat until each piece is golden. Do this in batches to avoid crowding the pan. Place the browned beef in the bowl of your slow cooker.

3 & 4- deglazing the pan

• After you have browned your beef, add the sliced onion, carrots, and celery to the pan with about 3 tablespoons of water. Use a spoon or spatula to scrape up all brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to sauté for about 5 minutes until tender.
• Place the softened vegetables in the slow cooker along with the beef. Pour in the beef stock, or whatever liquid you'd like to use.

5 & 6- Adding the pastry

• Slow-cook the beef pie on high for about 4 hours or low for 7 hours. Once the beef stew base is ready you will need to cool it before placing the pastry lid on top, otherwise it will melt and sink into the stew.
• Once it has cooled, place the steak filling in a pie dish and place the pastry on top. Using a sharp knife trim the excess pastry from around the edges of the dish. Use a fork to seal the edges to the rim.
• Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with some sea salt. Bake until the filling is hot and the pastry is golden and puffed up about 20-25 minutes.

Hint: Use a pastry cutter to cut out some shapes and add them to the top of the pastry.

🔪 Cooling the pie filling quickly

• For meal prep/ making ahead- If you're making slow cooker steak pie filling to be frozen for another day, then follow the instructions until just before you place the pastry on top of the pie. Instead, place the steak filling in a container and cool it completely before placing it in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container.
• To cool the pie filling quickly- spoon the stew into a shallow container with a large surface area and place it in the freezer for about 15 minutes, then use a spoon to stir it around and place it back in the freezer for another 15 minutes. Continue to do this until the filling has cooled.

🍯 Storage

• Steak pie filling- store the slow-cooked filling in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 days in the fridge for 3 months in the freezer.
• Steak pie with pastry topping- Place any leftover pie in the fridge in a container with a lid for up to 3 days.

❓FAQ

The BEST Slow Cooker Steak Pie

Enjoy a classic slow cooker steak pie with tender beef, flavourful vegetables, and a golden pastry lid. Perfect for a comforting meal, this dish is both hearty and delicious.

5 from 8 votes

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours hours

Servings: 6 servings

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Author: Deborah Rainford

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 700 g (1 ½ lb) stewing beef
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 30 g (¼ cup) plain flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 4 sticks of celery, roughly chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 600 ml (2 ¼ cups) beef stock, made with a stock cube or a stock pot
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 500 g (1 lb) puff pastry or shortcrust pastry
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3-5 cloves garlic, minced (see notes)

Instructions

Prepare the Beef:

• Mix the flour and mustard powder in a medium bowl.
• Toss the stewing beef in the flour mixture until well-coated.

Brown the Beef:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
• Brown the beef in batches to ensure a good sear. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
• Once browned, remove the beef and set aside.

Cook the Onions and Garlic:

• Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the pan with a splash of beef stock to deglaze.
• Cook for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and tender, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Slow Cook:

• Transfer the beef, onions, and garlic to the slow cooker.
• Stir in the carrots, celery, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, remaining beef stock, and thyme leaves.
• Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours.

Prepare the Pie:

• Preheat your oven to 190°C (fan) or 200°C (conventional).
• Once the beef mixture is cooked and tender, transfer it to a pie dish.
• Let the filling cool completely (see notes for quick cooling tips).

Add the Pastry Lid:

• Roll out the puff pastry and place it over the cooled steak filling.
• Trim any excess pastry from the edges and seal the edges with a fork.
• Brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake:

• Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden and puffed.

Notes

• Sear-and-Cook Slow Cooker: If your slow cooker has a searing function, use it to brown the beef directly in the slow cooker bowl.
• Cooling the Filling: To cool the steak pie filling quickly, spread it in a shallow container and place it in the freezer for short intervals, stirring occasionally, until cooled.
• Garlic Quantity: Adjust the amount of garlic based on personal preference and the size of your garlic cloves.

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 406mg | Potassium: 413mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3594IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 3mg

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