Chunky Beef Mushroom & Red Wine Pie

Chop steak into bite-size pieces. Season with salt & pepper and lightly dredge the meat in flour.

Dice the onion, carrots, and mushrooms.

Finely chop the parsley & rosemary.

In the slow-cooker dish (use a separate nonstick saucepan if your slow cooker can’t be used over the stove), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion, and herbs for 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt to release the flavour.

Add the carrots and mushrooms cooking for a further 3 minutes.

Remove the vegetables and using the same pan/pot add another tablespoon of olive oil and brown the meat off in batches.

Add all the meat, including the juices, the cooked veggies into the pot. Mix in some tomato paste followed by the red wine, stock, Worcestershire sauce and Vegemite.

Season well with salt/pepper.

Bring to a boil and place the slow cooker pan into to slow cooker with the lid on. 

Cook for 3-4 hours or until the meat has tenderised. If the gravy/sauce is still loose, add another tablespoon of flour to thicken.

Cool the meat mixture when cooked.

Prep the pie dishes, if using individual tin, and grease before adding pastry.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees fan forced If using pie tins.

Cut pastry into circles to fit the tins or pie maker. Cut a second circle to form the lid of the pie.

Fill the pastry with meat mixture. Place the lid on and cook for 10 minutes or until golden (I used the Aldi Pie Maker)

If using the tins, once the pastry lid has been applied, brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

Serve the pies topped with mashed potato (or a combination of sweet potato & potato) and peas.

NB: the mixture can be made in advance and assembled when needed.

Make the pies, place them in the pie tins, and freeze them to use at a later date.