Beef and Oyster Pie

A hearty British pie featuring tender braised beef, bacon and succulent oysters beneath a crispy golden crust — a true embodiment of cosy home cooking.

Ingredients

• 900 g Beef (diced)
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 3 pcs Shallots
• 2 clove Garlic
• 125 g Bacon
• 1 tbsp Thyme
• 2 pcs Bay leaf
• 330 ml Dark beer (stout)
• 400 ml Beef stock
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 8 pcs Oysters
• 400 g Wheat flour
• pinch Salt
• 250 g Butter
• 1 pcs Eggs

Instructions

1. Cut the beef into cubes and season generously with salt and black pepper. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil over high heat in a frying pan and brown the meat in batches — three batches in total to avoid overcrowding the pan. Sear each batch until golden brown on all sides, adding more oil as needed. Transfer the browned meat to a large ovenproof casserole or baking dish with a lid.
2. Add another tablespoon of oil to the same frying pan and sauté the shallots for 4–5 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds. Then add the bacon and cook until lightly golden. Transfer everything to the casserole with the meat, add the thyme and bay leaf.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Pour the stout into the frying pan where the meat was cooked, bring to a boil, stirring well and scraping up the caramelised bits from the bottom. Pour the beer into the casserole with the meat, add the stock. Cover with the lid and place in the oven for 1.5–2 hours until the beef is tender and the sauce has reduced.
4. Remove the casserole from the oven. Skim off the fat from the surface, taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. Stir in the cornstarch mixed with water and place the casserole on the stovetop. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and allow the filling to cool completely.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C. Prepare the pastry: mix flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Grate the cold butter on a coarse grater and gradually work it into the flour in three additions. Gradually add cold water (up to 325 ml), mixing with a blunt knife until the dough begins to come together. Lightly knead it on a floured surface. Set aside approximately 250 g of dough for the pie lid and roll out the remainder into a sheet about 2 cm larger than the diameter of your dish.
6. Line the dish with the rolled pastry, forming the sides. Fill the dish with the cooled filling, distributing the oysters evenly among the meat pieces. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg. Roll out the remaining dough slightly larger than the diameter of the dish and carefully place it over the filling. Press the edges down firmly, trim away excess with a sharp knife and brush the top with beaten egg. Place the dish on a baking tray and bake for 25–30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is actively bubbling.