These mini steak and ale pies are filled with tender beef braised in Guinness stout, sweet pearl onions, and a glossy savory sauce, all tucked into a flaky, buttery crust. Serve them as a main with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots or turn them into portable hand pies — either way they’re sure to please.
March can still be chilly, so even as spring approaches (and St. Patrick’s Day nears), a warm, hearty dish is welcome. These Beef and Guinness Mini Pies deliver comforting rich flavor and portability when you want it.
The filling starts with a well-browned chuck roast braised until it shreds easily in a reduced mix of beef broth and Guinness. Pearl onions, carrots and a touch of tomato paste and capers brighten the sauce. Make the roast ahead for dinner and use the leftovers for pies, hand pies, tacos, or sandwiches.
I like to prep a roast on a Sunday, refrigerate the cooled meat and sauce, then assemble pies the next day. Freezing portions of either the filling or the finished pies makes weeknight meals effortless.
How to make Guinness pie filling
The key is to cook the beef fully before enclosing it in pastry — the meat needs time in the liquid to become tender and to develop a rich reduced sauce.
This method is perfect for a large roast you can serve right away and then repurpose for pies later. You can also use leftover slow-cooked beef and barley or other braised beef for the filling.
Make the Guinness-marinated beef
- Pat a 2–3 lb chuck roast dry and brown it in olive oil, then remove it from the pot to rest while you build the sauce.
- In the same pot, sauté frozen pearl onions and a peas-and-carrots mix briefly, add minced garlic, tomato paste and capers, then deglaze with beef broth and Guinness, scraping up the browned bits.
- Return the roast to the pot, cover, and bake until the meat is tender and the liquid has reduced to a glossy, thick sauce. Shred the beef and combine it with the sauce for pie filling.
You can serve the braised beef with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables, or chill it and transform it into mini pies or hand pies.
The roast keeps well refrigerated and freezes nicely, making it a great make-ahead option. If you enjoy Guinness, try the classic stout; a blonde or amber ale will also work if you prefer a lighter beer character.
Assemble the steak and ale pies
Have pie crust or puff pastry ready. Homemade crust is lovely, but store-bought refrigerated pie crusts or thawed puff pastry work well and save time. I stock extra in the freezer for quick assembly.
How to make steak and ale mini pies
- Preheat the oven.
- Cut two sizes of circles from pie dough: a larger circle for the base and a slightly smaller circle for the top. Press the larger circle into a greased muffin tin cup to form a crust “cup.”
- Add about 2 tablespoons of shredded beef and sauce to each base, leaving room so the sauce won’t overflow.
- Top with the smaller circle, crimp or roll the edges to seal, and cut a small steam slit in each top.
- Brush with an egg wash (one beaten egg thinned with a tablespoon or two of water or milk) and bake until golden and bubbly. Let cool briefly before serving.
For the full recipe card and exact measurements, see the recipe below.
Best ale to cook with
Classic Guinness stout is my favorite for its deep roasted flavor, but you can use any beer or ale you enjoy. The filling works well with both stouts and lighter ales, the result depends on how bold you want the sauce.
Turn the filling into turnovers by using puff pastry for a crisp, flaky handheld option that’s perfect for lunches or snacks.
Can you freeze them?
Yes. Freeze either the assembled pies before baking (store airtight and bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes) or bake them first and freeze fully cooled pies for the easiest reheating.
How to make an egg wash
Beat one egg with 1–2 tablespoons of water or milk, then brush the pastry just before baking. This gives a glossy, golden-brown finish.
Steak and Ale Mini Pies
Equipment
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Round cutters or a cup for cutting dough circles
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12-cup muffin pan
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Heavy ovenproof pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
For the beef and Guinness filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2–3 lb chuck roast
- 1 cup frozen pearl onions
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots mix
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 2 cups beef broth, divided
- 2 cups Guinness stout, divided
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
For the pies
- 2 sheets puff pastry (for hand pies) or 1 package refrigerated pie crust (for mini pies)
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons water (for egg wash)
Instructions
Prepare the beef and Guinness filling
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Dry the chuck roast and sear on all sides until well browned. Remove to a plate.
- Add the pearl onions and the peas-and-carrots mixture to the pot and cook 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in garlic, tomato paste and capers and cook 1 minute.
- Add 1 cup beef broth, 1 cup Guinness, Worcestershire sauce and thyme, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil.
- Return the roast to the pot, cover, and bake 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, remove the lid, flip the roast, add the remaining 1 cup beef broth and 1 cup Guinness, and bake uncovered another hour or until the meat is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Remove from oven and let rest at least 10 minutes. Shred the beef and mix with the reduced sauce. Chill overnight if making pies the next day.
To make the Beef Guinness mini pies
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Unroll pie crusts and cut 3–4 inch circles. Make a set of larger circles for bottoms and slightly smaller circles for tops.
- Press a larger circle into a greased muffin cup, add about 2 tablespoons of shredded beef and sauce, then top with the smaller circle.
- Crimp edges to seal, cut a small steam slit in each top, brush with egg wash (1 egg + 2 tablespoons water), and bake 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
- Let cool briefly and serve warm.
To make hand pies with puff pastry
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Thaw puff pastry in the refrigerator if frozen.
- Roll each sheet slightly and cut into 9 even squares per sheet.
- Place 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture in the center of each square, top with another square, seal edges with a fork or crimp, cut a small slit in the top, brush with egg wash, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake 25 minutes or until golden, then serve warm.
Notes
- If you prefer not to use Guinness, any beer or ale you enjoy will work.
- Thaw puff pastry overnight in the refrigerator or briefly at room temperature before using.
Nutrition
This recipe was adapted from an original source. Feel free to make it your own by adjusting vegetables, herbs, or the type of beer you use.
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