I love beef pies, especially its crusty dough. It is popular here in Trinidad and Tobago, from weddings to beach limes. But one pie never seems to be enough. Just like the puffs, I feel I could easily eat about a dozen in one go. It just seems to raise my appetite every time. My wife had been searching for some time now for a good beef pie recipe for me to post. One that will certainly have that crusty and almost seem to melt in your mouth texture and at the same time be simple enough for even a beginner to make. She says this one is it.
Trinidad Beef Pie For Good Company
The day she made it we had company. Good company! My family was visiting and we played some beautiful parang music. That was my first parang lime for the Christmas season which I thoroughly enjoyed even though the electricity went and it was raining heavily. We played for about two hours by candlelight playing all the songs we knew. It was really a blast. Anyhow back to the recipe.
Many Fillings
This recipe could easily substituted with any kind of filling you may desire. You could use chicken, fish, soya or cheese. I will certainly be making some more for my Christmas dinner; probably chicken though, with a nice glass of sorrel at the side…I can taste it already. Enjoy another trini favourite, if not my favourite, beef pie.
Trinidad Beef Pie Recipe
BEEF PIE
Ingredients:
Filling:
1 pack (about 1 lb.) minced beef
2 leaves big thyme
5 sprigs chive
2 pimento pepper
1 tsp. paprika
2 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion
Pie crust:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cold water
Directions for the filling:
Place the beef in a small pot or frying pan. Add the thyme, chive, pimento pepper, salt, paprika, garlic and onion to the beef. Cook over a medium flame. There is no need to add oil. The minced beef has its own fat.
Set aside when done.
Directions for the pie crust:
Add the butter and shortening to the flour. Cut the butter and shortening into the flour. A coarse meal will be formed like this. Then add the cold water.
Roll into a coarse ball. Don’t knead. To roll the ball you can dust with a little flour.
Cut into smaller balls, to your preferred size. This recipe could make about 27 medium sized beef pies. To make the small balls, roll small amounts of pastry dough in the palm of your hands. Again, don’t knead.
Flatten each ball and place some beef in the middle, about 1 tablespoon of beef.
Roll in half and seal the edges. You can use a fork to mark the edges. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at 330 degrees F. or until golden brown.
Allow to cool and serve
That’s all for now. See you soon….Ah gone.
Trinidad Beef Pie (Pastry)
Ingredients
- Filling:
- 1 pack about 1 lb. minced beef
- 2 leaves big thyme
- 5 sprigs chive
- 2 pimento pepper
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 medium onion
- Pie crust:
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup butter unsalted
- 1/2 cup cold water
Instructions
- Place the beef in a small pot or frying pan. Add the thyme, chive, pimento pepper, salt, paprika, garlic and onion to the beef.
- Cook over a medium flame. There is no need to add oil because the minced beef has its own fat. Set aside when done.
- Cut the butter and shortening into the flour then add the cold water. Roll into a coarse ball. Don’t knead. To roll the ball you can dust with a little flour.
- Cut into smaller balls, of your preferred size. This recipe makes about 27 medium sized beef pies. To make the small balls, roll small amounts of pastry dough in the palm of your hands. Again, don’t knead.
- Flatten each ball and place some beef in the middle, about 1 tbsp. of beef. Roll in half and seal the edges. You can use a fork to mark the edges.
- Place on greased cookie sheet and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at 330 degrees F. or until golden brown. Allow to cool and serve.
I too love beef patties!
Merry Christmas!
Hi Cynthia. Thanks for visiting and Merry Christmas to you also from Trinidad and Tobago.
Parang time!!
I miss those days,lucky you!
Anyway have your self a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Merry Christmas and a Happy new year to you Becky.
hi, i had a question about the shortening. i cant seem to find it in nyc in the groceries. is it a substitute for the shortening that we can use in this recepie, like doubling the amount of butter? or any that will give us the same results as you gotten?
The shortening or lard is the key ingredient to the flakiness of the beef pie but if you cannot get it I guess you would have to use the butter to substitute for the shortening.
Just remember if you use butter, the pies would not be as flaky.
Not as yet Ian. There is still a lot of recipes to post. Stay tuned 🙂
you have any recipe for cheese pie?
I can’t wait to veganize this recipe with some smart grounds. Ah miss meh beef pie from de “bake-ree”. Do you have a recipe for plain buns? The ones with the light sugar glaze on top?
I love you…. keep up the good work…. The amount of commess that happening in my kitchen since I came upon your site as I trying to introduce these people to good Trini food. Still trying to perfect the dhalpuri roti and failed twice now but going to try the beef pies today. I guess the dough in this recipe does not have to rest ,right?? So far away from home, sometimes your recipes bring tears to my eyes.
God Bless keep it coming.
Made some of these today, left out the shortening and added a little sugar in the dough. Very delicious! I will def make again!
Can you store these in the freezer? Also if you we to all whole wheat flour to the dough, how much would you add? (kind of a health freak lol)
The dough can be frozen for later. Seeing that my wife made this for safety she says that she would use 1/2 cup whole wheat and 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour. Do have fun and please tell me the results 🙂
I did not have ground beef but figured I could substitute another filling so I used cheese. Made them this morning for my family for breakfast especially as recipe is simple so knew it would be quick. As a trini still living in Trinidad I often get to buy beef, chicken, cheese, etc pies so I can definitely say that as my first attempt at making my very own homemade this was a great success.
I added 1 teaspoon of salt and a little oregano to the dough for a slight flavour that went well with the cheese. Thank you, I will be using this recipe to make lots of different pies, both savoury and sweet.
I am enjoying your site very much. Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes and instructions with photos.
You’re welcome 🙂