Stout Braised Beef Pot Pie (2024)

Jump to Recipe·4.9 from 9 reviews

Rich Guinness-braised beef is baked under a flaky pie crust for the ultimate comfort food dinner. This Beef Pot Pie can be made as four elegant single servings or as one whole pie.

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A truly hearty dinner, this Guinness Braised Beef Pot Pie features stout-braised, tender beef in a rich and savory gravy, baked underneath the most delicious, buttery pie crust. This pot pie recipe is perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any day you want a comforting and filling meal.

This beef pot pie can be made in individual containers for single servings or baked in a standard pie dish for serving a crowd.

What I love most about this type of pie (similar to Chicken Pot Pie or Lentil Pot Pie) is that it can be made in stages or completely assembled and then frozen ahead of time. Don't worry, I'll share all the details about how to break down the steps, how to freeze it, and defrost it as well.

So, let's get to making it, shall we? The article below details all the information you need to know to make these successfully, concluding with the recipe at the end. You can jump around using the menu below, or skip to the end of the article for the full recipe.

Jump to:

Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
The Best Cut of Beef to Use for Beef Pot Pie
What to Bake it In
Pie Crust Options
Step-By-Step Recipe Overview
The Number One Tip for Making Pot Pies
Freezing Tips
More Savory Pie Recipes

Ingredients Needed and Substitutions

Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed. The recipe card lists the full recipe with quantities and detailed instructions (located below this article).

stout beer (we're talking Guinness here!)
homemade pie crust or store-bought puff pastry (see below for pie crust recipe options)
beef that can be braised (see below for some options)
mushrooms + carrots
garlic + onion
all-purpose flour
tomato paste
fresh thyme leaves
beef broth
turbinado sugar
eggwash
coarse kosher salt (This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease the volume by half.)

The Best Cut of Beef to Use for Beef Pot Pie

The best cut of meat for this beef pot pie is one that can withstand a long cooking time. Generally speaking, this means a tough cut of meat that will tenderize once braised. Here are my top choices in order:

brisket
chuck roast
rump roast
bottom round roast

What to Bake it In

There are two options for the vessel with which to bake this beef pot pie: individual ramekins or a large 9-inch deep-dish pie plate! It really comes down to your preference. The baking time is largely the same for both, plus a few extra minutes in the oven for a full beef pot pie.

Pie Crust Options

For this beef pot pie, the recipe calls for a top crust only, since the filling is already pretty rich. That means you'll need one pie crust or one package of store-bought (or homemade) puff pastry. I've included a recipe below for a really delicious 3-ingredient sour cream pie crust. Don't want to make the sour cream pie crust? There are a few other options here on the site that would work well:

butter pie crust (classic and so delicious)
cream cheese pie crust (just like a butter pie crust, but with a slightly improved flavor, because cream cheese makes everything taste better)
whole wheat pie crust
spelt pie crust

Step-By-Step Recipe Overview

This savory pie is a bit labor-intensive. Here is a quick visual overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. This is not the actual recipe, which is located at the end of this article and has much greater detail to ensure success.

Step 1: Brown the beef.

Step 2: Brown the mushrooms, then sweat down the veggies.

The Number One Tip for Making Pot Pies

You aren't going to like what I have to say: for the best beef pot pie possible, you really shouldn't make the filling and bake it right away.

I recommend you make the filling and the dough ahead of time, either by a day or a few hours. Then assemble and bake.

And here is why: a hot filling and cold, unbaked pie dough don't mix. I know, I know; lots of recipes out there tell you it's okay. I'm not going to stop you if you do it. But, in my opinion, if you try to stick a perfectly made pie pastry (or store-bought puff pastry) on top of a hot filling, it's going to melt the butter and turn your pastry into something not worth the effort.

Freezing Tips

You can and should freeze this beef pot pie, and your future self will thank you! You can freeze the pie unbaked or baked. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer either way. Just make sure you are preparing the pie in a pie plate that is both freezer and oven safe.

To Reheat it from Frozen:

The best method to reheat a fully-baked frozen pie is to let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then, bake the pie at 400ºF until the filling is bubbling. If possible, check the pie with an instant-read thermometer. The inside of the middle of the pie needs to be a minimum of 170ºF. If you don't have a thermometer, you can stick a knife in the middle of the pie, and then feel the metal to see if the filling is hot or not. It should be hot, not lukewarm.

If at any point the crust is getting too brown while you reheat it, cover it loosely with foil.

To Bake it from Frozen:

To bake this pie directly from frozen, remove it from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature until the dough is "tacky" or sticky, about 10-15 minutes depending on how warm your kitchen is.

Then bake according to the instructions of the recipe! It's that simple. The total bake time will be a bit longer. If at any point the crust is getting too brown, cover it loosely with foil. If possible, take the temperature of the middle of the pie. It should be above 170ºF with an evenly golden crust.

More Savory Pie Recipes

The Best Savory Pie Recipes
Pepperoni Pizza Quiche
Savory Butternut Squash Pie
Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

I am so honored when you make a recipe from my site! If you make this Beef Pot Pie recipe, please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating with your experience! If you have any questions about this recipe, feel free to comment here, and tag me on Instagram!

Guinness Braised Beef Pot Pie

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4.9 from 9 reviews

Rich Guinness-braised beef is baked under a flaky pie crust for the ultimate dead-of-winter meal. This Beef Pot Pie can be made as single servings, or as one whole pie.

Author: Kelli Avila
Prep Time: 00:25
Cook Time: 02:30
Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Category: Savory Pies
Method: Bake
Cuisine: Irish-American

Ingredients

For the Sour Cream Pie Crust:

1-¼ cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup (113 grams) cold salted butter, diced
⅓ cup (80 grams) sour cream

For Guinness and Beef Filling:

1 tablespoon high-heat oil
2 pounds beef brisket or boneless chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces button or baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
4 medium to large carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups beef broth
11 ounces stout beer
1 tablespoon turbinado or brown sugar
Egg wash

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Instructions

Make the Pie Crust:

In a large bowl, combine the flour and the diced butter. Toss to coat the butter with the flour. Work the butter into the flour using a pastry blender, by using your fingers to squeeze the butter chunks until they're flat and then rubbing them into the flour. Some larger pieces can remain, up to the size of a marble. Continue blending until the dough looks shaggy.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the sour cream to it. Using a spatula, mix the sour cream in the flour.
Using your hands, knead the dough a few times to help blend the sour cream into the flour until it just comes together as one large ball.
Transfer the pastry to a work surface and shape into a rough disk shape. Place the dough in a piece of plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it stretches to the edges of the plastic wrap to ensure a tight seal. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.

Braise the Beef:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and place an oven rack in the middle part of the oven.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the meat on all sides. Once browned, remove the beef and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are softened and have evaporated all of their liquid, about 8 minutes.
Add in the carrots and onions and cook for 8 minutes, until they begin to soften.
Add the =flour, tomato paste, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for 30 seconds until the tomato paste has turned a rusty color.
Deglaze the pot with the beef broth, stout, and sugar, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture up to a boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and transfer to the oven. Let braise until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened, about 1-½ to 2 hours.
When the meat is tender, taste and adjust the seasoning. If too much liquid has reduced and the sauce is salty, add water to balance it out.
Transfer the braised beef filling to a shallow container and let cool at room temperature until no longer hot, about 1 hour. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Assemble and Bake:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF and place an oven rack in the lowest part of the oven. Place six 8-ounce ramekins on a sheet pan. Roll out the pastry thin and cut circles to fit over the tops of the ramekins.
Divide the chilled filling between the ramekins and place the pastry circles on the top. Brush the pies with egg wash and cut a slit in each crust to allow the steam to vent.
Bake the pies on the lowest rack until the crust is golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Don't want to make homemade pie crust? Store-bought puff pastry is an easy store-bought solution to use with this beef pot pie.

This recipe can easily be made into a single large pie instead of 6 mini pies. Place the filling into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, place one pie crust on top, and follow the steps for baking. A large pie can take a few extra minutes for the crust to bake fully.

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