Mighty meat pie

A crisp exterior, filled with tender meat that starts steaming when you cut into it. A meat pie is exactly what you want in tough times.

In England, America and Australia, everyone has a favorite recipe for this classic. It still hasn’t really caught on here. A shame, because this pie absolutely belongs in the top tier of comfort food dishes.

Pastry

Not all pastry is created equal. For a meat pie, the pastry needs to be flaky, light, buttery and crisp. If you don’t make pastry often, you may need to practice a little. If you follow this recipe from Serious Eats step by step, very little can go wrong.

I admit that on a weekday I sometimes make mini ones, simply using puff pastry. If you put the filling in a ramekin and cover it with puff pastry, you technically shouldn’t call it a meat pie, but it will satisfy all your cravings. This is also perfect for using up leftover stewed meat.

Filling

Shredded meat has no place in a good filling. The meat should be tender but still have some bite, with pieces that are clearly visible. A good filling should also be thick and not too moist. If there is still too much liquid in the pan, let it reduce a little longer. In principle, you can use any kind of stewed meat as a filling. These are our favorites.

Chicken pot pie

An American classic. In my opinion, the very best recipe comes from former Top Chef contestant Carla Hall; the sage in the otherwise traditional filling makes it extra delicious.

Guinness + cheddar

Guinness beer and cheddar cheese—this recipe from Jamie Oliver is a hearty one. Puff pastry is used for the top, so you can devote all your love to the filling.

Australian lamb

In Australia, they love small, individual pies. That means extra crispy crust, and you won’t hear me complaining. These little lamb pies are packed with umami from Worcestershire sauce, mace and rosemary.