The BEST Irish Meat Pie Recipe (2024)

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Want a savory easy meat pie recipe for St. Patrick’s Day? Here’s the perfect comforting Irish meat and potato pie for your celebration this year!

The BEST Irish Meat Pie Recipe (1)

I’ve been publishing lots of fun sweet St. Patrick’s Day recipes, but it’s time to share a savory one.

Love traditional beef-and-potato stew? Put it inside flaky hand pies that will make your tastebuds dance. Hello Irish Meat Pies!

This comforting and traditional dish is perfect this time of year! The tender, flaky crust is stuffed meat, potatoes, cabbage, and more and is guaranteed to be a holiday favorite.

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The BEST Irish Meat Pie Recipe (2)

If you like meat inside a crust, you’re going to love these meat pies! Making them from scratch can take a lot of time. That’s why I came up with this recipe that uses a store-bought pie crust to save TONS of time!

Use pre-made crust and traditional fillings to make these delicious Irish meat pies! A perfect weeknight dinner or easy lunchbox meal that is hearty, delicious, and easy to prepare.

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Irish Meat Pies Ingredients Needed

Here’s what you’ll need to make this ultra satisfying comfort food recipe at home.

  • Olive oil
  • Green cabbage – shredded (cut very thin)
  • Red potatoes – scrubbed and diced
  • Ground sirloin
  • Onion – minced
  • Garlic – minced fresh garlic cloves
  • Tomato paste
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Seasonings – thyme, salt, pepper
  • Ready to eat pie crust

Note: You can grab the recipe card at the end of this post for a complete and detailed list of ingredients and instructions!

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How to Make this Irish Meat Pie Recipe

Don’t let the length of this recipe scare you away. Even though it has quite a few steps, it’s really a simple recipe!

Prepare the Filling

Add diced potatoes, shredded cabbage, onion, and garlic to a cast iron skillet with two tablespoons of olive oil.

Saute for 5-7 mins until it begins to turn brown.

Remove from the pan and add ground sirloin into the mixture.

Cook all the way through, then add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, cabbage, thyme, salt and pepper.

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Cook another 3-4 mins. Add in 1⁄2 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low for 10 mins allowing the potatoes time to become soft.

Stir every couple of mins to ensure no burning.

Once the meat mixture is done and has been seasoned to your liking, let it cool.

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Prepare the Dough

Cut out circles (3-5 inches in diameter) from either store-bought or homemade pie crust.

The larger the circle, the bigger the pie will be when folded.

If making smaller circles, you can sandwich the meat mixture by enclosing another pie crust on top.

Fill the Dough and Bake Your Irish Meat Pies

Add meat filling to your dough. Use a fork to seal the pie crust edges together.

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Be sure to cut 3 slits in the top of the crust, to vent the pies

Cook in a 400 degree oven for 12-15 mins or until golden brown.

And you’re done – meat pie recipe complete! I hope you love this traditional Irish dish served at St Patrick’s Day!

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Notes and Ideas for Making the Best Homemade Meat Pie Recipe

A Cast iron or heavy bottom frying pan and a wooden spoon are great tools for making this, the BEST meat pie recipe. 😁

Pie Crust – Pie crust is what is traditionally used. However, you could create a twist on this delicious recipe by using a can of biscuits!

Egg Wash – If you use the traditional pie crust, you need the egg wash to get that mouth-watering golden brown color. However, the biscuit method doesn’t need egg wash.

Saute in Butter – If you prefer a richer flavor, saute the potatoes, cabbage, diced onion, and minced garlic clove in 2 Tbsp butter.

Herbs – Fresh herbs work beautifully in this dish as well as freshly ground black pepper and sea salt.

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What to Serve with Irish Meat Pies

Serve alone or with your favorite vegetable sides.

Don’t forget the very Irish Guinness beer!

FAQs

Here are a few common questions I get from readers about this meat pie recipe…

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What is another name for meat pie?

I have heard meat pies go by several different names according to what country they are from or served in. Here are a few in case you’ve always wondered about this too!

  • tourtiere
  • shepherd’s pie
  • kidney pie
  • steak and kidney pie
  • pasty

What Cut of Beef is the Best for Meat Pies?

I used ground sirloin in this recipe. It’s a lean cut of beef.

However, you can use any type of ground meat you like. I do recommend using leaner varieties because I think they work better to provide flavor without making the crust greasy and soggy from fat drainage.

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Can I freeze these hand pies?

Yes! They freeze very well and taste just like the day you made them when you cook them.

To Reheat from Frozen:Put them directly on a baking sheet frozen and bake in the oven for 28 to 30 minutes. Check that the crust is crispy and the edges are turning golden brown.

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The BEST Irish Meat Pie Recipe (13)

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The BEST Irish Meat Pie Recipe (14)
The BEST Irish Meat Pie Recipe (15)

The BEST Irish Meat Pies

Want a savory easy meat pie recipe for St. Patrick’s Day? Here's the perfect Irish meat and potato pie for your celebration this year!

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1⁄4 head green cabbage, shredded (cut very thin)
  • 1⁄4 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and diced
  • 1⁄2 pound lean ground sirloin
  • 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1⁄2 tsp thyme
  • Ready to eat pie crust
  • 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt and pepper (possibly more to suit your tastes)

Instructions

Prepare the Filling

Add diced potatoes, shredded cabbage, onion, and garlic to a cast iron skillet with two tablespoons of olive oil.

Saute for 5-7 mins until it begins to turn brown.

Remove from the pan and add ground sirloin into the mixture.

Cook all the way through, then add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, cabbage, thyme, salt and pepper.

Cook another 3-4 mins. Add in 1⁄2 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low for 10 mins allowing the potatoes time to become soft.

Stir every couple of mins to ensure no burning.

Once the meat mixture is done and has been seasoned to your liking, let it cool.

Prepare the Dough

Cut out circles (3-5 inches in diameter) from either store-bought or homemade pie crust.

The larger the circle, the bigger the pie will be when folded.

If making smaller circles, you can sandwich the meat mixture by enclosing another pie crust on top.

Fill the Dough and Bake Your Irish Meat Pies

Add meat filling to your dough. Use a fork to seal the pie crust edges together. Be sure to cut 3 slits in the top of the crust, to vent the pies

Cook in a 400-degree oven for 12-15 mins or until golden brown.

Done!

The BEST Irish Meat Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Which country has the best meat pies? ›

The Top 10 Best Meat Pies in the World
  • Aussie Meat Pie (Australia) Image Source: Durant Weston via Flickr CC BY 2.0. ...
  • Beef and Guinness Pie (Ireland) ...
  • Sfija/Sfeeha (Lebanon) ...
  • Shepherd's Pie (Great Britain) ...
  • Kreatopita (Greece) ...
  • Pork Pie (Great Britain) ...
  • Pastilla (Morocco) ...
  • Pirog (Russia)

What makes meat pie hard after baking? ›

If your pie crust is tough instead of tender and flaky, you probably either overworked the dough or added too much water to it.

Why is it called Guinness pie? ›

In Ireland, Guinness Stout is commonly added along with bacon and onions, and the result is commonly referred to as a Steak and Guinness Pie (or Guinness Pie for short).

What is the meat pie capital of the world? ›

The city of Natchitoches in northern Louisiana (named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe, pronounced NAK-uh-tush) offers a regional delicacy popular since the late 1700's – the Natchitoches meat pie.

What is the number 1 pie in America? ›

Apple pie is arguably one of the most popular pie flavors. A symbol of America, the apple pie was actually invented by the British. Apple pie is simply made with sliced apples on double-crusted pastry dough.

What does vinegar do in meat pie dough? ›

The acidic properties of vinegar inhibit gluten, some will say. This theory proposes that once the water and flour are combined, gluten starts forming, causing the dough to grow tough. Adding an acid, the theory goes, stops the gluten in its tracks and rescues the crust from toughness.

What is the work of vinegar in meatpie? ›

soft and succulent) The secret is vinegar and egg yolk. makes the dough more malleable.

What is the best thickener for meat pies? ›

FINO PIE THICKENING is a balanced blend of cereals and starches especially designed for thickening and stabilising pie meat.

How do you thicken meat pie filling? ›

Flour as Pie Filling Thickener

Teaspoon for teaspoon, you will need to use about twice as much flour as you would cornstarch or tapioca to achieve the same thickening effects. Adding too much flour to your pie filling will turn it cloudy and pasty, with a distinctly floury taste.

What is a fancy name for meat pie? ›

What is another word for meat pie?
casserolestew
pottagehotdish
hotpotcasserole dish
covered dishpot pie
gallimaufrybourguignon
4 more rows

What do the Irish call a pint of Guinness? ›

In Dublin, there is a pub for every 100 people, and what better way to experience these in true local style, than being able to order Guinness, Ireland's staple alcoholic beverage, in its mother tongue? A “pint of gat” literally translates to a pint of Guinness.

Is Guinness Scottish or Irish? ›

The Guinness Brewery and Storehouse are the most visited attraction in Dublin. With a rich roasted aroma and a hue of midnight ruby, Guinness, an Irish dry stout, has been an emblem of Ireland for over two centuries, and a pint is a must-taste for visitors to Ireland.

Why is Guinness so different in Ireland? ›

Any time between when a beer is made and when it's poured will naturally decrease the freshness. Guinness Draught Stout is, in fact, fresher in Ireland simply because it's made there.” Exportation can exacerbate the situation, according to Ethan Fixell, a Certified Cicerone and beverage expert.

What country eats meat pies? ›

In saying that, it is not however a food unique to Australia only. Many countries have their own version – the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and even across Africa, Latin America, Asia and more, they too have their own versions of savoury pastries with meaty fillings that's similar to a pie.

Which country did meat pies come from? ›

Historians believe that the Greeks actually originated pie pastry. The pies during this period were made by a flour-water paste wrapped around meat; this served to cook the meat and seal in the juices.

What country made meat pies? ›

While Australia certainly claimed ownership of this gastronomic alchemy of meat, gravy and pastry, meat pies have roots to ancient Greece and Rome. There's something to be said about the way our country embraces the meat pie. It's not just a food; it's part of the culture and you can't have one without the other.

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