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Beef Pot Pie Made Easier: Stovetop-Reduced Filling with Puff Pastry Lid Pinterest recipe pin

Stovetop-Reduced Beef Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Lid

A concentrated stovetop beef stew thickened with a cornstarch slurry and finished with a flaky puff pastry lid for a dependable, everyday pot pie.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 pounds chuck roast trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 cups low-sodium beef broth divided
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth for deglazing, included above
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups small new potatoes diced
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons cold water
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed (about 9x9 inches)
  • 1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash optional
  • 1 tablespoon butter optional, for finishing
Optional additions
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar optional
  • 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms optional

Equipment

  • 1 5-quart Dutch oven or ovenproof skillet
  • 1 Rimmed baking sheet
  • 1 Small mixing bowl for slurry
  • 1 Pastry brush (optional)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat beef cubes dry and season with salt and pepper.
Brown the beef
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat; brown beef in batches 4–5 minutes per batch and transfer to a plate.
Aromatics and deglaze
  1. Reduce heat to medium, add onion, celery, and carrots with a pinch of salt and cook 6–8 minutes; add garlic and cook 1 minute, then stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Pour in 1 cup broth to deglaze, scraping browned bits.
Simmer the stew
  1. Return beef to the pot; add remaining 2 cups broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, and potatoes. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently 60–75 minutes until beef is fork-tender and liquid has reduced by about one-third.
Thicken the filling
  1. Remove bay leaf. Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry, temper with a splash of hot liquid, stir into the pot off high heat, then simmer 2–3 minutes until sauce thickens and coats a spoon.
Finish and bake
  1. Smooth the filling, taste and adjust seasoning. Lay thawed puff pastry over the pot, tuck or trim edges, brush with egg wash if using, cut vents, place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake 20–25 minutes until pastry is golden. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Brown the beef in batches to avoid steaming and build flavor; reduce the stew until noticeably thicker before adding the cornstarch slurry to avoid a soggy crust; you can freeze the cooled filling (without pastry) for up to 3 months and bake with fresh pastry after thawing.