Steak & Guinness Pot Pies

St. Paddy’s Day is right around the corner, so you know what that means…it’s time to share my annual St. Patrick’s Day recipe. Let’s get excited because there’s still time to switch up those plans you’ve already made. Ditch those boring recipes you make year in and year out and try something new for a change. Last year I teamed up with Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board aka Wisconsin Cheese to bring you Irish Colcannon Mac and Cheese. It was a huge hit, but when isn’t cheesy mac and cheese with bacon and potatoes a good thing? It’s a dream team made in heaven. This year I teamed up with Wisconsin Cheese once again to bring you another classic Irish dish but with a twist. Potatoes and bacon and cheese happen to be involved again so I’d say we’re already off to a great start. I know that bacon isn’t a traditional Irish ingredient, but something about potatoes and cheese just scream bacon to me.

I wanted to switch things up a bit this year by making something new to me, Steak and Guinness Pot Pies. It’s like a traditional Irish beef stew all wrapped up in a flaky pie crust. The thing though is that this flaky crust is studded with crispy bacon and lots of Cheddar cheese, the way it always should’ve been. It’s a new take on a classic dish. So let’s all get in the spirit and be Irish for the day. This is our one free pass to let loose and get as wild as we’d like. So let’s all wear our green and start pinching those that forgot or just didn’t care enough to. Let’s make all of our favorite festive recipes and make everyone around us happy by getting into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit. Remember that no holiday is complete without lots of cheese and lots of fun. 

Let’s work on this delicious crust first. It needs to chill for a bit so it’s best to get it out of the way right off the bat. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and cut into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs the size of peas. 

**Note: This is just my basic go-to pie crust recipe from Shepherd’s Potato Pie (another great St. Paddy’s Day option) but with a few changes to it.**

Add in the bacon and shredded cheddar and stir until evenly combined. If you want to brighten things up a bit, try adding fresh chives to the dough as well. Add the cold ice water, a tablespoon at a time, and stir until the dough comes together into a shaggy dough ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. 

**Tip: You can make the dough in advance and freeze it for up to 3 months. Just thaw in refrigerator the night before you plan on using it!**

Brown the beef in a super hot large skillet. You want to just brown the meat, we’re not looking to cook it fully through. It’s important to add color to the meat because it also adds so much flavor to the entire dish. 

Transfer the browned beef to plate or platter and let rest until ready to use. Add in the veggies and cook until softened and just beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. 

Add in the salt, pepper, rosemary, tomato paste, Guinness and beef stock. Bring to a simmer, lower the flame and cook until the meat is tender and the potatoes are just cooked through. 

**Note: Make sure you don’t over cook the potatoes at this point because they’re going to continue to cook in the oven during baking.**

Allow the sauce to thicken and then remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Lightly grease 8 small ramekins or individual baking dishes with cooking spray. Divide the filling among each of the ramekins. 

**Note: You can also just pour all of the filling into one large baking dish and have one big pie instead of individual pie.**

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the chilled bacon and cheese dough into a large circle, about 1/4 of an inch thick. Cut into large circles (make sure the circles are large enough to cover the top of each pot pie) and place on top. Crimp the edges of the crust with a fork. 

 
Brush the tops with an egg wash (egg whisked with a splash of water) and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown on top, about 15 to 20 minutes. 

**Tip: Bake the pies on a baking sheet just in case there are any drips or spillage during baking, that way the oven doesn’t smoke up and burn.**

Serve the pot pies for St. Patrick’s Day dinner along with a cold Guinness on the side to wash it all down, and a leafy green salad to go alongside the meal. You definitely need something green at the table, and a little bit of healthy never hurt anyone. 

These pies can be made the night before. Top the pot pies with the dough and then place in the fridge unbaked. Then on the night of, brush the tops with egg wash and bake 10 extra minutes to bring to temperature, warm through and cook the crust. 

These hearty pot pies are the perfect dinner recipe for not only St. Patrick’s Day but any night of the week, really. Even if you don’t like Guinness, give this recipe a try because you won’t really taste the beer in the pot pie. The Guinness just gives it a subtle delicious flavor that brings all of the ingredients together into an irresistible pot pie. 

 
Just like with the Colcannon Mac and Cheese recipe, you’ll have to head on over to the Wisconsin Cheese Talk site to get the full recipe. Click here to find the recipe! Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Have fun and be safe my friends! If you plan on eating something else for dinner on St. Paddy’s Day, I want to hear all about it! Leave a comment below and tell me your festive meal plans!

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