A tender, flaky crust envelops a savory stew made by simmering beef and root vegetables in plenty of broth and stout beer. Serve it with a pint of Guinness and a crisp salad, and save the leftovers because it's even better the next day.
¼cupheavy cream(plus additional for brushing the pastry)
Instructions
For the Stew
Heat the oven to 275 F.
Whisk the flour, salt and pepper together in a large mixing bowl, and then toss in the stew meat, stirring with a wooden spoon until each piece is well-coated by the seasoned flour.
Spoon the bacon fat into a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. When the fat melts, toss in the stew meat and brown it on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Using a wooden spoon, scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pot, and then pour in the beer, bone broth, and Worcestershire sauce, cover the pot and set it on the middle rack of your oven where it should cook, undisturbed, for 90 minutes.
Open the oven and lift the lid off the pot, stir in the vegetables and thyme, let them simmer, uncovered, for a further 60 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender and the liquid thickened. Pour the stew into a 2-quart round baking dish or into individual ramekins.
For the Pie Crust
While the meat and vegetables stew, prepare the pastry by dumping flour, oats, and cold butter together in a food processor equipped with the dough attachment. Pulse the flour and butter together until they resemble cornmeal, and then slowly pour the cream in through the feeder tube until the ingredients form a smooth, uniform dough. Dump the dough out onto a floured surface, shape it, wrap it in parchment paper, and then set it in the fridge to chill for about an hour.
Assembling the Pie
Turn up the heat of the oven to 375 F, and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Ladle the stew into a large serving dish to serve the pie family-style or into individual ramekins for personal portions.
Remove the pastry from the fridge, and, working on a floured surface, roll it into a circle about one-third of an inch thick and large enough to cover your pie with an overlap of at least an inch. Arrange the crust over the stew, and then crimp the edges. Brush the top of the pastry crust with a bit of cream. Take a paring knife, and then cut a few slits into the top of the pastry to allow for venting as the pie bakes.
Place the pie on the parchment-lined baking sheet, and then bake it for 30 to 45 minutes or until the crust is cooked through and golden brown. Serve warm.