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High Protein Beef Guinness Pot Pie with Sour Cream Crust

Tender beer-braised beef in rich Guinness gravy topped with flaky, tangy sour cream crust, delivering 38g of protein per serving.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: British, Irish
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 150 grams, for crust
  • 1/2 cup cold salted butter 113 grams, diced
  • 1/3 cup sour cream 80 grams, cold
  • 1 tablespoon high-heat oil avocado or grapeseed oil
  • 2 pounds beef brisket or boneless chuck roast cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 10 oz mushrooms quartered, cremini or button
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour for thickening
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup Guinness stout or any Irish dry stout
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 unit salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 large egg beaten, for egg wash

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven
  • Pastry blender or fork
  • Rolling Pin
  • Six 8-ounce ramekins or one large pie dish
  • baking sheet

Method
 

  1. To make the crust, combine flour and diced cold butter in a large bowl. Work the butter into the flour using a pastry blender or your fingers until the dough looks shaggy with some marble-sized butter pieces remaining.
  2. Make a well in the center, add the cold sour cream, and mix with a spatula. Knead the dough a few times by hand until it just comes together into a ball. Do not overwork.
  3. Shape into a rough disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  4. For the filling, heat high-heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Pat beef pieces dry with paper towels. Sear the beef in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
  5. In the same pot, add the quartered mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat until softened and their liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. The pot should look fairly dry.
  6. Stir in the flour, tomato paste, fresh thyme, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste turns a rusty, brick-red color.
  7. Deglaze the pot with beef broth, Guinness, and sugar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
  8. Return the seared beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover with a tight-fitting lid.
  9. Transfer the covered pot to a 300°F (150°C) oven and braise until the meat is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened, about 1.5 to 2 hours. Check at 90 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let cool completely.
  10. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Divide the chilled filling into six 8-ounce ramekins or one large pie dish.
  11. Roll the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut circles slightly larger than your ramekins.
  12. Place a pastry circle on top of each filled ramekin, pressing gently around the edges. Brush with beaten egg wash and cut a small slit in the center of each crust to vent steam.
  13. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake on the lowest oven rack for 30-35 minutes until the crust is deeply golden brown. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Storage: Baked pot pies can be refrigerated for up to 3 days covered with foil. Reheat at 350°F for 15-20 minutes. Unbaked assembled pot pies freeze for up to 3 months wrapped tightly. Bake from frozen at 375°F for 45-50 minutes.
Make-ahead: The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. The crust dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 1 month.
Substitutions: Use any dry stout or porter instead of Guinness. For alcohol-free, use beef broth plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Store-bought puff pastry can replace homemade crust. Beef sirloin can be used but reduce braising time to 1 hour.
Variations: Add diced carrots and celery with the mushrooms. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce to braising liquid for extra umami. Use one large 9-inch pie dish instead of ramekins and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Tips: If sauce is too salty after reducing, add water to balance. Ensure butter and sour cream are very cold for flakiest crust. Don't stretch dough when placing over ramekins.