Cheesy Beef Bourguignon Pie

By: Deborah

Beautifully tender and full of flavour beef filling, topped with a deliciously cheesy mashed potato topping.

PREP: 20

COOK: 2 30

Slow cooker on low: 6

TOTAL: 8 50

Course: Main

Cuisine: British, French

Servings: 6 people

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Equipment

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
800 g (1.8 lb) beef shin or cheek diced into 5cm pieces (see Notes)
salt
120 g (4.2 oz) unsmoked bacon lardons
100 g (3.5 oz) shallots peeled and halved or quartered, depending on their size
2 cloves garlic chopped
100 g (3.5 oz) chestnut mushrooms halved or quartered, depending on their size
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp tomato purée
250 ml (1 cup) beef stock (see Notes)
600 ml (2 ½ cups) red wine (see Notes)
1 bay leaf and 0.5 a bunch of thyme tied together to make a bouquet garni
salt and freshly ground black pepper
buttered greens to serve

For the topping (see Notes):

1.2 kg (2.6 lb) Maris Piper potatoes peeled and cut into small chunks
40 g (1.4 oz) unsalted butter
60 ml (2.2 oz) whole milk (I use semi-skimmed)
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
50 g (1.8 oz) mature cheddar or gruyere grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

See Tips for using a slow cooker. Heat the oven to 150C fan/gas mark 3.5 if not using the slow cooker. For both methods, heat the oil in a large hob-safe casserole (with a tight lid) or large frying pan (if using the slow cooker). Season the beef with salt, then fry in 2 batches over a medium-high heat for approx 5 minutes, turning with tongs, until a deep brown. Return all the beef to the casserole or frying pan, stir in the lardons, shallots, garlic and mushrooms, then cook for 2 minutes. Add the plain flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato purée, then slowly add the beef stock and wine (see Tips). Add the bouquet garni, season, cover and either cook in the oven for 2 to 2.5 hours or until the meat is very tender, or transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.
Put the potatoes in a large pan of cold salted water. Cover, bring to a simmer, then cook gently for 10 minutes or until tender to the tip of a dinner knife. Drain and leave to steam dry in the pan for 10 minutes. Mash or use a ricer, then beat in the butter, milk, mustard and two thirds of the cheese. Season to taste.
Heat the grill to high. To assemble, remove the bouquet garni, and if cooked in the oven, spoon the mash on top of the bourguignon in the casserole, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese, then grill for 5 minutes until the cheese is golden and melted (or see Make Ahead within Tips). If cooked in the slow cooker, transfer the bourguignon to an oven proof dish or pie dish and follow the instruction above for topping with the mash and then grilling. Serve with buttered greens.

Notes

Beef substitute - if you're unable to get beef shin or cheek, braising steak works well and turns out beautifully tender too.
Swap – use ready rolled puff pastry instead of the mash topping, if you like.
Make ahead and freeze - assemble as 1 large or 6 individual pies, leave to cool then wrap well with cling film and then freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight, then heat in a medium oven (180C fan) for 20 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbling, or bake from frozen, adding an extra 30 minutes.
Slow cooker - to make the bourguignon (step 1) in a slow cooker, reduce the liquid to 150ml stock and 200ml wine and cook on low for 6 hours.
This cheesy beef bourguignon pie recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

KEYWORDS beef cheeks, beef shin, cheesy, comfort food, mashed potatoes, shoulder braising steak

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