Cornish Beef Pasties

Here’s a classic recipe for Cornish Beef Pasties—hearty, flaky pastries filled with beef, potatoes, and vegetables. Perfect for lunch, a snack, or dinner. 🥧

Ingredients (Makes 4 large pasties)

For the pastry:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
6–8 tbsp cold water

For the filling:

1 lb (450 g) beef skirt or stewing beef, finely diced
1 medium potato, peeled and diced small
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely diced (optional)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh
2 tbsp beef stock or water
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

1️⃣ Make the Pastry

In a large bowl, mix flour and salt.
Rub in cold butter with fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add cold water a tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together.
Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.

2️⃣ Prepare the Filling

In a bowl, combine beef, potatoes, onion, carrot, salt, pepper, and thyme.
Add 2 tbsp stock or water and mix gently—don’t overwork the filling.

3️⃣ Assemble the Pasties

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Roll out pastry to about 1/8 inch thick.
Cut into 4 large circles (about 8 inches diameter).
Place a quarter of the filling on one half of each circle, leaving a border.
Fold the pastry over to cover the filling and crimp edges tightly (traditional Cornish pasties have a thick crimped edge).

4️⃣ Bake

Brush tops with beaten egg.
Cut a small slit in the top of each pasty to allow steam to escape.
Bake for 35–45 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

✅ Tips for Authentic Pasties

Use cold butter for a flakier pastry.
Dice ingredients small so they cook evenly inside the pastry.
Traditional Cornish touch: Don’t overfill—about ¾ cup of filling per pasty.
Serve warm, with a side of mustard or pickles if desired.

If you want, I can also give a shortcut version using puff pastry that’s quicker but still tastes like authentic Cornish pasties.

Do you want me to do that?