Savory Beef Pie
Submitted by REBELBABY
Savory beef pie in a bacon dripping crust with ground beef, corn, green chiles, cheddar, and a chili-oregano spiced filling. A Southwestern meat pie with a cheesy, bubbly topping.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
35 minREADY
90 minThis beef pie goes full Southwestern. Ground beef gets mixed with corn, green chiles, tomato sauce, and chili powder, then baked in a homemade crust made with bacon drippings and cornmeal. The crust alone is worth making this recipe.
Bacon drippings replace the usual butter or shortening in the pie dough, adding a smoky, savory flavor that sets the tone before you even get to the filling. The cornmeal mixed into the flour gives the crust a slight grit and a golden color that pairs naturally with the Tex-Mex filling.
The cheesy topping goes on during the last 5 minutes. Egg, milk, dry mustard, and shredded cheddar form a quick custard layer that melts and bubbles over the beef. Crispy bacon pieces and sliced olives finish it off.
Let the pie rest 10 minutes before slicing. The filling needs time to set or every slice runs.
Chef Tips
- Chill the bacon drippings until firm before cutting into the flour. Just like butter in pie dough, cold fat creates flakier layers.
- Drain the ground beef thoroughly after browning. Excess grease makes the filling oily and can soak through the crust.
- The cornmeal in the filling absorbs moisture from the tomato sauce and keeps the pie from being soupy.
- Use mild green chiles for family-friendly heat. Bump up to hot if you want more kick.
Variations
- Turkey version: Swap ground beef for ground turkey and use turkey bacon for a lighter take.
- Tamale pie style: Skip the pie crust and top the filling with cornbread batter, then bake until golden.
Ingredients
Directions
Fry bacon until crisp; break into large pieces.
Chill ⅓ cup bacon drippings until firm to use for crust.
Brown ground beef in large skillet, drain well. Stir in corn, green pepper, onion, corn meal, oregano, chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, tomato sauce and half the mild green chiles.
Keep warm while preparing pie crust.
- CRUST: Combine 1 cup flour and 2 tablespoons cornmeal. Cut in bacon drippings with two knives or pastry blender until mixture is the size of small peas.
Sprinkle 3 to 4 tablespoons water over mixture; stir with fork until dough holds together.
Form into a ball and flatten to ½ inch thick.
Keep edges smooth. Roll out on a floured surface to a diameter 1½ inch larger than inverted 9-inch pie plate. Fit into pie plate and fold edges to form a rim, then flute edges. 5. Place the ground beef mixture into pie crust. Bake in preheated 425-degree oven for 25 minutes. 6. Combine egg, milk, ½ teaspoon salt, dry mustard, mild green chiles and shredded cheese. Spread on top of beef mixture. Top with bacon and remaining olives. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before slicinng.
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