Here’s a traditional Cornish Beef Pasties recipe—hearty, simple, and authentic, just like the classic from Cornwall 🇬🇧🥧
Traditional Cornish Beef Pasties
Ingredients (4 large pasties)
Pastry
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup cold butter or lard, cubed
- ½–¾ cup cold water
Filling
- 1 lb beef skirt steak or chuck, finely diced (not ground)
- 1 medium russet potato, peeled & diced small
- ½ medium onion, finely diced
- ½ cup diced rutabaga (swede) (traditional)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp butter (divided)
For sealing
- 1 egg, beaten (egg wash)
Instructions
1. Make the pastry
- Mix flour and salt.
- Cut in cold butter/lard until pea-sized crumbs form.
- Add cold water gradually until dough comes together.
- Form into a disc, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the filling
- Combine beef, potato, onion, rutabaga, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
3. Assemble pasties
- Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Divide dough into 4 balls. Roll each into an 8–9 inch circle.
- Place filling on one half of each circle.
- Add a small knob of butter on top of the filling.
- Fold dough over filling, seal edges, and crimp.
4. Bake
- Brush pasties with egg wash.
- Cut a small steam hole on top.
- Bake 20 minutes at 400°F, then reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake 30–35 minutes more until golden brown.
Tips for Authenticity
- Use coarsely chopped meat, not ground
- Season simply—salt and pepper only
- Crimp on the side, not the top
- Eat hot or cold (both traditional!)
Serving Suggestions
- Brown gravy or onion gravy
- Pickles or mustard
- Simple green salad
Variations
- Cheese & onion pasties
- Chicken & leek
- Vegetarian with extra potato and swede
If you want, I can also give you a shortcut puff pastry version, a freezer-friendly method, or mini hand-pie pasties for parties.
