Easy, Cornish inspired pot pie filled with seasonal winter vegetables and budget friendly cube steak. Blanketed with the flakiest, lard and butter crust. Rustic, family style meal perfect for any night of the week.

Cornish pasty inspired pot pie.

The Cornish pasty is similar to an empanada. A dumpling shaped crust filled with veggies and meat. Empanadas can swing sweet or savory while Cornish pasties are a bit stricter on ingredients. An authentic Cornish pasty, (so I’ve read) is simply, potatoes, rutabagas, salt, pepper and a cut of beef, usually sirloin or ribeye. The ingredients are chopped up small, dotted with butter then folded into a dumpling before baking. I’ve tweaked this recipe to be prepared quicker and to have extra flavor.

There are a few stand out qualities of a Cornish pasty that I wanted to make sure I incorporated into this pot pie recipe.

Tender meat. Cornish pasties are egg washed then baked in the oven on a low temperature to ensure tender, melt in your mouth meat. Cube steak works beautifully. One and a half hours in a 325F oven results in buttery, delicious bits of meat and veg.
Pie crust. I chose to lose the fussiness of forming individual dumplings and opted for a single crust. However, I didn’t want to lose the lovely, buttery crust all together. Making one single crust to lay over top is much more doable and absolutely delicious.
Potatoe and rutabaga. These two starchy, hearty veggies are nonnegotiable. They benefit from the long bake but hold their shape. Yukon gold potatoes become buttery, while the rutabagas soften and sweeten underneath the crust.

What is cube steak?

For this pot pie recipe I chose cube steak, a cut of top round or top sirloin. Some grocery stores label these “minute steaks.” I sourced the meat from All Grass Farms, a regenerative farm with an adorable farm store located in Dundee, Illinois. Their beef is 100% grass fed and finished. Cube steak is tenderized mechanically at the processor. The results are thinly cut pieces of meat with perforations.

How to prepare cube steak for pot pie.

Pat the cube steaks dry and then with kitchen shears, cut the meat into small bits. Place in a bowl large enough to hold all of filling.

Prep the rest of the filling.

Finely chop onion, carrots, rutabaga and potatoes. Dump right on top of cube steak.

Shred green cabbage, preferably with a mandolin. Place in the bowl.

Next, add all the seasonings, including thyme, oregano, fennel seeds, salt and black pepper. Evenly incorporate the seasoning. Now the filling is ready to be placed into a pie pan or 12-inch skillet and covered with a pie crust.

Lard and butter pot pie crust.

A single pie crust lays over top the meat and veggies. It is a buttery, flaky crust that will truly make you pause and close your eyes a moment. It’s rustic and beautifully imperfect. I try to manipulate the dough as little as possible.

INGREDIENTS.

Pie/pastry flour. Low protein flour helps create a delicate, flaky crust.

Fat. Using fat with different melting points makes for a flaky crust that tastes great! Cubed, cold butter lends flavor, and I mean a lot of flavor. Lard has a low water content and a higher melting point than butter, making it easier to work with. Lard doesn’t have much flavor but enhances the texture of the crust.

Ice-cold water. Place ice cubes in a glass of cold water. Water is added gradually to form the dough.

Salt. Enhances flavor.

Egg wash. One egg yolk+ 1 tablespoon water. Baste the pie crust before scoring. This will help give the crust a shiny, golden hue.

Pot pie helpful tips.

Cold. Everything should be cold to prevent the fats from melting. If they do, the crust will be more like a dense, short bread. Here are a few tips to ensure that doesn’t happen:

Place mixing bowl in the freezer prior. Typically, I let it chill for 30 minutes.
Don’t take out ingredients until you need them. Mix up the flour and salt first, followed by the lard and cubed butter.
Use a pastry cutter to cut in butter and lard. Hands are warm, which can be detrimental to a pie crust. Some swear by a food processor but I prefer a pastry cutter for this recipe.
Ice down your workspace. Run an ice cube on the counter prior to rolling out the crust. Not only will it help keep the dough chilled but will prevent sticking.
Embrace imperfection. Once the dough is combined, it won’t look smooth. Embrace the imperfect esthetic, it’s going to taste great.
Be patient. After forming into a disk, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Pie crust can be made ahead or even frozen for convenience.

How to make pie crust for pot pie.

Let’s not overthink this and make a pie crust.

Add to a cold bowl: pastry flour and salt. Incorporate salt.

Next, add lard. I use a kitchen scale for easy, precise measuring.

Last, add cubed, cold butter.

Cut in lard and butter with a pastry cutter until its crumbly but can be held between your fingers and stick together.

Add ice-cold water a tablespoon at a time. I usually use 1/2 cup water.

Now, gently with your hands, form dough into a ball. Flatten into a disk, then fold it over itself.

Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Why cube steak pot pie is a dinner winner.

All of the veggies, along with the meat, are combined raw. No extra time needed searing or sautéing.
This recipe will feed an average sized family all from one skillet. Less dishes!
Simple, seasonal ingredients are used, making it an excellent dinner option for winter time.
It’s delicious! Warm herbs, unexpected pop of fennel combined with tender meat and veggies are a delight under a golden, flakey crust.