Episode 321: Handheld Meat Pies

Today we (very carefully) taste molten meat inside flaky crusts and diagnose Meat Hand Syndrome while Molly gives us another signature Hot Take. Trigger warning for people who are sensitive to terrible words. Like Producer Abby, who has done nothing but love and support the podcast and does not deserve this sort of treatment.

CORNISH PASTIES

Makes 5 large pasties

FOR THE CRUST
25 ounces flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2.5 ounces cold lard, cut into chunks
1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
12.75 ounces cold water

FOR THE FILLING
2 pounds chuck steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus some minced beef fat (trimmings are fine)
2 pounds russet potatoes
1 medium onion, diced
flour
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

FOR THE EGG WASH
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, lard, and butter, mixing with your hands until the fat is in pea-size chunks. Slowly drizzle in cold water, stirring, taking care not to make the dough too wet--check by pressing it into a ball, if it doesn't fall apart into dry chunks, it's ready. Add more water a teaspoon at a time if if needed.

Divide the dough into five balls (about 9 oz each). (You can refrigerate the dough up to 24 hours at this point.) Roll the first piece out to a 9-inch circle. Pile the center of the dough with generous layers of potatoes, meat, onion, parsley, suet, and 1 tsp flour. Sprinkle each layer generously with salt and pepper. (I like to make a salt-pepper mixture in a bowl, like they do at Subway.) Using your fingers, moisten the edge of the dough with water and lift the two sides of the pastry to seal on top. Crimp edge with your fingers to hold it together. Place on a sturdy, parchment-lined cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining balls of dough.

Beat the egg and milk together in a small bowl. Brush each pasty with the egg mixture and cut two slits in the top with a sharp knife. Bake 30 minutes, then reduce oven to 350 degrees and continue baking 30 more minutes. Cool on a rack 10 minutes before serving.

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