Calling all British board members - how do you make Cornish Pasties

debodun

debodun

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Location
way upstate in New York, USA
My mom used to make these because dad liked them. He was introduced to them while stationed in Cornwall, England during WW2. I haven't had them for ages and recipies for them abound, but there seems to be no "set" recipe. Basic ingredients are beef and potatoes, but some add carrots, turnips, shredded cabbage, mushrooms in various combos, and different seasonings. Even the crust varies. Some use ground beef and some cubed. Any one here familiar with these delicacies and how do you make them?
 

Funny, I just made a dozen pasties last Friday. I don't use a recipe. Yanno how some people don't use a recipe for pie crust because they can tell by the feel when it's right? I can tell by the smell of the combination of meat, potatoes, carrots, onion, and rutababa when it's right.

These days I don't mess around with making pasty dough; I just buy refrigerated pie crusts and roll them somewhat thinner. Pasty dough is "shorter" than pie dough, but who cares? Also, using the refrigerated pie crusts means either cutting a smaller circle after rolling or making very big pasties. I opt for very big.

Also, making them is pretty labor intensive, which is why I make a dozen at a time...and only make them maybe once a year.

If you want to make them and make a lot at once, they can be frozen. BUT for the ones destined for freezer, only bake them halfway, cool, wrap, and freeze. The reason is that cooked potatoes lose texture when they're frozen and get mushy.
 
Oops. When you want to serve the pasties that were frozen, they DO have to finish baking!

Here's the closest I can come to a recipe:

About two lbs very coarsely ground chuck (about an 85:15 lean-fat ratio)
8-10 large potatoes, peeled and diced small
2 medium onions, diced
6-8 carrots, diced
One small (about one lb) rutabaga, diced small
Salt and pepper

Mix well, roll out pasty dough in a circle and put pasty mixture on half the circle. Fold the other half over, seal and crimp edges, bake at 375 for about 45 minutes, or until veggies are done.

Sorry to be so vague, but I've been making them for more than 60 years and while I can explain how-to, never did have a recipe.

My lunch today is a leftover pasty
 
My in laws lived in the UP of Michigan and taught me to make authentic Cornish pasties.
I make the crust using beef suet, butter, flour and salt.
4 cups flour
1 cup chopped beef suet (from around the kidney)
1/4 cup real butter
1/2 to 1 tsp salt
Finely chop the suet in the flour and add cold butter.
Add enough ice water to hold the crust together.
wrap in plastic wrap and let rest while making the filling.
I use top sirloin chopped in cubes.
Chop potatoes in cubes.
Dice onions.
Roll out the dough into whatever size you like.
Place chopped steak, potatoes and onions to taste on dough, add a pat if butter, add salt and pepper to taste.
Fold over in half, crimp or fold the edges and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Slash a couple if steam holes on top.
Bake in 375 degree oven approx an hour or until crust is golden brown.
Good beef suet is difficult to find in our area.
Not at all heart healthy but so tasty.
You can use a food processor for the dough.
 
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