Shin Beef With Polenta Crust

Submitted by I'mPat

"From our local state paper The West Australian by Vince Garreffa. Times are estimated (though have included 2 hour cooling time in cooking time, assume polenta crust would be made during this time). Vince stated that you could make this pie a day or two in advance and then reheat."

 

• Ready In: 7hrs
• Ingredients: 20
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 100 ml olive oil
• 1 1⁄4 kg shin beef (cubed 2cm x 2cm)
• 1 brown onion (medium diced small)
• 400 ml tomatoes (can chopped)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (level)
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder (level)
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (level)
• 4 garlic cloves (diced small)
• 1 carrot (medium, diced small)
• 750 ml stock (beef, lamb or chicken)
• 350 ml dry red wine
• salt
• black pepper
• flour (seasoned with salt and pepper)

• Polenta Crust

• 150 g polenta (fine)
• 125 g flour (plain)
• 90 g butter (frozen)
• 1 cup ice water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg (lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon of milk)

directions

1. In a large non-stick pot add 100ml olive oil and heat over a medium heat.
2. Dust meat with seasoned flour and fry in batches till well sealed (add more oil if needed).
3. When all the meat is sealed put all pieces back into the pot, add onion and stir well.
4. Add tomatoes then cook on medium heat for 10 minutes with the lid on.
5. Then add cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, garlic and carrot and stir well and cook for 10 minutes with the lid on at medium heat.
6. Remove the lid and add stock and wine.
7. Cook at a gentle simmer (lid off) for 3 hours until beef is meltingly tender.
8. If the liquid is too watery, strain in out and while resting the meat and vegetable boil till it becomes reduced and thick and then add the meat mix back in and season with salt and pepper.
9. Rest until cool enough to put into the fridge for a couple of hours while you make the pastry.
10. Mix the polenta and flour in a bowl with the salt and grate the frozen butter into it.
11. Rub the butter and flour mix with your hands and fingertips until you get a breadcrumb like consistency.
12. Make a well in the middle and add 5 tablespoons of icy cold water and mix thoroughly till you get a sticky pastry (add 1 tablespoon more of water is needed).
13. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge for one hour.
14. Put you cold meat mix into a onveproof casserole dish of appropriate size (about 20cm x 20cm x 6cm).
15. Roll the pastry between two sheets of baking paper to a thickness of about 3-4mm and shape for your dish.
16. Remove one sheet of baking paper and using the other sheet, invert the pastry on top of your casserole dish and remove the second sheet of paper and trim and press the pastry to cover the meat filling.
17. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg, putting a little extra on the edges to seal the gap.
18. With a knife poke a few holes in the pastry to let out the steam.
19. Bake at 200C for 50-60 minutes till hot and golden.
20. Serve with a salad on your favourite mash.

Reviews

[Elmotoo]

HUGE HIT! This smelled divine allll dayyyy loonnnngggg! I used a piece of boneless chuck that i cubed up small. There was some liquid after simmering but it wasn't soupy at all after baking. I totally recommend anyone to spend a cold, nasty day making this!