For many decades, Nigerian meat pies have been a delicious lifesaver and a significant part of childhood memories for Nigerians.
Nigerian meat pies have two distinct parts that make them a delight; the crumbly and flaky crust and the rich filling. Nigerian meat pies are best served hot or warm. Nevertheless, they taste just great even when they’re not hot.
If you’ve been longing for some of this crumbly meat-filled goodness, we’re here to help. Check out the best ingredients for meat pie and our favorite Nigerian meat pie recipes in this brief read.
What are the Ingredients for Meat Pie?
If you are new to DIY Nigerian meat pies, it is only right that we tell you to brace yourself. It’ll get tougher, but the reward is delicious.
Here are the ingredients you need for 12 medium meat pies:
Ingredients for meat pie crust
- 500g of all-purpose flour (4 cups)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 200g of cubed cold butter
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 60ml of cold water
- 1 teaspoon of salt
Ingredients for meat pie filling
- 350g of ground beef
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 1 large carrot (peeled and cubed)
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 240ml of water or beef stock
- Salt
- 1 medium-sized potato (peeled and diced)
- 1 teaspoon of thyme
- 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
- Pepper
- 1 egg
Rich Nigerian Meat Pie Recipe
Course: SnacksCuisine: NigerianDifficulty: Medium12
servings1
hour10
minutes30
minutes631.2
kcalMaking Nigerian meat pie is easy when you know what to use and how to go about it.
Here’s our favorite Nigerian meat pie recipe.
Ingredients for CRUST AND fILLING
- Ingredients for meat pie crust
500g of all-purpose flour (4 cups)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon of sugar
200g of cubed cold butter
1 teaspoon of baking powder
60ml of cold water
1 teaspoon of salt
- Meat Pie Filling Ingredients
350g of ground beef
1 large onion (chopped)
1 large carrot (peeled and cubed)
2 tablespoons of flour
240ml of water or beef stock
1 medium-large potato (peeled and diced)
1 teaspoon of thyme
3 teaspoons of curry
2 tablespoons of cooking oil
Pepper
1 egg (whisked)
Salt
Directions
- Prepare the Crust
- Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl. Add the butter and mix it with the flour until it becomes crumbly.
- Whisk the eggs with cold water and pour into the flour and butter mixture.
- Combine well until the dough forms.
- Encase the dough in clean cling film plastic and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Prepare the filling
- Heat the oil in a large pan. Sauté onions in oil for 3 minutes or until they become translucent. Add diced carrots and allow it to cook for 3 minutes. Follow with the ground beef, break it apart, and cook for 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, curry, thyme, and flour. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add cubed potatoes. Follow with the water or broth and stir. Allow it to simmer over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes until it becomes thick. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
- Stuff the dough and bake
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Divide the dough into 2-4 pieces. Roll out each piece into 1/8-inch thickness. Make a round shape in your preferred size. Put all the leftover dough together and roll it again to make more circles. Minimize wastage as much as you can.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each dough circle. Use water to brush the edges, then fold over the dough.
- Press-seal the dough with your fingers or a fork. Then, make holes in the pies with a fork to create an escape for steam. Finally, brush the pies with the whisked egg.
- Place them in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow them to cool before serving.
Recipe Video
Read also: English Meat Pie Recipe — Why we Love British Meat pie
5 Ideas to Improve the Quality of Your Meat Pie
As easy as it is to make meat pies, things can go wrong quickly, and we don’t want that to be the case. Here are our top 5 tips to help improve the quality of your meat pies:
Always use ground meat
It would be best if you were not using solid cuts of meat for your meat pie. It is only going to ruin the pie’s consistency. Instead, use fresh, tender ground meat only when making meat pie.
Stay away from stale or spoiled ingredients
You would think this does not need to be said, but it does. The flavor and texture of quality meat pies reflect their ingredients. Hence, we implore you to use only the freshest ingredients for meat pies. Rid yourself of the mindset that your stale ingredients are manageable. They are not.
Follow the recipe thoroughly
If you are new to making meat pies, follow all the steps in your chosen recipe. This is because, with dishes like meat pies, one little rookie mistake can spoil the entire process.
Ensure the crust is crumbly and flaky
One of the major hypes around meat pies is their flaky and crumbly crust, and the best way to achieve a crispy pie crust is to refrigerate the dough (see guide above) before rolling and baking it.
Watch the spice
When preparing the filling for your meat pies, it is vital to taste it to avoid adding too much salt, curry, and thyme. Too much of any or all of these ingredients is a recipe for disaster and wasted time.
Other Nigerian Snacks to try
![Puff Puff Recipe with Milk and Egg [Tips & Guide]](https://bourbono.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_9848-1.jpg)
