The Best Cut Of Meat To Use In Beef Pot Pie
Pot pie is one of those dishes you dream about on cold, brutal winter days when all you want is to cut into a golden pie crust to get to the steaming hot meats and vegetables concealed underneath. It's a comfort food that has stuck with us for decades, according to the Pie Bar which claims that pot pie dates back to the Roman Empire. Just imagine Julius Caesar in his toga, digging into the same kind of dish you made for dinner! The first pot pies were made using poultry, but when the recipe hit 16th century Britain, the buttery crust of the pie began to be filled with meats such as pork, lamb, and beef. Both the upper and lower echelons of society in the British Isles indulged in this recipe so much so that it was brought to American shores and spread throughout the new world too.
According to The Cookie Rookie, a pot pie traditionally has more veggies than meat and usually folds a flaky pie crust over the top of the dish, but a fan favorite pot pie today is the beef pot pie, famous for its flavor, heartiness, and ability to fill any hole in any stomach. But before you rush to your refrigerator and throw whatever beef you have on hand into a pot, you should know that there is a particular cut of meat that works best for the pot pie.
Beef chuck
Beef chuck might have a funny name, but the flavor it brings to a beef pot pie is serious. The Online Grill explains that beef chuck is super rich tasting and beyond tender when it comes to texture. Chuck can be smoked, roasted, or grilled as a steak and is known to have a wealthy amount of fat that makes it ideal for just about any beef dish you want to be extra juicy. According to Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed, beef chuck (aka chuck steak, chuck roast, or chuck shoulder pot roast) is well-marbled is pulled from the cow's shoulder. It is one of the most muscular parts of the animal because it is used so often, making the meat tough, but if cooked right it will become so soft it will practically melt in your mouth which is what makes chuck roast perfect for a pot pie.
The Good Dinner Mom says that the best cut of chuck meat for a beef pot pie has to be the beef chuck-eye roast. It is less expensive than the sirloin steak and pairs beautifully with the earthy taste of the mushrooms, onions, garlic, carrots, and peas it will be baked with. Browning half the beef before stewing is the best way to work with the chuck for a beef pie. That way you deepen the flavor of the whole pie and can lend some beefy flavor to your vegetables while sautéing.