February 28, 2024

Delicious Corned Beef and Cabbage Meat Pie

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Hi, fam! Gather your friends and family and roll up your sleeves this weekend to do some baking!

There’s nothing quite like the warmth and comfort of a home-cooked meal, especially when it’s a dish passed down through generations. In this recipe, you will find out how I make corned beef and cabbage meat pie—a mouthwatering creation inspired by my mother and aunt’s cherished recipe. Join me on this flavor-filled journey and tradition as we explore the origins of this dish and learn how to recreate it in your own kitchen.

The Heritage of Corned Beef and Cabbage pies:

This handpie is a popular West African street and party snack food. In Ghana, you will find it being sold on the streets along with the popular ice cream treat Fan Ice (don’t knock it until you try the combo😉). It has its roots in British fare and is similar to their handpie called pasty. As some of you may know, growing up, some of my fondest memories revolved around the aroma of delicious meals wafting through our kitchen. One recipe that has stood the test of time in our family is the Cabbage and Corned Beef meat Pies—a culinary treasure that traces its roots back to my mother’s and aunt’s recipe. My aunt is a trained caterer so having her alongside mom meant delicious eats! This dish encapsulates the essence of family, tradition, and, most importantly, the joy of sharing a home-cooked meal with loved ones.

The Perfect Combination:

Cabbage and corned beef are a match made in culinary heaven. When you talk to Africans and Caribbean people about corned beef, they will not think of a cut of brined brisket; they will think of the canned variety, such as Libby’s or Exeter Corned Beef. The canned variety is minced, giving it a softer texture and is richer, and fatty. The earthy richness of the corned beef perfectly complements the slightly sweet and hearty flavor of cabbage, creating a symphony of tastes and textures. When encased in a flaky, golden-brown pastry, this combination reaches new heights of savory perfection.

Adapting Mom’s Recipe:

While my mother’s and aunt’s original recipe is amazing, I’ve adapted it to share the joy of these hand pies with fellow food enthusiasts. The key is to strike a balance between the tender corned beef, sautéed cabbage, and the flavorful, buttery, golden crust.

In the recipe for the crust, I use salted butter and add salt to taste. Because different brands of butter or margarine have varying amounts of salt, it is usually advisable to use unsalted butter to consistently control the amount of salt in the pastry. I used Imperial Vegetable Oil Sticks, so I adjusted the salt accordingly.

These Cabbage and Corned Beef meat pies are more than just a dish; they’re a celebration of family, heritage, and the joy of sharing flavors that have stood the test of time. As you savor each bite, may these hand pies transport you to the heart of a loving kitchen, where tradition and taste intertwine perfectly. Enjoy the journey of recreating this timeless recipe and making it your own, just as I have with my mother’s cherished creation.

Be Creative!

Be creative and experiment with different shapes. In the recipe, you will find instructions for half-moon-shaped pies, but you can turn them into rolls or rectangles and cut them up into bite sizes😊. You may also have some excess dough after making this recipe. Either you can make a miniature pie, or you can make some chips out of it. Cut them into diamond shapes, run them through the air fryer, or in the oven for a nice snack!

Corned Beef and Cabbage Meat Pie

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Ingredients

Filling

½ medium-sized onion sliced
1 large bouillon cube chicken, beef, or shrimp (can substitute with 2 small cubes)
½ tsp salt
4 cloves of finely chopped garlic
3 tomatoes diced into small cubes
2 tbs cooking oil
2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
1 tsp curry powder
½ medium-sized habanero
½ can of canned corned beef (6oz)
½ tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp corn starch mixed with 1 tsp of water

Crust

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp salt
2 sticks of butter (8oz)
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 small onion
¼ cup cold water plus 3-5 tablespoons
1 egg (for wash)

Instructions

Pie Crust Instructions
In a large bowl, mix the flour, nutmeg, salt, and garlic powder
Cut 2 sticks of butter into small cubes
Using a fork or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture (I use a potato masher 😄)
Cut the onion into small pieces and blend it with ¼ cup of water
Add the onion puree to the flour mix and incorporate using a plastic spoon or a spatula.
Drizzle additional water one tablespoon at a time over the dough as it may still be crumbly. You may require more or less water depending on the temperature and humidity of your space.
Stop adding water once the mixture forms large clumps.
Form the mixture into a dough ball.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour
Pie Filling Instructions
While the dough is resting, cook the corned beef filling
Over a medium-low heat, add chopped oil and sliced onions into a saucepan.
Sautee the onions until softened.
Cook down the tomatoes for about 15 minutes until cooked down and most of the water has seeped and evaporated.
Next, add the sliced cabbage and cook until softened.
Add the salt, bouillon cube, curry powder, and nutmeg to the filling.
Add the corned beef.
Add cornstarch mix to thicken the filling and simmer until thickened.
Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350℉
Pie Assembly
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.
On a flat surface, roll the dough out to about 7 inches in diameter
Use a small bowl to outline a circle and cut the dough.
Fill the dough with approximately 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle and fold over. Crimp with a fork and poke 3 sets of holes over the top of the pie.
Place pies on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Beat one egg in a bowl and brush the pies with egg.
Place pies in the oven and bake until golden brown (approx 25-30min)