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Nigerian Meat pie is one of Nigeria’s popular snack and it’s loved by all. The buttery shortcrust pastry is filled with mincemeat cooked in rich flavour. It is delicious and you won’t be able to stop at one. Do you want to learn how to make a perfect meat pie? this recipe is for you
Growing up, I always look forward to when my mum would make Meat pie or when my dad would buy for us for being good. Especially from one of the popular confectioneries (Mr Biggs or Sweet Sensations). It is not just a Nigerian thing, it is also popular in other parts of Africa. Nigerian meat pie if well done should be juicy, the shortcrust pastry will be buttery, flaky and should also melt in the mouth. If you’ve ever had Mr Biggs meat pie then you would understand my gist.
The Meat pie filling (beef mince filling) has to be perfect as well as the shortcrust pastry otherwise it would be dry and chewy. Making shortcrust pastry can be tricky but with a lot of practice and patience, you would master it and know what works for you. I don’t add eggs to my pastry as it is not necessary. It is easy to make buttery shortcrust pastry without eggs.
I shared in my fish pie post on how to make a foolproof buttery shortcrust pastry and the most important tip to remember when making it, is not to overwork the dough. This Homemade meat pie is easy to make and you can make it to the size you want. Alternatively, if you are feeling adventurous, make the pie in a deep dish or individually in a ramekin.
Here is an easy step by step guide to making the best Nigerian meat pie ever.
Ingredients for meat pie
500g mincemeat or ground beef (18-20%fat)
700g plain flour, extra for dusting and thickening
380g unsalted butter
1 large egg
Water
Salt to taste
Seasoning (I used Knorr)
1teaspoon curry powder
1teaspoon thyme
2 medium-size potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small onion, chopped
1 big carrot, cleaned and cubed
2tbsp vegetable oil
Metric Conversion tips
A standard cup of flour is 128g while a cup of butter is about 225g
500g ground meat is about 1.1lb
When baking, I always recommend using a kitchen instead of cup measurements. Kitchen scale measurement is the same everywhere but cups are not the same. they differ from country to country.
Nigerian Meat Pie
Ingredients
- 500 g Mince meat or ground beef (18-20%fat)
- 700 g Plain flour, extra for dusting and thickening
- 380 g unsalted butter
- 1 large egg for egg wash
- water 4 to 8 tbsp (100 ml)
- 1 beef bullion cube (I used knorr stock cube use any of choice)
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 small onion chopped (about 1/3 cup)
- 2 medium potatoes peeled and cubed (about 1 cup)
- 1 big carrot cleaned and cubed (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp sugar optional
- salt to taste (use 1/2 tsp for the pastry)
Instructions
- To make the doughIn a shallow mixing bowl, add flour, salt, sugar (if using) and butterRub together till all turn to crumbsAdd 100 ml of water and mix till all is combined. If the dough still needs water add a tablespoon of water at a time till you get well combined dough like in pix5Set dough aside in a cool place or a fridge for 30 minutes then you move on to preparing the meaty filling.Yes! Making the dough is that easy but remember, DO NOT overwork it when handling.
- To make the yummy pie fillingPlace a pan on medium heat and add oil, heat for 2 minutes, add chopped onions and fry till onion is translucent. Add mince to the onion and stir mince till its brown then add curry powder, thyme, stock cube, a pinch of salt and stir till all combine. Reduce the heat if need be to avoid burning.The fat from the mince should make the sauce juicy but if it looks dry, add a cooking spoon (100ml) of water to it. (decant oil if it is too much)Add boiled potatoes and carrots, combine well and cook on a low heat for another 3-5 minutes.The mince should be well cooked now. Now you move on to thickening the mince.Add 2tbsp of flour to a bowl and mix with water to form a paste. Add the paste to the mince meat on the heat and combine well. Leave to cook for another minute. Take off the heat and allow to cool.
- Rolling the dough and making the meat pie
Preheat oven at 180C/350FBreak the egg into a bowl, whisk and set asideSprinkle a bit of flour on a plain, clean surface/worktopDivide dough into 2 or 3 places and roll out flat using a rolling pinPlace a circle cutter on the flat dough and cut out into many circles you can get. use a makeshift if you don’t have a cutter. Repeat this process with the rest of the doughAdd the meat filling to the centre of the circled dough, brush one half of the circle with whisked egg and carefully fold over the meat filling making sure the 2 edges touch one another. The aim of the egg is to seal the dough.Close edges by pressing down with the tip of a fork as seen in picture (See step by step picture guide below)Repeat this process for the remaining dough and filling. Place a foil in a baking tray and rub with oil this stops the pie from sticking to the tray when done. Alternatively use a parchment paper.After you have completely filled the pastry, set on a baking tray, egg wash the top and pinch with a forkPlace in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes at 180C⁰/350F.
Notes
- You can also use salted butter for this recipe. If you would be using it, please omit salt from making the shortcrust pastry.
- You can add a bit of water to the mince filling if it looks too thick or dry.
- Allow the meat pie filling to cool down completely before adding to pie dough.
- Use kitchen scale to measure the pastry ingredients instead of cups. (1 cup of all purpose flour is 128g and a cup of butter is 225g while 500g ground meat is 1.1lb)
How to make shortcrust pastry (pie pastry)
Alternatively, make the shortcrust pastry in a food processor. It would only take you about 5 minutes tops
How to make beef mince pie filling
How to roll shortcrust pastry (Mr biggs meat pie recipe)
Serve meat pie warm or cold with a chilled drink of choice. Why not try pairing these beauties with chilled zobo drink or mango lemonade
Thank you for reading. Kindly leave me feedback when you make this recipe or any of my other recipes. Please pin me to Pinterest and share your creation with me on Instagram. See you on my next post x
This looks amazing and I’d like to try it for Christmas appetizers this year. The recipe just says curry….. any particular kind? There are many curry blends.
Hi Liana, it is curry powder. Thanks
So in love with ur recipes….i’ll give d meatpie a try……hope it comes out nice. But in some of d comments, ur response to butter usage is cold & d other says butter @ room temp….which is to b followed pls? Thnks
Thank you Vivian. Cold butter all the way for a flaky and delicious pastry. Kindly let me how you get on.
Hi Ajoke, thanks for this recipe. I’d like to know if there’s a way to make the meat pies to last longer especially if you are making them in large quantities for sales. Thanks in advance
Hi Peace, I would keep meat pies in the fridge between 2 to 5 days. If it is for commercial purposes, I would say 2 days because of the cooked fillings. It keeps well in the freezer too.
Hi Ajoke, please how can I make the meat pies to last longer and not be mouldy after some days. Thanks in advance
Hello sis u did not mention the amount of baking powder to use. Thanks
Hi, that is because I didn’t use baking powder in the recipe. There is no need for it when making shortcrust pastry. Do let me how you get on
What give they extra crust….. I dont get this when u make mine. Also would you advise one use a mixer for the dough? If one is making large pies can one make the dough ahead of time
Cold butter is the secret to flaky pie. Yes you can make the dough ahead, make sure it is tightly covered with foil or cling film
Hi Sis Ajoke..thanks for this recipe. Please whats the ideal butter to flour ratio to achieve a very cruncy meatpie.? Or do i go buy the ratio you stated on this recipe ? Thanks in advance .xx
The ratio is usually 2:1 (flour to butter) but I tend to add just a lil bit more butter to that ratio. Remember to use cold butter too
Eseun gan ni my sister💕💕
Good day sis, yesterday was my sons birthday n I tried out your meat pie. It came out so well, God bless you for the recipe.
Happy Birthday to your son! I am glad you nailed the recipe. well done mama
Oh my goodness! The meat pies turned out like those ones from Mr Biggs. They were really yummy. The instructions were very easy to follow and well detailed. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe…Unto the next baking practical…I’m thinking the ‘agege bread’…
Hello Aishat, thank you for your feedback and I hope you will be making more soon?
Wow! thanks soooo plenty, I will definitely give this recipe a trial. I can’t wait.
Hello Olaide, I cant wait to hear your feedback when you make the meat pies.
How many pieces from this recipe?
It depends on the size of the cutter used. You should still get 10 fairly large meat pies from this recipe
Hi,
I’m an American and my honey is Nigerian and I made these for him and he loves them so much!! Thanks for making it so easy with your step by step method.. will definitely be trying more recipes from here.
Yay!! well done Shamika. I am glad you found the meat pie recipe easy to follow and thanks for trusting it too.
Love ur recipe, will sure give it a try and get back to you. Thanks
Thank you!! I will look forward to your feedback
I love your receipiew but wish you would specify the qty in spoons and cups. Was a challenge as I don’t have a kitchen scale.
Thanks for your comment. feedback noted
Do we need to add milk for the dough or not,or the egg..
Hi, no you are only adding little water just as the recipe says
Hello.I really do like your recipe. I would like to know what type of butter do you use? This is because my dough comes out so strong even when I add water. Difficult to knead. I am thinking it could be the type of butter I use(.butter for pastries and cookies).Please is there a particular type to use? Thanks.
Thanks Ebby, I don’t know where you are writing from, I use beautifully butterly from Aldi (UK). Next time you try this recipe, I suggest you use the butter at room temperature and don’t knead for a long time and follow every other steps in the recipe. shortcrust pastry doesn’t need kneading that much. Do let me know the outcome when next you try it. All the best
Hi Ajoke,
Thanks for getting back to me.
I will try to butter the pan next time. Is there a need for tin foil ?
You are welcome, about the foil, there’s really no need for it. I used it because my pan is old.
Hello, I tried the recipe it turned out nice but the bottom was burnt 🤔. Pls advise about this. I put foil at the bottom of the pan
Hi Queen,
did you butter the pan before baking? if not, you can try and butter the baking next time you try the recipe and cook on lower heat, your oven might be too hot. thanks
Dear A joke,I’m not a Nigerian, but my lovely hubby is,l followed your recipe for meat pies and they turned out great, thankyou from the bottom of my heart and keep up the good work, how would you do fish pies?
Thank you so much Sandie for your kind words, they really mean a lot. I have a fish pie recipe on the blog here, kindly search for it. thanks again and do let me know how you get on.
Dear A joke,I’m not a Nigerian, but my lovely hubby is,l followed your recipe for meat pies and they turned out great, thankyou from the bottom of my heart and keep up the good work, how would you do fish pies?God bless luv sandie
I followed your recipe and I loved the results. The pies were so yummy. Thank you
Thanks so much Joy for trusting our recipe.
I love this recipe so much. Tho I think the sugar made my pastry a little sweet which I didn’t like… I really love the filling. I’ll try the recipe again but without sugar.
I really enjoyed this. Super easy, my family kept wanting more. I was probably the only one who didn’t like the sweet taste.
Thanks for the feedback. how much sugar did you add to the dough? you would only need a pinch or a level of tablespoon. I might need to update the recipe with quantities. thanks again for stopping by
How much salt and sugar do you add to the dough?? It doesn’t say. Please advise. Thank you.
Hello, I only used pinch just for taste
Hello,
I would like to make 200 meat pies and I’m not sure how many this recipe I’ll give me.
Could you please tell me the ingredients with rectified amounts that will allow me to make 200 meat pies. Thank you
This is spectacular cos as a baker i also adopt the same method so this for me is an encouragement thanks
Hi May, that’s good to know. Thank you so much for stopping by and please do come back for more yummy recipes
Really enjoying your pastry line-up here in Florida !i’m presently trying out the meat pie and the agegroup bread which I miss a lot,..can’t wait to post a pic#firsttimebaker#seriouslyhopingforagoodresult#sorryforthelongepisode.
Yay my active kitchen in Florida, dancing shoki right now. lol. I hope your pie turned out well? Thanks a lot for stopping by and do keep me posted. cheers
Do we need baking powder for the dough or not
Hi Oluyinka, you don’t need to add baking powder.
Hello!!! I tried the meat pie recipe. Tasted so good…. but i realised the dough was pretty tough to work with. So the surface of the pies werent smooth. What could be the reason for this?
Hello Amanobs, thanks for the feedback. I am sorry to hear that you found the dough hard to work with. The next time you make it, I would suggest you measure out the flour correctly and it could be that the dough needed a bit of water more.(1 to 2 tbsp) regards
Please can you provide the measurements in cups?
Thanks
Wish I had an oven, I would so try this right now