Are you ready for a culinary adventure? Then get ready for the most delicious Nigerian Meat Pie! This traditional Nigerian dish is sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave you wanting more!
Meat pie is a memorable treat that features heavily in Nigerian festivities, street food, and home-cooked meals. Made of mainly ground beef, onions, bell peppers, Scotch bonnet chilies, herbs, spices, and extra goodies like potatoes and carrots, they come in different shapes and sizes. They’re usually deep-fried in oil or baked in an oven.
In this how-to guide on making the ultimate Meat Pie, we’ll explain everything you need to know to recreate these tasty morsels in your kitchen.
How to Make Meat Pie
Nigerian meat pie is one of the most popular snacks in Nigeria. It’s a savory and delicious pastry that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or as a snack. It’s also fairly easy to make at home and requires just a few simple ingredients.
Whether you’re new to Nigerian cuisine or an experienced cook, mastering the art of making Nigerian meat pie is completely doable. Here’s what you need to know: the dough is made from flour, butter, sugar, and warm water and can be shaped into either small round pies or larger oblong-shaped ones.
The key to making a delicious Nigerian meat pie is getting the dough just right; it should be soft enough that it’ll be easy to shape yet firm enough that it won’t break apart when bitten into. Follow this recipe, and you’ll soon have your own delicious homemade meat pies!
Ingredients Needed for Nigerian Meat Pie
Making Nigerian meat pie requires a few simple ingredients that you may already have in your kitchen! Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 Pound Ground Beef – Pick quality ground beef for best results.
- 1 Onion – Sweet or yellow onions both work beautifully.
- 1 Carrot – Diced small for best results.
- Butter
- 2 Tablespoons of Fresh Parsley – You can use dried parsley if needed, but fresh parsley gives the dish an especially flavorful boost.
- 1 Egg – This will be used to bind the ingredients together and make sure they don’t fall apart during baking.
- 3/4 Cup of Flour – All-purpose flour is best for Nigerian meat pies!
- 2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder – This will help the pies rise and become fluffy while baking.
- Salt and Pepper to Taste – Don’t skimp on seasoning your meat pies! A bit of salt and pepper can truly take them to the next level.
- Seasonings
- Spices
- Potatoes (Optional)
Once you’ve gathered all these ingredients, you’ll be ready to make some delicious Nigerian meat pies that your family and friends are sure to love!
Preparing the Dough
Now that you have all your ingredients let’s get started with preparing the dough. Making the dough for your Nigerian Meat Pie is actually a lot simpler than it sounds. Here’s what you need to do:
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add in the melted butter and water or milk.
- Mix until the dough is soft and pliable but not overly sticky.
- Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes to let it rest. This will make rolling it out much easier later on!
- Once rested, roll out the dough into two 9-inch rounds on a lightly floured surface.
- Place one of the rounds in a 9-inch pie plate and set aside while you prepare the filling.
- For a decorative touch, cut out thin strips of remaining dough and place them around the edges of your pie plate before pouring in your filling mixture!
Making the Filling
It’s now time to make the filling! You’re in for a real treat because the ingredients and steps needed to make the filling are mouthwatering.
Ingredients:
You’ll need the following:
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of finely chopped red onion
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup beef broth
- 2 carrots, diced finely
- 2 celery stalks, diced finely
- Spice & Seasoning
Steps:
- Heat the oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add in the ground beef and cook for about about 5–10 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, salt, seasoning, and pepper, and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the beef broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir occasionally during this time so that nothing burns or sticks to the bottom of your pan.
- Add in carrots and cook for an additional 5 minutes before removing from heat and setting aside until ready to use.
Assembling the Pie
Now let’s put the pieces together and assemble the pie. This is easier than it looks, and you don’t need to be a pastry chef to pull it off.
First, you’ll need a rolling pin, floured surface, round cutter or knife, and your prepared pie crust.
Rolling out the Pie Crust
Using your rolling pin, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s about 1/8″ thick. You can also use a pasta maker for this step, which will make it a lot easier and faster! Then, using your cutter or knife, cut out circles for the bottom of your pies (they should be slightly bigger than the size of your muffin tin cups). Place each circle into the cups of your muffin tin, then set aside.
Adding Filling
Next, put about 2 tablespoons of filling onto each circle. You can really customize this part and add some spinach for more flavor or sprinkle in a bit of cheese if you like it cheesy! Once that’s done, you can press down on each piece lightly so that it fits nicely in the cup.
Finishing Touches
Now comes the fun part crimping! Take two fingers and press down on each edge so as to ‘crimp’ them together with whatever pattern you prefer; you might as well use a fork.
Adding Finishing Touches to the Meat Pie
In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of cream until they are completely combined. Then using a brush or spoon, spread this mixture over the top of your unbaked meat pie, making sure to cover all exposed areas with egg wash.
Baking the Meat Pie
Time to bake your meat pie! Before you start, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius. Now that your oven is ready let’s get to it!
Place your unbaked meat pie into the preheated oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown. And there you have it! Your delicious Nigerian Meat Pie is ready to eat!
Note that the time required will vary depending on the size of your meat pie, but generally speaking, it will take somewhere between 25-40 minutes until it’s golden brown and ready to eat.
Serving
Let the pies cool for about 10 minutes, and then carefully remove them using a knife or a spoon. Serve warm, with a side of a salad for the perfect meal or a chilled drink like Zobo.
And that’s it! Making Nigerian meat pies may take some time and effort, but once you perfect your technique, you’ll be able to have these savory treats in no time. Enjoy!
Storage Tips for Nigerian Meat Pie
The best part of a Nigerian meat pie is that it lasts for days, and reheating it makes it taste as good as when you first made it. These storage tips will help make sure your Nigerian Meat Pie tastes great for days:
Refrigeration
The key to storing a Nigerian Meat Pie is to keep it in the fridge. Let the pie cool down before refrigerating. You can store it in the fridge for up to three days or freeze it for up to one month.
Freezing
If you want to keep your Nigerian Meat Pie longer than three days, freezing is the best way to do so. To freeze, wrap your cooled Meat Pie tightly in plastic wrap. The next step is to put the wrapped Meat Pie in an airtight container or aluminum foil before freezing. For optimal results, try to use it within one month of freezing.
Reheating
When it comes time to reheat your delicious Nigerian Meat Pie, there are several options depending on how much time you have and what kind of equipment you have available. The best way is by oven-baking; just cover with foil and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes (or until heated through). You can also reheat smaller amounts of frozen pies in the microwave; just un-wrap them and microwave them on high heat for 1 minute or until warm. And if you’re short on time, you can always just enjoy it cold!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re still not sure about how to make meat pie, don’t sweat it! We’ve got you covered with a few frequently asked questions.
Is it hard to make Nigerian Meat Pie?
Not at all! All you need to do is follow the instructions, and you’ll be able to put together this delicious dish in no time. Just remember to give yourself enough time for the dough to rise properly.
What kind of ingredients do I need?
Pretty standard stuff! You’ll need flour, sugar, butter, eggs, salt, nutmeg, curry powder, pepper, chicken stock, and ground beef. Most of these ingredients can be found in your local grocery store. But if you don’t have all of them on hand, don’t worry; you can always substitute something else that suits you or your family’s preferences.
Can I make a vegetarian version?
Definitely! You can omit ground beef and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock to create a vegetarian-friendly version of this tasty dish. There are lots of other fun ways to swap in different ingredients, too; just use your imagination and get creative!
Conclusion
When it comes to making Nigerian meat pies, the key is to take your time and follow the instructions closely. If you do, you’ll be rewarded with a savory snack that’s quick and easy to make, full of delicious flavors, and satisfying for the whole family. You can also make it ahead of time and freeze it for future use.
Making Nigerian meat pies is a great cooking project to do with the kids, as it’s easy, fast, and fun. It’s also a great way to introduce them to Nigerian cuisine and help them become more familiar with the flavors and ingredients.
So, why not give it a try? Whether it’s a fun family activity or a tasty snack for an upcoming party, Nigerian meat pies are a great way to experience the flavors of Nigeria.