Meat pie, a comforting and savory dish, is a staple in many cuisines. Whether you’re baking one from scratch or buying it ready-made, a common question arises: How Many Servings Is One Meat Pie? Understanding the serving size is crucial for meal planning, especially when feeding a family or hosting guests. Let’s delve into determining the servings in a meat pie and explore a delicious recipe to bake your own.
Understanding Meat Pie Servings
Determining the exact number of servings in a meat pie isn’t an exact science, as it depends on several factors. However, we can provide a general guideline to help you estimate.
Factors Influencing Servings:
- Pie Size: The most significant factor is the diameter and depth of your pie dish. A standard 9-inch pie dish is common, but sizes can vary.
- Crust Thickness: Pies with thicker crusts and less filling per slice will naturally yield fewer generous servings.
- Filling Density: A pie packed with a hearty, dense filling will be more satisfying and potentially serve more people than one with a lighter filling.
- Appetite and Side Dishes: Are you serving the meat pie as a main course only, or with side dishes? If you have substantial sides like mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables, servings can be smaller.
- “Serving” Definition: A “serving” can be subjective. Are you aiming for modest portions or generous helpings?
General Serving Guidelines:
For a standard 9-inch meat pie, you can generally expect 6 to 8 servings. This assumes you are cutting the pie into equal slices.
- 6 Servings: This would be for more generous portions, suitable for hearty eaters or when the meat pie is the main focus of the meal.
- 8 Servings: This is a more moderate serving size, appropriate when serving with side dishes or for lighter appetites.
Tips for Portioning Your Meat Pie:
- Visual Division: Before cutting, visualize dividing the pie into 6 or 8 equal wedges. You can lightly score the crust to guide your cuts.
- Consider Side Dishes: If serving with sides, aim for 8 servings. If the pie is the star of the show, 6 might be more appropriate.
- Communicate with Guests: If you are serving guests, you can gauge their appetites and adjust portion sizes accordingly.
- Leftovers are Great: Meat pie leftovers are delicious! Don’t worry too much about exact portions; it’s better to have a little extra than not enough.
Now that you have a better understanding of meat pie servings, let’s move on to a fantastic recipe to bake your own hearty pie. This recipe is designed for a standard 9-inch pie dish and will comfortably serve 6-8 people, depending on your desired portion sizes.
Hearty Homemade Meat Pie Recipe
This recipe provides step-by-step instructions for creating a flavorful and satisfying meat pie from scratch.
Meat Pie Ingredients
Gather these ingredients to create your homemade meat pie:
- Meat: 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound ground pork. The combination offers a rich and balanced flavor.
- Vegetables: 1 medium potato and 1 medium onion. These provide essential texture and savory notes to the filling.
- Spices and Seasonings: 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 teaspoon mustard powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried sage, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. This blend of spices creates a warm and classic meat pie flavor profile.
- Water: ¼ cup water. Adding a touch of water while cooking the meat helps to keep it moist and aids in flavor development.
- Pie Crust: 1 box (14.1 ounces) store-bought double pie crusts or your favorite homemade double pastry crust. Using pre-made crust simplifies the process, but homemade adds an extra touch of deliciousness.
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How to Make a Meat Pie
Follow these simple steps to bake your own meat pie:
- Prepare Potatoes: Boil the potato until tender, then mash it. This will add creamy texture and body to the filling.
- Cook the Meat: In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and ground pork over medium heat. Drain off any excess grease. Add the water, diced onion, minced garlic, mustard powder, dried thyme, dried sage, ground cloves, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Cook until the onions are softened and the flavors have melded, about 5-7 minutes.
- Combine Filling: Stir in the mashed potato into the meat mixture. Mix well to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Assemble Pie: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a 9-inch pie dish with one pie crust. Pour the meat filling into the crust. Top with the second pie crust. Crimp the edges to seal and create a decorative edge. Cut vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is heated through. Let the pie cool slightly before slicing and serving.
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What to Serve With Meat Pie
Meat pie is a complete and satisfying meal on its own, but pairing it with complementary side dishes enhances the dining experience.
Classic Pairings:
- Beef Gravy: A traditional accompaniment that adds richness and moisture. Try this Beef Gravy recipe.
- Mashed Potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes are a comforting side that complements the savory pie filling.
- Roasted Vegetables: Roasted vegetables like Roasted Parsnips and Carrots offer a healthy and flavorful contrast.
- Creamed Peas: A simple and classic side dish that adds a touch of sweetness. Cream Peas recipe here.
- Green Salad: A fresh garden salad, like this nice garden salad, provides a light and refreshing counterpoint to the richness of the pie.
How to Store Meat Pie
Proper storage ensures your leftover meat pie remains delicious and safe to eat.
Storage Guidelines:
- Refrigerate: Store leftover meat pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Reheat: Reheat thoroughly in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through, or in the microwave for quicker reheating. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
This meat pie recipe has garnered rave reviews from the Allrecipes community, with home cooks praising its ease and deliciousness.
Community Feedback:
- One Allrecipes community member raves about the “Excellent pie” and perfect seasoning. They used instant potato flakes to thicken the filling and successfully doubled the recipe for two pies.
- jshell43 describes it as “comfort food” epitomized, highlighting its ease of preparation and completeness as a meal when paired with a salad.
- pdm modified the recipe by replacing half the ground pork with ground beef and found the result “yummy,” reminiscent of French Canadian meat pie.
These testimonials highlight the versatility and crowd-pleasing nature of this meat pie recipe.
Conclusion
Understanding how many servings is one meat pie is essential for successful meal planning. This guide has provided insights into portioning and a delicious recipe to create your own. With a standard 9-inch pie yielding 6-8 servings, this hearty meat pie is perfect for family dinners or gatherings. Enjoy baking and sharing this comforting classic!
