Can I freeze a Beef/Chicken pie?

ellejay · 20-01-2017 04:01PM #1

Hi all

Has anyone ever successfully frozen a beef / chicken pie?

I'm wondering should I cook the pie first or should I leave the puff pastry uncooked?
The filling etc would be cooked.

Also can I heat from frozen or would I defrost first.

All thoughts / experience on this hugely appreciated.

irish_goat · 20-01-2017 04:03PM

Leave the pastry uncooked, defrost fully and then cook in the oven as normal. Works for me anyway.

Dizzyblonde · 20-01-2017 04:10PM

I've done it both ways and the pastry is much nicer if you defrost the filling and then make up the pie with fresh pastry. I tend to use shortcrust pastry and will often freeze leftover portions of pies. It reheats okay, but I wouldn't imagine puff pastry would reheat well at all after freezing.

phormium · 20-01-2017 04:20PM

I freeze lots of cooked pies, well kind of pies, I leave the pastry separate. So a cooked filling ready to reheat but I cut the piece of puff pastry and leave it raw and not on the pie as I find it just doesn't rise as well and stays soggy underneath.

Thawed and heated a turkey and ham pie yesterday in a foil container, used the halogen oven and put in the foil container and the pastry separately, I just pop the square of pastry on the serving of pie then. Best result that way in my opinion for puff pastry, ordinary shortcrust cooks ok-ish on the pie.

phd · 22-01-2017 02:14PM

I make lots of pie fillings and freeze them. You can make a big batch of chicken & ham, beef & mushroom, cottage pie filling etc. Then defrost overnight and top with pastry before cooking. Personally, I like the puff pastry cooked on the pie as I like the bottom layers to soak up the tasty pie filling.

chuckles30 · 23-01-2017 05:15PM

As others have said, freeze the cooked pie filling separately and the pastry raw. Also works for shepherd/cottage pies. Freeze the filling and top with freshly mashed potatoes and pop in the oven.

ellejay · 24-01-2017 02:35PM

Thanks all.
I guess I was looking for a handy solution to just take out of the freezer and pop in the oven.

Can I freeze a Beef/Chicken pie?

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