This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
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These steak & pumpkin pasties make a perfect grab and go lunch. Designed for convenience, the traditional Cornish pasty is a savory classic. I am only making one substitution and am baking with pumpkin instead of swede… it’s Fall after all and the more pumpkin recipes the better!
I showcasing my whole process in this post, from finding the best value meat in store to making homemade pastry and the traditional Cornish crimping method. I’m also featuring the FoodSaver® FM3941 Vacuum Sealing System to show how it can save you up to $2,700 yearly based on buying in bulk, buying on sale and preventing waste.
Despite now living in Arizona, I grew up in Cornwall, England. I am offering a traditional pasty recipe, but the British would say it is not a Cornish pasty unless it’s actually made within the boundaries of the county of Cornwall. The Cornish are very proud of their pasties and if you ever visit, I highly recommend trying one.
Grocery Shopping on a Budget
These steak & pumpkin pasties are affordable to make, with the biggest cost being the meat. I am not one for using cheap cuts but I also have a family of five to feed on our budget. Like many larger families, we make the most of bulk buying, but fresh produce can pose an issue, especially meat. We don’t eat a huge quantity of meat so being able to freeze it makes the most of the value you get from buying bulk.
FoodSaver® is the number 1 Vacuum Sealing solution in the US and is the perfect solution for saving fresh food. It keeps food fresh up to 5x longer than ordinary storage methods like zipper bags, foil, plastic wrap and containers. This means you save money by being able to buy in bulk without worrying about waste.
Current Promotions on the FoodSaver® FM3941
Not only is Costco my favorite store to pick up high-quality meat in bulk, but they are also my go-to retailer for FoodSaver® products. The FoodSaver® FM3941 System includes vacuum seal bags, vacuum zipper bags and containers designed to work together with vacuum sealers for optimal performance.
These promotions are running in Costco this Fall:
- The FM3941 Vacuum Sealing System will be $40 OFF in November (must have Costco membership).
- FoodSaver® Bags and Rolls Value Pack will be $10 OFF in November (must have Costco membership)
Using the FoodSaver® FM3941
The FoodSaver® FM3941 has built-in features to easily preserve food in the freezer or refrigerator. Also, by taking all of the air out, you can ensure your meat will be cooked evenly throughout. It also has some clever features to save time with food preparation, making entertaining a breeze. Perfectly marinate meat and fish in minutes, not hours using the Quick Marinate Mode. The FoodSaver® FM3941 also helps to store cooked food… meal planning and batch cooking made easy!
Whether you choose to use FoodSaver® Bags which are already cut to size, or the convenient roll stored inside, the FoodSaver® FM3941 is very simple to use. Making and cutting bags is easy with a dedicated roll storage and a built-in cutter. You can have your food ready to freeze or refrigerate in a few easy steps:
- Fill your FoodSaver® bag with food you want to store.
- Place the open end of the bag into the FoodSaver® FM3941, close the lid and turn to ‘on’.
- Press the vacuum/seal button and watch air get removed until the bag is fully vacuumed.
- The ‘seal’ light will automatically turn off, letting you know you can open the lid and remove your bag.
- Store in the freezer or refrigerator and save money!
The FoodSaver® Bags and Rolls Value Pack keeps you stocked up with everything you need for long-term freezer storage. Multi-layer, BPA-free vacuum-seal bags are flexible enough to hug food and seal effectively without gaps. This seal blocks out air and helps prevent freezer burn.
Making Steak & Pumpkin Pasties
I bought short rib steak meat for my steak & pumpkin pasties. This meat is soft with the right amount of fat for the perfect juicy pasty. The bulk buy meat packs available at Costco will make 2-3 batches of pasties so once I had my extra meat safely stored in the freezer I could get stuck in!
I highly recommend making your own pastry for Cornish pasties. The ready-made pie crust you buy in the grocery store is not robust enough to hold this juicy filling, and you’ll likely end up in a burst pasty mess. If you do decide to use a ready-made crust, go with low-fat cut of steak and make the pasties small to keep the weight of the filling to a minimum.
Crimping Your Pasties
I am no crimping expert and if you struggle with it, revert to the popular method of closing your pasties with a simple pinch or even a fork… I won’t tell the Cornish folk if you don’t. Traditionally a Cornish pasty is closed with a twisted crimp:
- Dampen the edge of the pastry a little and fold over to close.
- Starting from one end, use your index finger and thumb to pinch and twist the edge of the pasty over to form a crimp.
- Repeat this process along the edge of the pasty and tuck the far end underneath.
Baking Your Pasties
Traditionally, the meat goes into a Cornish pasty uncooked. Cube your meat into small pieces (1 inch cubes) to ensure your steak is cooked through, along with the veg. You’ll be baking at low heat (330F) for an hour. This will make sure your pastry and filling are thoroughly cooked and you’ll have plenty of juices to mix inside and make the best authentic flavor.
When making your pastry, remember to use bread flour to give extra strength. For me, the pastry and crimping are what makes it a proper Cornish pasty and it’s worth the effort!
- 18oz bread flour
- 4oz shortening
- 5oz European style butter
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup cold water
- 1lb short rib beef steak, diced
- 12oz potato, diced
- 8oz pumpkin, diced
- 1 yellow onion, quartered and sliced
- Salt & pepper
- Egg to glaze
- Rub the butter and shortening into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the salt.
- Add the cold water and knead until the pastry becomes elastic by hand or using an electric mixer.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours until firm.
- Preheat oven to 330°F.
- Roll out the pastry to ¼" thickness and cut into 8" circles (use a side plate as a template).
- Add the vegetables and steak on top of half the pastry, adding salt and pepper to season.
- Fold the pastry over the top of the filling and crimp (see guide above).
- Glaze with beaten egg and bake on a baking sheet for 60 minutes until golden.
- Once cooked, pasties can be enjoyed hot or cold and reheat easily like pies. Reheat in the oven for 20mins at 350°F until piping hot throughout.
