helena Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 I have vegan wheat gluten beef, vegan beef bullion, vegetable broth, and baby bella mushrooms. It seems like a good start to a savory, beefy pie. :) I've never had a real beef pot pie, but I've had tasty Linda McCartney meat pies, which only seem to be sold in England. I've tried to make this once and it was bland and gross. I'd like a richer gravy, heavy flavors and herbs. Any thoughts? Any ingredients or techniques I ought to know about? My chicken pot pie is delicious, my crust is good. Beef pie filling is a mystery... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 Yeah I suggest beef. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 What's a mystery to me is the vegan beef part LOL but I'll throw in my two cents from a non-vegan angle. If I'm making a beef stew dish, I like to involve red wine in place of water and add fresh garlic and some basil. Onions for the right audience. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 What's a mystery to me is the vegan beef part LOL but I'll throw in my two cents from a non-vegan angle. If I'm making a beef stew dish, I like to involve red wine in place of water and add fresh garlic and some basil. Yeah..I'm not sure I even want to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 Use red potatoes, garlic, onions, maybe some Tamari in the sauce. Do they make vegan worcestershire? That would up the beefy flavor. I would add another type of mushroom or two. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 Can you eat soy? I'd suggest some soy sauce. That plus the mushrooms will give some good umami flavor. Also a darker color will help with the "meatiness" you're going for. Also, you'll want to thicken the sauce. I like flour to thicken stew. It feels heavier than cornstarch or arrowroot. I've never made a meat pie, vegan or otherwise, so I can't offer much other advice. I bet it will be yummy. Just taste it and don't put it in your pie until you're happy with the flavor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 21, 2015 Author Share Posted October 21, 2015 What's a mystery to me is the vegan beef part LOL but I'll throw in my two cents from a non-vegan angle. If I'm making a beef stew dish, I like to involve red wine in place of water and add fresh garlic and some basil. Onions for the right audience. Why? It tastes great when prepared well, like any other ingredient. It's been used for centuries... How do you use the basil? I'll definitely add onion and garlic. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 21, 2015 Author Share Posted October 21, 2015 Oops, I posted on Gen. Ed. Sorry guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 21, 2015 Author Share Posted October 21, 2015 Use red potatoes, garlic, onions, maybe some Tamari in the sauce. Do they make vegan worcestershire? That would up the beefy flavor. I would add another type of mushroom or two. They do, and I just bought some for another recipe I make. I'll add it tonight. :) Great idea about more than one type of mushroom, I wouldn't have thought of that. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 I might add some lentils in there instead of the mushrooms, but that's because I'm afraid of mushrooms. I read about death caps when I was young, and that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 Miso and tomato paste are two more umami foods that will add a meaty flavor. Tomato paste is common in beef stew, not so sure about in a beef pot pie. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 21, 2015 Author Share Posted October 21, 2015 Can you eat soy? I'd suggest some soy sauce. That plus the mushrooms will give some good umami flavor. Also a darker color will help with the "meatiness" you're going for. Also, you'll want to thicken the sauce. I like flour to thicken stew. It feels heavier than cornstarch or arrowroot. I've never made a meat pie, vegan or otherwise, so I can't offer much other advice. I bet it will be yummy. Just taste it and don't put it in your pie until you're happy with the flavor. Yeah, we eat soy. I'll add in the soy sauce for sure. Do you think it'll clash with the worcestershire sauce? You're right about wanting that dark, rich color. I have both cornstarch and arrowroot, I'll add one in. I can already see this pie will be an improvement from the last one. ;) To the bolded, I should tattoo this on the back of my hand! :huh: It sound ridiculous to say/type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 21, 2015 Author Share Posted October 21, 2015 I might add some lentils in there instead of the mushrooms, but that's because I'm afraid of mushrooms. I read about death caps when I was young, and that's it. I'm not googling death caps. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 21, 2015 Author Share Posted October 21, 2015 Miso and tomato paste are two more umami foods that will add a meaty flavor. Tomato paste is common in beef stew, not so sure about in a beef pot pie. Will miso make it a more Japanese flavor? I've been working on a vegan beef stew for a few years now, and man, is it good! When I first started making it, my husband would run around the house yelling about how stew gave him super powers. Haha! Then his gall bladder almost exploded and we were like, Ooooo!!! the stew made your gall bladder go bad!! Haha!! I've really enjoyed learning American recipes. They're not foods I grew up on, but my kids like that stick to your bones kind of feeling. And I like cooking comfort foods. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bensmom Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 Will miso make it a more Japanese flavor? I've been working on a vegan beef stew for a few years now, and man, is it good! When I first started making it, my husband would run around the house yelling about how stew gave him super powers. Haha! Then his gall bladder almost exploded and we were like, Ooooo!!! the stew made your gall bladder go bad!! Haha!! I've really enjoyed learning American recipes. They're not foods I grew up on, but my kids like that stick to your bones kind of feeling. And I like cooking comfort foods. :) Oooo. Can I have the recipe? I 'm always looking for new vegan meals. Everyone here has a nice healthy gallbladder, so no worries ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 21, 2015 Author Share Posted October 21, 2015 Oooo. Can I have the recipe? I 'm always looking for new vegan meals. Everyone here has a nice healthy gallbladder, so no worries ;) Sure! Here it comes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 I'm a vegan so fwiw - miso, soy sauce, vegan worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and red wine would all be in my recipe for such things. Also cremini mushrooms at minimum, dried porcini mushrooms (reserving the the soaking liquid to use in the recipe, too) to cap it all off. Capitalize on darker flavors by getting good caramelization on your onions and mushrooms - don't crowd the pan when you cook your mushrooms or they'll steam/boil in their own liquid rather than brown and you'll want that Maillard reaction to help boost your end product. Check out Isa Chandra Moskowitz's recipes. She has a good handle on the kind of flavor profile that you're looking for. We had her mushroom stout pie (topped with potato biscuits) for dinner a couple of weeks ago and it was very tasty and had good depth of flavor. Not sure that meat eaters can really help you to much on this angle. They don't have to work quite so hard at layering flavors to achieve the same result. :p 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 21, 2015 Author Share Posted October 21, 2015 I use Sweet Earth Traditional Seitan, slices. I've found that if I kind of "rub" the knife at an angle while I slice it, I get irregular type cuts that include small gristle-y pieces. I've only cooked beef a few times, so it took me a while to figure out that the texture and cuts make a huge difference in vegan cooking. I don't measure, so this is kind a vague. Cut, pan fry seitan. Add cumin, salt, and pepper to taste set aside Caramelize a sliced yellow onion, peeled pearl onions, and sliced leeks set aside start cooking carrot, a ton of garlic cloves, and potatoes, salt, pepper, cumin, to taste add in veg broth and a beef bullion (I use Edward & Sons, Not-Beef Bullion Cubes) Add water depending on how liquid-y you like your stew. I add quite a bit because then I know it'll have enough gravy later in the evening and the next day. Cook till tender, add beef I add a bit of tabasco, sometimes a few more garlics in the garlic press, salt pepper, cumin if needed, little powdered vegan chicken broth or cornstarch maybe. The gravy gets nice and thick, but not too thick. I serve it with salad and a crusty baguette. We prefer La Brea bread with stew because it doesn't go soggy. Like I said, these recipes don't come natural to me, and I've never had the meat versions, so take this recipe with a grain of salt! Hope you like it! ETA: let me know if you improve it! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 21, 2015 Author Share Posted October 21, 2015 I'm a vegan so fwiw - miso, soy sauce, vegan worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and red wine would all be in my recipe for such things. Also cremini mushrooms at minimum, dried porcini mushrooms (reserving the the soaking liquid to use in the recipe, too) to cap it all off. Capitalize on darker flavors by getting good caramelization on your onions and mushrooms - don't crowd the pan when you cook your mushrooms or they'll steam/boil in their own liquid rather than brown and you'll want that Maillard reaction to help boost your end product. Check out Isa Chandra Moskowitz's recipes. She has a good handle on the kind of flavor profile that you're looking for. We had her mushroom stout pie (topped with potato biscuits) for dinner a couple of weeks ago and it was very tasty and had good depth of flavor. Not sure that meat eaters can really help you to much on this angle. They don't have to work quite so hard at layering flavors to achieve the same result. :p Thanks for naming specific mushrooms. I'm going to caramelize right now. I did the meat with worcestershire sauce, and the kids love the flavor and color. It looks yummy and a little different. We have a few of Chandra's cookbooks, I'll have to pull them out. I'm loyal to her cupcake recipes. :) I like to use regular non veg recipes and switch them to vegan. I guess that's why I wanted to ask meat eaters. It's a completely new recipe, and I didn't want quinoa, kale pot pie. Haha! Don't get me wrong, I like both those things. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 The Mushroom Stout Pie was on Isa's website. She has a few recipes that might fit what you're looking for in "Isa Does It." Miyoko Schinner's "Homemade Vegan Pantry" would be another good resource. I'm all for veganizing recipes, but I guess my point is that straight veganizing a recipe like beef stew or pot pie is a little more nuanced with a few more steps involved. Good luck! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 22, 2015 Author Share Posted October 22, 2015 That pie looks good! http://www.theppk.com/2013/03/mushroom-stout-pie-with-potato-biscuits/ If my pie goes over well, I'll try this next. Just added the Schinner book to my Amazon cart, her cheese book looks exciting too. I hear ya on the veganizing thing. I'm trying to care more about what I do in the kitchen. :) I grew up spoiled with food, I cooked to win my husbands heart, I raised my kids on all my family recipes, and then... uuuuuuugggggghhhhhh. That's my goal right now, to learn and try new things in the kitchen. We had a few dark years in the kitchen. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Can I just recommend Bisto Onion Gravy?! Seriously. They are vegan and make an absolutely gorgeous pie. Never had Bisto until British hubby introduced me in the UK. We now bring back half a suitcase when we go, because it is so much cheaper to get there. You still can order it in the U.S., and it can be added to just about anything to make a lovely, thick, savory gravy:) http://veganchristmas.co.uk/vegan-gravy.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 22, 2015 Author Share Posted October 22, 2015 Can I just recommend Bisto Onion Gravy?! Seriously. They are vegan and make an absolutely gorgeous pie. Never had Bisto until British hubby introduced me in the UK. We now bring back half a suitcase when we go, because it is so much cheaper to get there. You still can order it in the U.S., and it can be added to just about anything to make a lovely, thick, savory gravy:) http://veganchristmas.co.uk/vegan-gravy.html Thanks! I think we'll be there in spring. There's a few things I'll be stocking up on while there. Adding this to the list! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 22, 2015 Author Share Posted October 22, 2015 Well, the verdict is in! Two thumbs up, one thumb down, and one... (me)... I can make this better, but it's not bad. :) Thanks for all the help. I'll keep working on this one. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 That pie looks good! http://www.theppk.com/2013/03/mushroom-stout-pie-with-potato-biscuits/ If my pie goes over well, I'll try this next. Just be careful on the beer you choose - if it's super bitter, by the time it does its thing, it will be b.i.t.t.e.r. That's not really good eats. Really, though, what most dishes need is a good dose of umami. I always have tomato paste, miso, and nooch on hand. They can do a world of wonder in giving the dish the oomf is needs. Oh, and smoked paprika and a couple of kinds of liquid smoke. Used judiciously, they can help give things that certain note that's lacking. Too much, though, and you're eating ashes. That's not tasty either, lol. I haven't tried Miyoko's cheese book, but I have used a few of the recipes out of her "Homemade Vegan Pantry" cookbook and really liked them. Miyoko really does the layered/complex flavor thing in spades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 When I was adapting red beans and rice to be vegan (I am a dedicated carnivore, but my husband went vegetarian for a while), I found that if I used peanut oil to saute the sausage-flavored soy crumbles (Morningstar Farms), I got a much "meatier" taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laundrycrisis Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Potatoes, onions, peas, carrots, multiple mushrooms. Maybe carmelize the onions in the oven first, like for French onion soup. For flavor, maybe bay leaves and nutritional yeast ? Also maybe make a roux to go in the filling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiMi 4under3 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I have vegan wheat gluten beef, vegan beef bullion, vegetable broth, and baby bella mushrooms. It seems like a good start to a savory, beefy pie. :) I've never had a real beef pot pie, but I've had tasty Linda McCartney meat pies, which only seem to be sold in England. I've tried to make this once and it was bland and gross. I'd like a richer gravy, heavy flavors and herbs. Any thoughts? Any ingredients or techniques I ought to know about? My chicken pot pie is delicious, my crust is good. Beef pie filling is a mystery... I use lots of caramelized onions, tomato paste, and Worcestershire. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 How about adding some Kitchen Bouquet? It looks like it's vegan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 The nice thing about pot pies is that you can do almost anything and as along as you get the basics right, it will taste good. A little red wine in the sauce will really give it a good flavor. I'd also add potatoes, carrots, onions, and peas. I'd probably leave it at that. You can google good sauces made with red wine, and then pick a crust. You can either do a softer, biscuit-type crust, or a hard crust. If you want to try and create your own sauce, I've made a sauce for a beef stew that is delicious. You could add a little flour to it to thicken it, and you probably wouldn't need as much as is in the stew. It includes a can of cream of mushroom soup, another soupcan full of red wine, and a teaspoon each of thyme, marjoram, and dill. Salt and pepper to taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Sometimes if I want to up the flavour of vegetarian dishes, I use a sweet potato in place of a regular one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizaG Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 What sort of oils are you using, and how much? It looks as if the Linda McCartney pies get about 50% of their calories from fat. That's roughly the same as Marie Callender's. Not that I'd buy either of those myself, but I'm going to guess that traditional homemade beef pot pie has at least that amount of fat, if not more. After a certain point, I don't think just adding more zingy taste ("umami") will compensate for major reductions in texture and richness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 You want umami? Add some Marmite. Everything is better with Marmite :001_smile: Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Sometimes if I want to up the flavour of vegetarian dishes, I use a sweet potato in place of a regular one. Another good choice is using rutabagas (aka "swedes" in the UK). They add a complex mildly-sweet taste as they cook up. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 You want umami? Add some Marmite. Everything is better with Marmite :001_smile: Bill Marmite... shudder. :001_tt2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 I picked up some Bisto yesterday. I'll be trying all the different ideas suggested. The kids liked it, so I won't give up on it just yet. :) Eliza G: I don't want to know the sodium content or "nutritional value" on the Linda McCartney pies. Some things are better left a beautiful mystery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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