Pork And Barley Pot Pie

While I was planning my menu for my Irish shindig, My Irish Shindig I came across so many good recipes and dishes I wanted to make, but I could only do so much. It was just a small get together, after all. One of those dishes was a pork pot pie. I added the barley to it after doing my research on the Guinness stew, and saw how some places in Southern Ireland add barley to their stews. So, yes, this dish is Irish inspired, but is “A Jeanne” creation.

Meat pies of all kinds have been around since at least the Medieval times. Foods were often cooked with a pastry crust as a way to help preserve the fillings and add a little more shelf life to them. My pork pie was vastly different than the traditional pork pies, and I think much better too.

I made my normal go-to crust, then filled my ramekins with filling and topped them with the dough.

Pork and Barley Pot Pie

When Larry smoked the corned beef, he also smoked a pork shoulder. We thought about adding it to our Irish menu, but we already had a wide variety of Irish foods, so we saved it for later.

Jeanne’s Go-To-Dough

1 1/2 cups flour

6 TBSP cold butter, diced

pinch of salt

1 egg

5-6 TBSP heavy whipping cream

In a food processor, pulse the salt, flour and butter until it resembles sand. You can also do this by hand. Add the egg and the cream and beat together until it forms into a ball. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour before using.

The Filling

1 1/2-2 lbs cooked pork, diced

2-3 carrots, cubed

1-1 1/2 cups cooked barley – cook according to package directions

5-6 mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, diced

1 1/2-2 cups beef broth

1 TBSP tomato paste

salt & pepper to taste

4-5 sprigs fresh thyme

olive oil for cooking

Preheat the oven to 375*F or 191*C.

Spray 4-6 ramekins with cooking spray.

Cook the barley according to the package directions.

Get a pan very hot and add the oil, then saute the carrots, mushrooms and onions until soft, about 5-7 minutes.

Combine the beef broth, seasonings, thyme and tomato paste together and mix well.

Add everything together and mix well.

Fill the ramekins with the filling. Roll out the dough and shape to fit the tops of the ramekins. You want the dough to be about 1/4 thick. Press it firmly onto the tops of the filling, and take a serrated knife and make a few slits in the top of the top. Brush with an egg wash.

Bake for about 45-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let cool slightly, then enjoy. Slainte.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.