Beef Empanadas

In the Geography of Food, beef empanadas are a popular pastry enjoyed all around the world. These tasty handheld treats are made with golden-brown pastry crusts that are stuffed with a savory blend of ground beef, veggies, herbs, and spices. Whether they’re enjoyed as an appetizer, a meal, or a midnight snack, beef empanadas have been delighting taste buds for centuries. According to the Chef John Scully, “Empanadas are the perfect combination of mouthwatering meat and pastry—they really can’t be beat!” Let’s get into it and find out how to make great beef empanadas that will leave everyone satisfied.

Ingredients

Method

Dough

Mix 2 cups boiling water with the butter and salt in a large bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Stir in the flour a cup at a time and mix with a wooden spoon until dough comes together. Knead on a floured countertop for 2-3 minutes, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Filling

Saute beef, in a tbsp or 2 of olive oil, in a large skillet until browned over medium high heat.

Add onion and chorizo and saute over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Add potatoes, garlic, thyme, and oregano and stir until combined.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Add tomato paste and a cup of beef broth or water and simmer for 10 minutes. We want the mixture to be juicy but not runny.

Stir in scallions and cool to room temperature.

Empananadas

Preheat oven to 375 degees.

Divide dough into 1 oz pieces and form into 2 inch balls. Roll each ball into a 4 1/2 inch circle and set on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Moisten edges of dough, top in center with 2 tbsp of filling, fold over and pinch closed with fingers or a fork.

Make sure empanadas are 1 inch apart on parchment paper, brush tops with melted butter, and bake on top shelf of oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden.

Remove from oven and serve warm.