No. 7: MeatPies
08/10/2011 by Amy in Oz
Within the first day12 hours of being in Sydney, I was introduced to meat pies by an Australian. It was outside of the hotel I stayed in {Blue at Woolloomooloo — Say that 10 times, fast}, my very first night in Australia, at a Harry’s Cafe de Wheels stand, one of many locations found in the Sydney-area. Upon approach, I was told all about meat pies and how Harry’s was a classic with such fervor fervour. I noted it.
What is a meat pie?
A meat pie is hand-sized and filled with diced or minced meat and gravy,sometimes also onions, mushrooms, etc {more here}.
There are many varieties to choose from, as well as a number of vegetarian-options. I remember these also being available in America in the frozen food-section of the supermarket, known as “pot pies.”
Where are meat pies sold?
Meat pies are sold all over Australia, but here are a few places around Sydney where you’ll easily find them:
· Harry’s Cafe de Wheels
· Robertson Pie Shop
· Pie Face
· Pie in the Sky
·Convenience stores and “servos” {Aussie for “service station”}
· Pubs
· Outdoor kiosks/stands — Some sell Mrs. Mac’s pies.
· Sports arenas
Pie and Can — Outside of a store near Austinmer Beach in NSW
Many of the places which sell meat pies might want for you to know that they have been somehow at some time rated best meat pie — There even is an annual “Official Great Aussie Meat Pie Competition” —Somehow it matters, but it doesn’t mean their meat pie tastes any good today.Word of mouth has told me that Harry’s, Robertson, Upper Crust and another called Hamlet’s sell the best…
Slang:
Many of the Aussies I know call a meat pie with tomato sauce “dog’s eye and dead horse.” It’s part of their “rhyming slang,” which you can read more about here.
How to eat a meat pie dog’s eye and dead horse:
Either top the meat pie with tomato sauce or smother each bite with tomato sauce. It’s an on-the-go type of food, so it’s available takeaway and usually easy to eat while sitting on the train or ferry. You can also order it with mash{Aussie for “mashed potatoes”}, {mushy} peas and/or gravy and eat it with a fork and knife.
Best and worst meat pies I’ve ever eaten:
I had one from Harry’s which was good, called a “tiger.” It is served with mash, mushy peas and gravy.Pie Face, on two separate attempts, was the worst. I just suggest you try them all so you can judge for yourself. My next pie will be from Cronulla Pie Shop.
Do Aussies really love meat pies?
Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Be sure to mention it the next time you meet an Australian and most likely their eyes will light up. If they’re abroad, it might even make them homesick.
Here’s some more proof of how much Aussies love meat pies:
Remember — They love “football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars.”
Posted in 100% Aussie, Aussie Grammar, Celebs, First Impressions, Foods | Tagged dead horse, dog's eye, Food, Harry's Cafe de Wheels, Holden, mash, meat pie, restaurant, Sydney, tomato sauce, Woolloomooloo | 14 Comments
14 Responses
on 10/10/2011 at 1:21 pm | Reply
Kari CorderoFar out! I never knew Aussies loved meat pies. I work with a guy who’s Australian, so I’ll have to mention this to him and see what he says. The next time I’m at the supermarket on the frozen food aisle, I’ll also be thinking about this post 😉
on 10/10/2011 at 1:24 pm | Reply
ozaussieoz@ Kari: Thanks for your comment! You ought to report back here what he says to you about meat pies 😉
LOL your blog is a crack up. We are a family of meat pie lovers and it was one thing we missed so much when we lived in Spain….now we are about to leave Oz again for Asia and will sadly say goodbye to our weekly meat pie meal again
on 18/10/2011 at 1:33 pm | Reply
ozaussieoz@ Sharon: Thanks for your comment here! I understand this very much – I have things I miss from where I’m from and where I’ve lived. It’s those things which can’t be found at a supermarket or expat shop that we miss the most, isn’t it? Hopefully there will be something close enough in Asia for you until you can make it back for another meat pie fix 😉
Best Meat Pie ,,,Fergusons bakery Sydney road Coburg,,Melbourne.
clean neat top class Meat pie, a real first class meat pie full of top class aussie beef,the pasty base is exellent,they have been round for years,,this is the real deal,top class.Worst Meat Pie,,Yatala Pies,,nth of the Gold Coast,on the M1,they have been round for over 100yrs,,but that was then this is now,,
Meat is cheap cut into cubes,not much of it,full of watery gravy,and it smells,but the worst is the pastry base,you can see how see how its been re-rolled and its soo soo crumbly and cheap,but the thing sells big time,because they live off the fact they have been round for over a century,so who cares.Americans have Meat Pies also,,,the Knish,,a New York speciality,that actually is bigger and better than a aussie meat pie.
Knishes made in New York look like dumplings like a big squashed baseball and are filled with cabbage and potato,and can be stuffed with meat,
A real Knish Rules when made the real way,and there bigger and better than any aussie meat pie…………..on 18/10/2011 at 1:33 pm | Reply
ozaussieoz@ Owen: Thanks for your comment as well and for all of this info! I am exploring first around Sydney, but I have made my way up to the Gold Coast-area and hope to check more out up there. I ate a thai chicken pie in Byron Bay at a bakery that everyone was raving about. The line in the evening was long as well, but I didn’t know yet well enough if the quality was really any good. Do you know which shop I’m talking about? Ever eaten one from there, and if so, what do you think?
on 18/10/2011 at 12:06 am | Reply
missnerissHave you tried a pie floater yet? It’s a real Adelaide treat, so when you get over there, you have to head to the pie cart on Franklin St (http://www.thepiecart.com.au/carts.html) for a pie in pea soup with tomato sauce. Sounds and looks awful, but tastes an absolute delight.
You weren’t wrong about the mere thought of a meat pie making Aussies homesick. Now I want one. Preferably a steak, cheese and bacon or a potato pie from my local bakery. Oh, and it has to be mince, not chunky pieces of beef, that’s a real no-no as far as I’m concerned.
The best pies though are found in NZ. They have some uppity offal rule, so the meat is better. The best brand is Jimmies. Undoubtedly.
on 18/10/2011 at 1:33 pm | Reply
ozaussieoz@ Missneriss: I haven’t tried the pie floater yet – I’ll try anything, so I’ll definitely give it a go! Have you introduced your husband to this? And I wonder if you’ve tried to make anything like it in NL? What with the thickness their erwtensoep, the pie would hardly float 😉 And when I visit NZ, I’ll certainly give their meat pies at try – Thanks for sharing all of this & thanks for your comment!
on 24/10/2011 at 8:08 pm
missnerissI’ve tried making a meat pie, but not the pie floater. I might have to give it a try with the ewrtensoep though, it would probably be a good combination! Having said that the pea soup in the pie floater is so thick that the pie doesn’t so much float as wallow, and a healthy dose of tomato sauce is compulsory (which might not work with the pea soup here).
on 16/11/2011 at 6:50 pm | Reply
KatieThere is not a town in Oz that does not have a claim to having the best meat pie in the world. Unfortunately, everyone else’s claim is bogus because the REALLY best pie in the world is OATLEY PIE SHOP (in Oatley, a lovely garden suburb of southern Sydney). You haven’t lived until you have tried one of their pies! They are not cheap (at nearly $5.00 a pie) but the variety is unbelievable – literally think of a type of pie and they probably have it. Check it out:
http://www.eatability.com.au/au/sydney/oatley-village-pie-shop/
on 19/11/2011 at 11:18 am | Reply
ozaussieoz@ Katie: Thanks so much for your comment! Oatley’s a bit out of the way for me, but we’ll make the detour & I’ll definitely check Oatley Pie Shop out this summer 😉
on 30/06/2015 at 2:22 pm | Reply australian meat pies – for everyone
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