Chilean
Empanadas de Pino
Golden Chilean lard pastries enfold juicy hand-cut beef pino, tender onion, egg, black olive, and plump raisins.
12 servings · 90 minutes prep · 75 minutes cook
Ingredients
Pino
- 2 lb, Boneless, trimmed, patted dry, and cut by hand into 1/4-inch dice
- 4 large onions; 2 lb 10 oz trimmed, Cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 3 tbsp, Rendered beef fat may be used in place of lard
- 1 tbsp
- 2 tsp
- 2 tsp, Rubbed between the fingers
- 1 1/2 tsp, Freshly ground
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp, Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tbsp
- 3/4 cup, Unsalted
Garnishes
- 4 large eggs; about 7 oz without shells
- 1/2 cup, Dark raisins
- 12 olives; about 2 oz, Pitted, drained, and preferably Chilean or Kalamata-style
Dough
- 8 1/3 cups, plus more for rolling, Spooned and leveled, plus more for rolling
- 2 tbsp, Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 cup, Melted and cooled until warm; rendered beef fat may be used in place of lard
- 2 cups, 105–115°F
Egg wash
- 1 large egg; about 1 3/4 oz without shell
- 1 tbsp, Water may be used in place of the milk
Directions
Make and rest the pino
- On the {{tool:cutting-board}}, pat the beef chuck dry before cutting it with the {{tool:chef-knife}} into 1/4-inch dice; excess surface moisture would make it steam rather than brown. Keep the diced beef refrigerated while beginning the onions.
- Heat the pino portion of lard in a {{tool:large-heavy-pot}} over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently with a {{tool:wooden-spoon}} and regulating the heat so the onions soften, turn translucent, and lose most of their raw moisture without browning deeply. They should be tender and reduced by roughly one-third.
- Add the sweet paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, black pepper, and pino portion of kosher salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the diced beef chuck and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring and breaking apart any clumps, until no raw exterior remains. The meat need not become completely tender because it will finish cooking inside the empanadas.
- Sprinkle the pino portion of all purpose flour evenly over the mixture and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in the beef stock and scrape the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 4–6 minutes, until the liquid lightly coats the meat and a spoon drawn across the bottom leaves a trail momentarily. Keep the pino moist but not soupy.
- Spread the pino in a shallow container and let it stop steaming for no longer than 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours so the juices firm and the filling will not soak or tear the dough.
Prepare the garnishes
- Place the garnish portion of egg in a {{tool:small-saucepan}} and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring just to a boil, cover, remove from the heat, and stand for 11 minutes. Transfer to ice water and cool completely, then peel each egg and cut it lengthwise into 3 wedges to make 12 wedges.
- Cover the raisins with hot water and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly and pat dry. Keep the egg wedges, raisins, and black olives chilled until assembly.
Make the dough
- Use a {{tool:whisk}} to combine the dough portions of all purpose flour and kosher salt in a {{tool:large-mixing-bowl}}. Pour in the warm melted dough portion of lard and rub or stir it through the flour until evenly distributed and resembling coarse crumbs. Gradually add the warm water, mixing until a firm, cohesive dough forms. Work any small amount of remaining dry flour in with damp hands rather than adding a large splash of water.
- Turn the dough onto an unfloured surface and knead for 6–8 minutes, until smooth, supple, and only slightly tacky. Cover tightly and rest at room temperature for 45 minutes. The dough should bend without cracking while remaining sturdy enough to hold the juicy pino.
Fill and shape
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the {{tool:oven}} and heat to 400°F (205°C). Line two {{tool:baking-sheet|large baking sheets}} with {{tool:parchment-paper}}. Whisk the egg-wash portion of egg with the whole milk.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 140 g each, and keep them covered. On a lightly floured surface, use a {{tool:rolling-pin}} to roll one piece at a time into an 8-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick, then brush off loose flour.
- Place about 1/2 cup packed chilled pino just below the center of each circle, leaving a border of at least 1 inch. Add 1 egg wedge, 1 black olive, and 5–6 raisins. Keep the garnishes toward the center so they cannot puncture the dough.
- Lightly moisten the dough's edge with water. Fold the upper half over the filling to make a broad semicircle, press out trapped air around the filling, and seal firmly. Fold the two rounded side edges inward, then fold the remaining curved edge upward to form a snug rectangle. Press the corners and seams firmly without stretching the dough thin over the filling.
- Arrange 6 empanadas, seam-side up, on each prepared sheet. Use a {{tool:skewer}} to make one small steam vent through the top center of each empanada, then use a {{tool:pastry-brush}} to coat the tops and folded edges lightly with egg wash.
Bake and serve
- Bake for 24–30 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back after 15 minutes. The empanadas are done when the crust is firm and evenly deep golden, the bottoms are browned, and an {{tool:instant-read-thermometer}} registers at least 165°F (74°C) at the center of a test empanada.
- Let the empanadas stand on their pans for 10 minutes so the dangerously hot filling cools slightly and its juices settle. Serve warm.
