History – General

  • The history of the meat pie is a bit murky, with many countries laying claim to creating the first pie. The first meat pies were thought to be made in Ancient Greece. They were called “Artocreas”, and were simply a pastry crust, onto which cooked meat was spooned.
  • The ancient Roman’s took it one step further with a top and bottom crust.
  • The French believe the pie is their dish made from pastry, hollow inside and filled like a fritter - a dish almost exclusive to the aristocracy.
  • The French Chef Guillaume Tirel experimented with pies in the middle ages. He published a book in the 14th century including a recipe for Eel Pie.
  • Meat pies formed part of the English Cuisine since medieval times, when moulded pastry cases know as “coffers” were filled with meat and cooked.
  • There was also a Fish pie prepared in England for lent, with the added bonus (evidently) of reducing the desire for carnal passions over this religious period.
  • Nearly every country in the world has it’s own version of the ‘meat pie’. South America has Empanadas, Cyprus has Bourekias and Poland has Pierogiz.
  • Early pies were wrapped in a flour and water mixture. The pastry was not always intended for eating however, but simply a vessel to hold the filling and the juices to enhance the flavour.
  • Later, fat was added to the paste mixture to make it more tender and pliable, and improve the flavour.
  • The English invented the combination of Steak & Kidney in a pie.
  • One of the most famous pies in the world is the “Cornish Pasty”. It originally had meat in one end and jam in the other, making lunch and dessert for Cornish tin miners.
  • Nowadays, to eat “humble Pie” means to be apologetic about your actions. In class conscious 11th century England however, when a stag was caught, the most tender meat went to the hunter and his eldest son and best friends. The man’s wife and other children were given the “umbles” (tongue, kidney, liver), which they made tasty by seasoning and baking in an “umble” pie. Long after the custom had disappeared, the word “umble”, and later “humble” came to mean low status.
  • Pies today are anything but humble!

History - Australia

  • Early settlers bought the pie to Australia, which instantly gained popularity due to it’s basic, readily available ingredients. Mutton was used in early pies as in those days it was a lower price even than vegetables.
  • The golden crust meat and gravy snacks were available in Sydney in the mid-1800’s, often sold as a counter lunch in hotels.
  • In years to follow, pies were sold from pie carts which stopped near places of entertainment or where large groups gathered. The Pie Man was a common sight in the streets of Sydney and Melbourne, selling hot pies from a large tin box kept warm by a small charcoal stove. They progressed to horse-drawn contraptions, then to warmers on the back of a Chevy ute to access popular holiday destinations and sporting events.
  • In the first half of the 1900’s only fish & chips challenged the pie as the natural choice for hungry Australians.
  • Mass produced pies began to make an appearance in the 1960’s, which is when Mrs Mac’s first started.
  • • Australian’s eat over 500,000,000 pies each year.
  • Beef is still the most popular flavour, although there is growing demand for more gourmet flavours.
  • Meat pies have always been a great value, convenient meal. Australia’s multicultural influence means that along with traditional flavours, we now have pies filled with Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Laksa, Roast Vegetables, etc.
  • Meat pies are still people’s first choice while they watch sporting matches. An Aussie rules Final crowd in Melbourne can consume 90,000 pies in a day
  • Prime meat cuts such as fillet steak, rump and sirloin do not necessarily make good pies as they lack the natural jelling agent collagen, which is spread throughout the meat fibres holding them together. In fact the better value cuts like knuckle, shanks and trimmed blade used in most Australian pies not only have a good collagen content but are high in protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12. These beef cuts are good quality and contain only about 5% fat.

Mrs Mac’s

  • Each day Mrs Mac’s uses approximately:
           14 tons of beef
           20 tons of wheat flour
           2.5 tons of fresh diced vegetables
  • Mrs Mac’s products are sold into areas covering approximately 2330 postcodes in Australia.
  • The amount of tomato sauce used by hungry consumers on all the pies made by Mrs Mac’s in an average year would fill around 2450 x 44-gallon drums.
  • If all the pies made by Mrs Mac’s every year were piled on top of each other, they would reach to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back.
  • The most isolated place that you can buy Mrs Mac’s pies in Australia is thought to be Kulumburu Aboriginal Mission in outback Western Australia.
  • The most northerly place in Australia where you can buy a Mrs Mac’s pie is Saibai Island off the Northern Territory coast.
  • The most southerly place in Australia where you can buy a Mrs Mac’s pie is Bruny Island off the Tasmanian coast.
  • The most easterly place in Australia where you can buy a Mrs Mac’s pie is Norfolk Island off the New South Wales coast.
  • The most westerly place in Australia where you can buy a Mrs Mac’s pie is the Cocos Islands off the Western Australian coast.