It is quite a while since I posted a recipe, so I thought I would dust off the cooking utensils and pull something together. One of my favourite comfort foods is Steak and Ale Pie. There is nothing more satisfying than tucking in to a good pie, mashed potato and peas. Now it would be rotten of me to tell you this, without letting you into the secret of my favourite traditional Steakand Ale Pie recipe :o)
After you have triedthis great recipe for a traditional English Steakand Ale Pie, please be welcome to either email me or leave a comment at the bottom of this post with your feedback. Thank You ~ Graham :o)
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* * * INGREDIENTS * * *
(Serves 4)
750g Braising Steak (or neck/shin of beef)
2 - 3 onions (sliced)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 bay leaf
Plain flour
Puff Pastry or Shortcrust Pastry
2 - 4 rashers of smoked bacon
6 - 7 mushrooms
A Knob of Butter
500ml Dark Ale/Beer
250ml Beef Stock
1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce (optional)
Saltand Pepper to season
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Please click HERE to for a UK/US weights and measures conversion table
RECIPE
The first step is to dice the steak (in this example I have used shin of beef, but you could use braising steak or neck of beef - any cut that requires slow cooking is ideal) into reasonable sized pieces.
Whilst doing this, heat up the pan until it is very hot. It is important to get the pan hot, so that you can brown off the steak. Put seasoned plain flour into a dish and place each piece of steak into the flour, thoroughly coating all sides.
Then add the pieces to the pan. It is really important to get lots of colour into the steak at this point as this is will help give the stew a lovely dark colour. Add salt and pepper as the steak browns.
Once browned on both sides, remove the steak from the pan, and put aside.
Next dice some smoked bacon and add to the pan with a touch more butter. Any caramelised bits on the bottom of the pan from browning the beef will add to the flavour as we cook the bacon.
Nowaddthe sliced onions and chopped garlic clove.
We are looking to caramelised the onionsdown, so keep the pan on a high heat.
(To help caramelise the onions you can add a small sprinkle of caster sugar). Keep stiring the onions whilst cooking them so that they do not burn on the bottom (as the burnt pieceswill give the mixture a bitter aftertaste).
Once the onions are caramelised you will see them turn reallysoft and brown.Now you can add the remaining ingredients. Firstly add 6 or 7 large chopped button mushrooms and mix them in well to ensure they get coated in the onion and bacon mixture.
Next slowly pour in the Ale, allowing it to reduce down a bit before pouring in the beef stock.
Add in the browned steak pieces that were cooked earlier, making sure that they are covered by the stock. Finally add a bay leaf and cover the pan.
Allow it to gently simmer for around 2 hours.
When you remove the lid you will see that the sauce has reduced and thickened and the mushrooms are wonderfully soft.
Allow the beef and ale to cool
(to get the best flavour possible, it would be ideal to leave it overnight)
Once coldplace the beef into your pie dish,
layering with spoonfulls ofthe sauce, mushrooms and onion.
It is important to pile up the steak and vegetables, to ensure that the pastry lid doesn't sink when you put it on. You can either use shortcrust or puff pastry. If you are using ready made puff pastry, roll two layers together. Next, coat the rim of the pie dish with an egg wash to help the pastry stick, before finally placing the lid on the dish.
Once you have placed the lid on the dish, crimp the edges with your thumbs and fingers to form a seal and stop the pastry shrinking during cooking. If you have any leftover pastry, you can add some decorative leaf features onto the top of the pie.
Trim the excess pastry from the edge of the dish and coat the top of the pie in egg wash (Egg wash using 1 whole egg and one egg yoke, to give the pie a deep golden brown colour).
Finally cut a cross mark in the centreof the lid of the pie with a knife to allow steam to escape through during the cooking process. This should help avoid a soggy pastry.
Bake the pie in the oven for about 30-40 minutes at 200C/180C fan/ Gas Mark 6.
ENJOY!!!
Graham xx
Please be welcome to leave any feedback or comments below:
FAQs
To be honest, as long as you're using a proper ale rather than an industrially-produced lager, any ale will work quite well. You're best bet is to pick something dark and sweet, but not a very heavy stout, which can add a bitter flavour – a porter fits nicely.
How to make a steak pie without a soggy bottom? ›
A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom. (Using metal is crucial: Glass or ceramic pans don't transfer heat as efficiently, so they can be accomplices to a sad, soggy bottom.)
What is steak and ale pie made of? ›
This steak and ale pie recipe uses stewing steak – infused with herbs, cooked with veggies and a generous amount of ale for an hour. This creates a tender, rich pie filling. In this recipe, the Hairy Bikers opt for shop-bought pastry which is a much quicker option than homemade.
What is steak and kidney pie in England? ›
steak and kidney pie, a traditional British dish consisting of diced steak, onion, and kidney—typically from a lamb or pig—cooked in a brown gravy and then wrapped in a pastry and baked. Mushrooms and bacon are sometimes included, and various ales, notably stout, can be added to the gravy.
What red wine is best for steak and ale pie? ›
Cabernet Sauvignon for your steak or mushroom pie
There are a number you might like to choose from. How about a fresh and fruity Cabernet Sauvignon? Velvety and smooth, a Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon is more than a match for steak and its fruitiness is a great match for a beer-tinged gravy.
Why does my steak and ale pie taste bitter? ›
Beef in ale is bitter if you take it out too early. Try cooking it a bit longer. Definitely add sugar, it needs something sweet to counteract the bitterness.
How do you keep the bottom of a pie crust crispy? ›
The most common way to ward off a soggy pie crust is by a process called blind baking. Blind baking means you pre-bake the crust (sometimes covered with parchment or foil and weighed down with pie weights to prevent the crust from bubbling up) so that it sets and crisps up before you add any wet filling.
Should I bake the bottom pie crust first? ›
You do not need to pre-bake a pie crust for an apple pie or any baked fruit pie really, but we do freeze the dough to help it stay put. Pre-baking the pie crust is only required when making a custard pie OR when making a fresh fruit pie. you should probably get: Pie weights are super helpful to have for pre-baking.
What is funeral pie made of? ›
Vintage Funeral Pie Recipe is an old-fashioned dessert that is made from raisins, spices, and walnuts. It was traditionally made by the Amish, but this sugary pie fits right into a Southern cook's recipe box.
What is a British meat pie called? ›
What are meat pies called in England? This may shock you but meat pies are usually called 'meat pies. ' Unless they are called steak and kidney pie or steak and ale pie or steak and potato pie or chicken and leek pie.
Flour is a natural thickening agent and can be incorporated into your sauce with a few different methods (for a gluten-free option, you can also use arrowroot flour or a gluten-free flour blend like Bob's Red Mill's 1 to 1 or King Arthur's Measure for Measure). One way to thicken gravy with flour is by making a slurry.
What is a Grosvenor pie? ›
The "gala pie" is a variety of pork pie where the filling includes a proportion of chicken and a hard-boiled egg (also known as a Grosvenor pie). Gala pies are often baked in long, loaf-type tins, with multiple eggs arranged along the centre.
Why do Scottish people eat steak pie? ›
“To me, a steak pie is a sharing pie for getting together with the family. On New Year's Eve, it's great to prepare for a night of festivities, drinking and dancing. Or you can have it as a hangover cure the following day. “For us it's a New Year's Day celebration.
What is the slang for steak and kidney pie? ›
Among the various vernacular names for steak and kidney pie are Kate and Sidney pie, snake and kiddy pie, and snake and pygmy pie.
What kind of beer is good for steak pie? ›
If it's beer as in a steak and ale pie the obvious answer is beer - a robust bitter or brown ale I suggest although you could use a strong Belgian ale like Orval or Chimay and if you prefer wine I've drunk old Bandol with steak pie with great success.
What is the best ale for a pie? ›
Types Of Ale
Beers coming under this category include pale ale, brown ale, porter, stout, barley wine, etc. Popular ales used for cooking steak and ale pie include Fuller's London Pride Ale or Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale as they add a complex depth of flavour to food.
What is the best beer for steak and ale? ›
Some of the best beer with steak options include pale ale, amber ale, and light lager, depending on the kind of steak you're eating. For example, light lager works with mildly flavored cuts, like filet mignon, as the understated flavor of the beer doesn't overpower the steak.
What's the best ale to cook with? ›
For cooking, use brown ales for pork, beef, stews and chilis. They also work well in batters and in baking. Porter: Another type of ale, porters are medium-bodied with a cocoa-like sweetness. They're also medium hoppy, so less bitter than a pale ale and less sweet than a brown ale.
