Steak and ale pie
Discussion
We’re going to force feed my father in law this at the weekend, as we’re dragging him over to ours, so want to give him something’hearty’, as he’s not in the best of health. So, I’ve had a look around at various recipes, and may make it with beef shin, to add some additional flavour. Anybody got any killer suggestions to add something special to it, or THE ultimate recipe. Planning to make the filling the day before and pop it in the fridge, then make the rest of the pie and bake it while he’s here the next day.
I always find that purely shin on its own can be quite gelatinous and almost gluey when slow cooked, adding a bit to enhance is fine, but I wouldn't make a whole pie out of it, I'd use chuck or brisket for 80% then the rest shin. Or if you can find marrowbone, elbow the shin, so to speak, and remove before constructing the pie when its all melted.
Dried porcini mushrooms give depth.
Use good stock
Cut the meat yourself if poss and use BIG chunks.
Flour the beef in well seasoned flour before browning, don't crowd the pan when doing it, batches if needed.
Darker ales work better IMO, Guiness is good as well.
Cook for as long as you dare, 4-6 hours.
I'd always go shortcrust on Steak and Ale - others will be the opposite.
Basically you're making a stew, then putting pastry so find a good recipe - John Torode/Tom K/Jamie will likely all have decent ones and easy to do.
Don't bother with sodding about making pastry, bought stuff is fine, but make sure you eggwash thoroughly.
Make twice as much as you need!
Dried porcini mushrooms give depth.
Use good stock
Cut the meat yourself if poss and use BIG chunks.
Flour the beef in well seasoned flour before browning, don't crowd the pan when doing it, batches if needed.
Darker ales work better IMO, Guiness is good as well.
Cook for as long as you dare, 4-6 hours.
I'd always go shortcrust on Steak and Ale - others will be the opposite.
Basically you're making a stew, then putting pastry so find a good recipe - John Torode/Tom K/Jamie will likely all have decent ones and easy to do.
Don't bother with sodding about making pastry, bought stuff is fine, but make sure you eggwash thoroughly.
Make twice as much as you need!
Braised Steak or Steak pie is one of my favourite things to eat - and very much reminds me of having lunch (on a Tuesday during the winter - they were creatures of habit) at my grandparents when I was a kid.
I tried for years to try and make it the same as my Grandma, and eventually realised it was dead simple.
A good pie needs nothing fancy or complicated in it. The closest I came this was the recipe the Hairy Bikers (I know bear with me) used on their comfort food series for braised steak and chips
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/braised_steak_w...
use this as the filling and shortcrust or even better suet crust pastry - its spot on. And if you want to make it taste like my Gran's - add her secret ingredient, some black pudding.
I tried for years to try and make it the same as my Grandma, and eventually realised it was dead simple.
A good pie needs nothing fancy or complicated in it. The closest I came this was the recipe the Hairy Bikers (I know bear with me) used on their comfort food series for braised steak and chips
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/braised_steak_w...
use this as the filling and shortcrust or even better suet crust pastry - its spot on. And if you want to make it taste like my Gran's - add her secret ingredient, some black pudding.
Edited by killysprint on Tuesday 29th November 16:58
I agree wholeheartedly with the above post, adding a couple of slices of black pudding will help. Also, I have found a Guinness cooking sauce at my local TESCO which adds an additional umami layer to steak. Think carefully about which beer you will use. If I am making a steak and ale pie or pudding, I always get two bottles of beer, one for the pie and one for me to try, purely for research purposes you understand!
Beef shoulder is what I would use.
Add some sauteed onions to the pot and a can/bottle of decent bitter. Whatever local veer your dad would drink wil suffice. I would brown the beef before adding the liquid.
Puff pastry for the top is always better. Shop bought is fine.
Short crust is fine for the base.
Remember to eggy wash thectop of the pie when you cook it. Milk will work but egg is better
Add some sauteed onions to the pot and a can/bottle of decent bitter. Whatever local veer your dad would drink wil suffice. I would brown the beef before adding the liquid.
Puff pastry for the top is always better. Shop bought is fine.
Short crust is fine for the base.
Remember to eggy wash thectop of the pie when you cook it. Milk will work but egg is better
loskie said:
See I prefer shortcrust all round. And what is it with so called steak pie sold in pubs which is actually just stew with a bit of puff pastry perched on top?
Ease of service. You can warm up the pre portioned stew in the microwave. An industrial microwave is a much bigger stronger beast than a residential microwave.
You can bake all your puff pastry in the morning and leave them to the side until needed. You just have to put it in the oven for a few minutes to geat it back up. You dont need it to cook just warm up.
Everything can be ready in the time it takes you to fry the chips.
I follow the hairy bikers ish…
Fry bacon in a cast iron pan/casserole dish
Remove then fry Onion, garlic and Carrot once soft remove
Cut up shin/ Chuck steak season well the brown off
Bottle of ale into the dish (depending how much veg/meat you’ve done)
Fresh rosemary, dash of Worcestershire sauce/oxo cube - seasoning to taste
Bring to the boil
Put in the oven for two hours
The key bit-
Leave it in the oven turned off over night.
Drain juices from meat and spoon into pie casing.
Use juices and make a gravy, pour some back into
The pie mix and stir.
Store bought short crust for the base and side topped with bought puff pastry.
Shin is nicer mixed in but there’s a bit of faffing usually removing the sinew, I now usually do 500g braising 500g Chuck/flank
I do enough now to give 8 portions and just freeze it up.
Winder every time. I’ll be trying the BP next time !
Fry bacon in a cast iron pan/casserole dish
Remove then fry Onion, garlic and Carrot once soft remove
Cut up shin/ Chuck steak season well the brown off
Bottle of ale into the dish (depending how much veg/meat you’ve done)
Fresh rosemary, dash of Worcestershire sauce/oxo cube - seasoning to taste
Bring to the boil
Put in the oven for two hours
The key bit-
Leave it in the oven turned off over night.
Drain juices from meat and spoon into pie casing.
Use juices and make a gravy, pour some back into
The pie mix and stir.
Store bought short crust for the base and side topped with bought puff pastry.
Shin is nicer mixed in but there’s a bit of faffing usually removing the sinew, I now usually do 500g braising 500g Chuck/flank
I do enough now to give 8 portions and just freeze it up.
Winder every time. I’ll be trying the BP next time !
sherman said:
loskie said:
See I prefer shortcrust all round. And what is it with so called steak pie sold in pubs which is actually just stew with a bit of puff pastry perched on top?
Ease of service. You can warm up the pre portioned stew in the microwave. An industrial microwave is a much bigger stronger beast than a residential microwave.
You can bake all your puff pastry in the morning and leave them to the side until needed. You just have to put it in the oven for a few minutes to geat it back up. You dont need it to cook just warm up.
Everything can be ready in the time it takes you to fry the chips.
But it's NOT a pie so don't call it such.
Ease or quality and serving the customer what they deserve?
Mr.Chips said:
I agree wholeheartedly with the above post, adding a couple of slices of black pudding will help. Also, I have found a Guinness cooking sauce at my local TESCO which adds an additional umami layer to steak. Think carefully about which beer you will use. If I am making a steak and ale pie or pudding, I always get two bottles of beer, one for the pie and one for me to try, purely for research purposes you understand!
Love the black pudding idea, definitely doing that!when oysters were cheap peasant food I think an odd one of them was added to steak pie.
Well indeed it does seem to be a thing!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/beef_and_oyster...
Well indeed it does seem to be a thing!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/beef_and_oyster...
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