Tantalize your taste buds with the delectable British Steak and Ale Pie, a classic dish steeped in rich culinary history. This hearty and flavorful pie is a symphony of tender beef, savory gravy, and golden, flaky pastry. Originating in the pubs and kitchens of England, this dish has become a beloved comfort food, enjoyed by families and friends alike.
Our comprehensive guide features a collection of meticulously crafted recipes, each offering a unique take on this iconic dish. From traditional methods using slow-cooked beef and homemade gravy to modern variations incorporating innovative ingredients and cooking techniques, we've got you covered. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a novice in the kitchen, our recipes provide step-by-step instructions, detailed ingredient lists, and helpful tips to ensure your steak and ale pie turns out perfect every time.
Indulge in the classic British Steak and Ale Pie recipe, a timeless dish that embodies the essence of comfort food. Experience the rich flavors of tender beef braised in a flavorful ale gravy, encased in a golden, flaky pastry crust. For a contemporary twist, try our Guinness Steak and Ale Pie, where the iconic Irish stout adds a distinct depth of flavor to the gravy.
If you're short on time, our quick and easy Steak and Ale Pie recipe offers a simplified version without compromising on taste. And for those with dietary restrictions, our Gluten-Free Steak and Ale Pie is a delicious alternative that caters to special dietary needs.
So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and embark on a culinary journey that will leave your taste buds dancing with delight. With our comprehensive collection of recipes, you'll be able to create the perfect British Steak and Ale Pie, a dish that is sure to become a staple in your home cooking repertoire.
PROPER BEEF, ALE & MUSHROOM PIE
Escape to your kitchen this weekend and make this comfort food classic - it's well worth the effort
Provided by Barney Desmazery
Categories Dinner, Main course
Time 4h
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- If you're using the porcini mushrooms, cover 10g of mushrooms in boiling water for 20 mins, then squeeze out but keep the soaking water.
- Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large casserole dish, brown 1kg large chunks of braising steak really well in batches, then set aside.
- Add 2 large onions, roughly chopped, and 4 large carrots, chopped into large chunks, to the pan. Add a drizzle more vegetable oil, then cook on a low heat for 5 mins until coloured.
- Add the soaked porcini mushrooms, sizzle for 1 min more, then scatter over 2 tsp golden caster sugar and 4 tbsp plain flour, stirring until the flour turns brown.
- Tip the braising steak and any juices back into the pan and give it all a good stir.
- Pour over 300ml dark ale, 2 beef stock cubes mixed with 400ml boiling water and the porcini mushroom soaking liquid, discarding the last few drops.
- Season the stew, tuck in a small tied-together bunch of thyme, bay leaf and parsley, and bring everything to a simmer.
- Cover with a lid and place in the oven for about 2 hrs, until the braising steak is really tender.
- While the stew is cooking, heat a drop more vegetable oil in a frying pan and sizzle 200g smoked bacon lardons for 3 mins until crisp.
- Turn up the heat, add 200g halved chestnut mushrooms and cook for 4 mins until golden. Remove from the heat and, when the stew is cooked, stir them through.
- Leave everything to cool completely - better still, make this up to 2 days in advance and keep it in the fridge as the pie will be better if the filling is fridge-cold when added. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months and defrosted when needed.
- Make the pastry up to 2 days before you want to assemble the pie. Crumble 650g plain flour and 250g cold diced lard or butter, together with a generous pinch of sea salt until completely combined, then add up to 200ml ice-cold water to make a soft dough. This can be done in a food processor if you want.
- Knead the pastry, then wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hr. The pastry can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge or frozen for up to a month.
- When you want to make the pie, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and place a flat baking tray in the oven. Heavily grease a 24-28cm pie dish and dust well with flour.
- Cut a third off the pastry and set aside. Roll out the pastry to a thickish round that will easily line the pie dish with an overhang, then line the tin.
- Add the braising steak to the dish using a slotted spoon so some gravy is left in the container, as you don't want too much sauce in the pie. You want the filling to be slightly higher than the rim of the dish. If you have a bit too much, set it aside.
- Roll out the remaining pastry to a thick round big enough to cover the dish. Brush the edges of the pastry in the dish with 1 beaten egg yolk, then cover with the pastry lid.
- Trim the edges, crimp the pastry, then re-roll your trimmings to make a decoration, for example, pastry leaves. Brush the top heavily with egg. Make a few little slits in the centre of the pie, place on the hot baking tray.
- Bake for 40 mins until golden. Leave the pie to rest for 10 mins while you heat up the gravy left in the container. Serve the pie at the table with a jug of gravy and a big pile of greens.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1244 calories, Fat 70 grams fat, SaturatedFat 29 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 105 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 15 grams sugar, Fiber 7 grams fiber, Protein 54 grams protein, Sodium 2.61 milligram of sodium
HOW TO MAKE STEAK AND ALE PIE
Good meat, good beer and good pastry - it's clear why this steak and ale pie is a winner.
Provided by Marcus Bean
Categories Main course
Yield Serves 4 - 6
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- For the pastry, sift the flour and the salt into a large mixing bowl, then put into the fridge for a few minutes to chill. (Keeping the flour and bowl cold will help you to get a better result later and create nice separate layers or pastry.)
- Meanwhile, cut the butter into small cubes. Using a round-bladed knife, stir it into the bowl until each piece is well coated with flour. Pour in the water, then, working quickly, use the knife to bring everything together to a rough dough.
- Gather the dough in the bowl using one hand, then turn it onto a work surface. Squash the dough into a fat, flat sausage, without kneading. Wrap in cling film then chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Lightly flour the work surface and the pastry. Roll out the pastry in one direction until it's about 1cm thick and three times as long as it is wide, or about 45x15cm/18x6in. Straighten up the sides using your hands now and again, and try to keep the top and bottom edges as square as possible.
- Fold the bottom third of the pastry up, then the top third down, to make a block about 15x15cm/6x6in. It doesn't matter if the pastry isn't exactly the right size, the important thing is that the corners are square.
- Turn the dough so that its open edge is facing to the right, like a book. Press the edges of the pastry together using the rolling pin.
- Roll out and fold the pastry again, repeating this four times in all to make a smooth dough, with buttery streaks here and there. If the pastry feels greasy at any point, or starts to spring back when as you roll, then cover and chill it for 10 minutes before continuing. Chill the finished pastry for an hour, or ideally overnight, before using.
- For the filling, mix the beef with the flour and some salt and pepper. An easy way to do this without making too much mess is to put everything into a large food bag, seal, then shake well.
- Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large heatproof casserole up to a medium heat, then add half the beef, shaking off the excess flour and keeping the chunks well spaced so they fry rather than sweat. Brown for about 10 minutes, until golden-brown all over.
- Transfer the first batch of meat to a bowl, then add a splash of brown ale or water to the pan and scrape up any meaty bits. Tip the liquid into the bowl of meat. Wipe out the pan, then add a tablespoon of oil and brown the second batch of beef. When the beef is golden-brown transfer it to the bowl and set aside.
- Add the final spoon of oil to the pan and heat gently. Add the garlic, onions, carrots, celery and herbs to the pan and fry for a few minutes, until softened.
- Put the beef back into the pan. Pour in the stock and brown ale, then add the tomato purée and balsamic vinegar. If necessary, add a little more stock or hot water to ensure the meat is covered in liquid (this will prevent the beef from drying out). Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer the stew for 1-1½ hours until the beef is almost tender and the sauce has thickened. Set aside to cool, overnight if possible.
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan, then add the mushrooms. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then fry over a high heat for 5 minutes, or until golden-brown. Mix with the cooled pie filling and add to the pie dish.
- To make the pie, preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6. Flour the work surface, then roll out the pastry to the thickness of two £1 coins and wide enough to cover a family-size pie dish with some excess. Brush the edge of the pie dish with a little water or beaten egg.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the pastry to fit the top of the dish - if it's too big it doesn't matter. Lift on top of the pie, laying the pastry over a rolling pin to lift it. Press down gently to seal.
- Holding the knife blade horizontally, make a patterned edge by pressing down gently all around the edge of the pastry (this will help the layers in the pastry to puff up).
- Cut a couple of slits in the top of the pie to release steam. Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg - taking care to avoid getting egg on the edges of the pastry as it will stick the layers together. Chill for 10 minutes, or until the pastry is firm. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden-brown and puffed all over.
BRITISH STEAK AND ALE PIE
Tender pieces of steak are cooked with vegetables and English ale, then wrapped in a flaky buttery crust. Serve it with pea and chips for a perfectly comforting meal.
Provided by Culinary Ginger
Categories Dinner Ideas
Time 1h30m
Number Of Ingredients 24
Steps:
- To make the pastry in a food processor: Add the flour and salt and butter. Pulse until you get the texture of fine breadcrumbs. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in cold water until it forms a ball. You may need more or less water depending on the dough.
- To make the pastry by hand: Add the flour, salt and butter to a large bowl. Using your fingertips (or a pastry cutter) rub the butter and flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Drizzle in the water and mix using a fork until the it starts to come together and holds together when pressed in your hand.. You may not need all of the water.
- Remove and shape into a ball on a floured board. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- For the filling:
- Add the vegetable oil and butter to a large, heavy, ovenproof saucepan or braising pan over medium high heat. Add the beef and cook, turning the pieces until brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- To the same pan, add the onion and carrots and cook until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to mix well and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir well until all the flour is well mixed. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the ale and stir until it starts to thicken. Stir in the beef, beef stock, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.
- Cover with a lid and allow to come to a low simmer for 35-45 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for 15 more minutes to thicken the liquid. You do not want the liquid too runny, it should be thick. The meat should be quite tender, but will also continue cooking in the oven.
- Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C with rack in the center of the oven. Lightly butter a 9 or 10-inch (23 or 25.5 cm) pie dish.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut in half. Wrap one half back in the plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- Roll out the other half onto a floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 of an inch. Cut a circle from the dough 1/2 inch larger than your pan and place into the pie dish allowing the edge to hang over.
- Cut a large circle of parchment paper or foil larger than the pan or and place on top of the pastry in the pie dish. Pour the dried beans to the center to weigh down the dough. Or, place a piece of foil on top of the dough and weigh down with an oven-proof dish that will fit inside. Bake for 12 minutes until you start to see the edges get a little golden brown.
- Remove the crust from the oven, grab the corners of the paper or foil and remove the beans. Make holes in the bottom of the pastry with a fork to prevent it puffing. If it puffs, it should go down. Return the crust to the oven for 5 more minutes to cook the bottom of the pastry.
- Once the crust is out of the oven take the rest of the dough and roll out onto a floured surface and cut a 10-inch circle.
- Fill the cooked crust with the beef filling.
- Brush the edges of the cooked pastry with the egg. Roll the pastry circle over your rolling pin, lift and place on top of the pie with the egg washed edges down so they stick to the other dough, pinch the edges or press with a fork.
- Brush with the entire top with egg wash and cut a couple of slits in the center of the crust. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. The time will vary depending on your oven.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 201 calories, Carbohydrate 19 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 63 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 8 grams fat, Fiber 2 grams fiber, Protein 6 grams protein, SaturatedFat 4 grams saturated fat, ServingSize 1, Sodium 650 milligrams sodium, Sugar 6 grams sugar, TransFat 0 grams trans fat, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams unsaturated fat
THE BEST STEAK & ALE PIE
The Best Steak & Ale Pie
Provided by bestrecipesuk
Categories Comfort Food Mid Week Meals Pie Time Winter Warmers
Time 2h15m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Fry the bacon and onions until pale golden in colour and then add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Set aside using a slotted spoon.
- Season the steak with salt and pepper and dredge with flour. Now heat 1-2 tbsp of oil to the frying pan and add the steak, you may have to do this in batches. Fry the meat until it is well browned all over. Add more oil if necessary. Set aside.
- Deglaze the frying pan with half of the ale. Bring the ale to the boil and stir hard to remove all the sediment from the base of the pan. Transfer the steak and bacon to the frying pan then add the remaining ale, stock, tomato puree, horseradish and herbs to the dish. Bring to the boil and then cover, simmer for 1 ½ hour or until the meat is very tender. Mix the corn flour with 2tbsp of cold water and add to the pan. Continue to simmer uncovered for a further 5 minutes or until the juices are thick. Season to taste and allow to cool.
- In the meantime preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Remove the bay leaves and then strain the liquid from the meat but add some of the gravy to the meat suit your taste. Set aside the rest of the gravy to serve with the pie.
- Roll out the short crust pastry to 4mm thick and line a 1.2 litre pie dish, leave the excess pastry hanging over the edge. Spoon the cooled beef mixture into the dish, brush the edge of the pastry with the beaten egg.
- Roll out the puff pastry to 4mm thick and large enough to cover the pie. Place the pastry over the pie and press the edges firmly together to seal and trim neatly. Brush the top of the pastry with the beaten egg. Decorate with trimmings and brush with more egg to glaze. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the pastry has puffed and is golden brown. Serve with mash, seasonal vegetables and the remaining gravy. Enjoy!
PUB-STYLE STEAK & ALE PIE RECIPE - (3.5/5)
Provided by LRay
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Don't substitute bone-in short ribs; their yield is too variable. Instead, use a 4-pound chuck-eye roast, well trimmed of fat. Use a good-quality beef broth for this recipe; the test kitchen's favorite is "Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base." If you don't have a deep-dish pie plate, use an 8x8-inch baking dish and roll the pie dough into a 10-inch square. We prefer pale and brown ales for this recipe. FILLING: Combine water and baking soda in large bowl. Add beef, salt, and pepper and toss to combine. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in large Dutch oven over high heat, stirring occasionally, until partially rendered but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and 1/4 cup broth and stir to coat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are reduced to about half their original volume, about 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and thyme and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and fond begins to form on bottom of pot, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture and stir until all flour is moistened. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fond is deep brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in beer and remaining 1 1/4 cups broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in beef and bring to simmer, pressing as much beef as possible below surface of liquid. Cover pot tightly with aluminum foil, then lid; transfer to oven. Cook for 1 hour. Remove lid and discard foil. Stir filling, cover, return to oven, and continue to cook until beef is tender and liquid is thick enough to coat beef, 15 to 30 minutes longer. Transfer filling to deep-dish pie plate. Once cool, filling can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days if needed. Increase oven temperature to 400°F. CRUST: While filling is cooking, measure out 2 tablespoons beaten egg and set aside. Whisk remaining egg and sour cream together in bowl. Process flour and salt in food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. Add butter and pulse until only pea-size pieces remain, about 10 pulses. Add half of sour cream mixture and pulse until combined, about 5 pulses. Add remaining sour cream mixture and pulse until dough begins to form, about 10 pulses. Transfer mixture to lightly floured counter and knead briefly until dough comes together. Form into 4-inch disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Roll dough into 11-inch round on lightly floured counter. Using knife or 1-inch round biscuit cutter, cut round from center of dough. Drape dough over filling, it's okay if filling is hot. Trim overhang to 1/2-inch beyond lip of plate. Tuck overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of plate. Crimp dough evenly around edge of plate using your fingers or press with tines of fork to seal. Brush crust with reserved egg. Place pie on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until filling is bubbling and crust is deep golden brown and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. If filling has been refrigerated, increase baking time by 15 minutes and cover with foil for last 15 minutes to prevent over browning. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
NEXT LEVEL STEAK & ALE PIE
Discover the secret ingredients that take the humble steak and ale pie to new levels. But, be warned: one slice just won't be enough
Provided by Barney Desmazery
Categories Dinner, Main course
Time 4h
Yield Serves 6-8
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large casserole dish and gently fry the bacon for 5 mins until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. In the same pan, brown the beef well in batches for 5-8 mins, adding a drizzle more oil if you need to, then set aside.
- Add the onions and carrots to the pan and cook on a low heat for 5 mins. Stir in the flour, then add the tomato purée, vinegar and miso, if using. Tip the beef and bacon, along with any juices, back into the pan and give it all a good stir. Pour in the ale and stock, and nestle in the thyme stalks and bay. Season generously and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for about 2 hrs or until the meat is really tender. Leave everything to cool slightly, then strain off about half the braising liquid into another container. Leave to cool completely. Can be made up to two days ahead and kept chilled in the fridge - the pie will be better if the filling is fridge-cold when added. Can also be frozen for up to three months.
- To make the pastry, mix the flour, mustard powder, lard and butter with a generous pinch of sea salt until completely combined, then gradually add up to 250ml ice-cold water to make a soft dough. This can be done in a food processor if you prefer. Knead the thyme leaves into the pastry, then cover and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hr. Can be made up to two days ahead and kept chilled, or frozen for up to a month.
- Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and put a baking tray in the oven. Heavily butter a 26-28cm pie dish and dust well with flour. Cut off a third of the pastry and set aside. Roll out the remaining pastry to a thick round that will easily line the pie dish with an overhang, then line the tin. Tip in the beef mixture. You want the filling to be slightly higher than the rim of the dish. Brush the edges with egg yolk. Roll out the remaining pastry to a thick round, big enough to cover the pie, then lift onto the pie dish. Trim the edges, crimp together, then re-roll the trimmings and cut into decorative shapes, such as leaves. Brush the top with more yolk. Make a hole in the centre of the pie with a knife, and put it on the hot baking tray.
- Bake for 20 mins, remove, brush again with yolk, scatter with sea salt and bake for 20-25 mins until golden. Leave to rest for 10 mins while you heat up the extra gravy.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 939 calories, Fat 49 grams fat, SaturatedFat 22 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 80 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 7 grams sugar, Fiber 6 grams fiber, Protein 38 grams protein, Sodium 1.1 milligram of sodium
BRITISH STEAK AND ALE PIE
great stick to your ribs meal for those cold winter nights. serve with mashed potatoes, carrots, mushy peas and lashings of gravy. my own recipe enjoy.
Provided by ncardie
Categories Savory Pies
Time 50m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- fry beef until browned.
- transfer to a large pan, add onions and mushrooms, beef stock, beer and salt and pepper. simmer for 1 hour until tender and the sauce thickened.
- add beef mixture to a large oven proofed dish.
- roll out puff pastry and place on the top of the beef mixture ensuring no gaps. brush milk with a pastry brush.
- bake in a preheated medium oven for 30 to 40 minutes until risen and brown.
- serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 275.5, Fat 20, SaturatedFat 8.3, Cholesterol 27.3, Sodium 462.9, Carbohydrate 9.8, Fiber 1.2, Sugar 2.7, Protein 6.4
STEAK AND ALE PIE WITH MUSHROOMS
Beef and mushrooms simmer in a rich ale sauce before going into a hearty, flavorful pie guaranteed to warm you up on cold winter evenings.
Provided by Mrs. L
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Beef Steaks
Time 1h25m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Place the beef stew meat, onion, and ale in a large saucepan. Simmer over low heat until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Season the beef with garlic, thyme, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Mix in the potatoes and mushrooms. Cover and simmer over medium heat until potatoes are just tender enough to pierce with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk a small amount of the sauce together with the flour in a small bowl, and stir into the beef. Simmer until slightly thickened.
- Fit one pie crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate. Spoon the hot beef mixture into the crust and top with the remaining pie crust. Cut slits in the top crust to vent steam and crimp the edges to seal them together.
- Bake in preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and gravy is bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 473.4 calories, Carbohydrate 32.4 g, Cholesterol 47.5 mg, Fat 28.7 g, Fiber 2.9 g, Protein 17.5 g, SaturatedFat 9.3 g, Sodium 319.5 mg, Sugar 3 g
Tips:
- For a richer flavor, use dark ale or stout instead of regular ale.
- Brown the meat in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan and steaming the meat.
- Use a variety of vegetables in your pie, such as carrots, celery, onions, and mushrooms.
- Season the meat and vegetables well with salt and pepper.
- Use a good quality puff pastry or shortcrust pastry for the top of the pie.
- Brush the pastry with milk or egg wash before baking to give it a golden brown color.
- Serve the pie with mashed potatoes, peas, or gravy.
Conclusion:
British steak and ale pie is a hearty and flavorful dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is also a relatively easy dish to make, and it can be tailored to your own taste preferences. Whether you like your pie with a lot of vegetables or a lot of meat, or whether you prefer a thick or thin gravy, this recipe can be adjusted to suit your needs. So next time you are looking for a comforting and delicious meal, give British steak and ale pie a try.
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