Pie is a funny meal for me. I would never order it out at a restaurant, however, put a homemade one in front of me and it will be hoovered up! It’s one of those meals that completely takes you back to being a child or just reminds you of those home comforts. And I’m sure we’ve all had a debate with someone over the best filling, the best pastry and the best side dish to have with it! For me though, my favourite pie in the world is a homemade steak and kidney pie with a puff pastry casing. It is the ultimate winter meal for me and I LOVE it. I also think I can make a pretty good one, not wanting to blow my own trumpet of course.
The trick to a good steak pie (whether that’s steak and ale or steak and mushroom) is to cook it low and slow. I cook mine on the hob but it is over the course of at least 4 hours. You can’t overcook the beef, but you can undercook it. Undercook it, and you have pretty much got an inedible pie. It makes my teeth hurt thinking about how tough the meat would be. No, thank you. I also think instinct plays a huge part in making a good pie filling. There may be some ingredients you see on a recipe and think ‘why on earth would I use that’ or equally ‘why haven’t they used that’. I love creating recipes and meals from scratch, but I am human – I also use recipes from time to time. But I rarely stick to them 100%.
But I do love my steak and kidney pie so I thought it would be good to share the recipe on here, just in case someone fancied giving it a go. I know kidney isn’t for everyone but you can always substitute it for mushrooms, or leave it out completely. You would just need to adjust the beef quantity accordingly.
Prep time: 25 – 30 minutes
Cooking time: at least 4 hours
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
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600g stewing steak (I always just get the cheap diced beef!)
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300g kidney
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100g smoked bacon lardons
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2 medium brown onions, diced
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2 cloves of crushed garlic
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2 large carrots, diced
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120g chestnut mushrooms, diced
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2 sticks of celery, diced
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300ml red wine
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600ml rich beef stock
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1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
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1 tsp hot English mustard
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1 tsp horseradish sauce
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1 tbsp marmite
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1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
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Salt and pepper to taste
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Few sprigs of fresh thyme
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Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
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1 tbsp tomato puree
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1 tbsp dried mixed herbs.
Method:
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Firstly, coat your beef and kidney in seasoned plain flour. Heat some oil in a large casserole dish and brown off the meat in small batches. This step is absolutely vital. It means you have added more flavour and texture to your dish! Once you have done this, set to one side.
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Next, you will need to de-glaze the bottom of your casserole dish to get rid of any excess flour. Pour in about 1 tbsp red wine and it should clear. Add some more oil and add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the dish. Make sure your dish is cooking over a medium heat as you want to gently saute the vegetables rather than fry them. Cook these for around 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
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Now you will need to add the mushrooms, bacon lardons, the fresh and dried herbs, the tomato puree and the meat you browned off at the beginning. Stir thoroughly and leave to cook for roughly 5 minutes.
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Next, add in the condiments and gradually pour in the wine. You need to cook off the wine so the end mix isn’t too acidic. This will take between 5-10 minutes.
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Before adding the stock, season with salt and pepper, but be mindful of the salt content as you have already used bacon lardons.
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Pour in the beef stock and stir thoroughly.
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Cook on the lowest heat possible for at least 3.5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so. If you need to, add more beef stock, but you don’t want to add too much as the gravy will become runny.
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After 3.5 hours, try a piece of the beef. If you can pull it apart with a spoon, it’s ready. If it offers some resistance, it will need a little longer to cook.
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Once you’re happy with the meat, ladle around 1/2 of the gravy out and set to one side for later. Wait for the meat to cool before transferring to a lined pie dish and add your pastry topping. I personally never bother with the stress or faff of making my own pastry. I always buy a block of ready to roll and it’s just as good! Egg wash the pastry just before cooking in the oven.
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Cook on 180 degrees for 35 minutes, or until your pastry is golden brown.
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I serve mine with a sautéed leek and mustard mash, and some veg.
Hope you enjoy! x
Gemma and Life 