4 Steak n Ale Pies
How to make 4 delicious, Steak n Ale Pies, easy step by step instructions, from start to finish.
Ingredients
Method
- The Filling ingredients:
- 500g / 18oz Lean stewing beef (diced small)
- 300mls Beef stock
- 250g Ale / Beer
- 1 medium size Onion, (diced small)
- 1tbls Tomato puree
- 1 or 2 Bay leaves
- 30g / 2tbls Olive oil (split into 2 parts)
- 2g / ½tsp Salt
- ¼tsp Black pepper
- 1tbls Corn flour in 20mls cold water
- The hot water crust pastry:
- 500g / 18oz Plain or all-purpose flour
- 215g / 215mls Water
- 115g / 4oz Butter
- 125 / 4½ oz Lard or solid vegetable fat
- 8g / 1tsp Salt
- 1 Large Egg (Egg-wash)
- Making the hot water crust pastry:
- Mix the salt and flour together
- Place the water on a low heat, add the butter and lard to the pan, bring to a simmer.
- Soon as the fats have melted, pour the hot liquid onto the flour in the bowl, and bring it all together.
- Tip the contents of the bowl out onto a non-floured surface.
- Gently knead the dough until it all comes together.
- Cut the pastry onto 3 equal pieces.
- Cover in plastic wrap or food bags, and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour before using.
- Making the Pie Filling:
- Add half of the olive oil to a frying pan or wok, on a medium heat.
- Add your diced beef pieces, stir-fry until they start to colour.
- To a medium size pan, add the other half of the oil and heat up.
- Add the chopped onions to the hot oil and fry until soft.
- Now add the meat to the pan and stir it in.
- Now you can add the beef stock and beer to the pan.
- Bring it to a steady boil.
- Once boiling, turn the heat down low and simmer for 1hour, or until the meat is tender.
- To thicken the filling, add the corn flour and water, and mix until thick.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and allow it to completely cool, best made the day before and kept in the fridge overnight.
- Grease four 12.5 cm / 5in non-stick individual pie tins.
- Roll out your pastry to approx, 3mm / 1/8in, thick, and cut out 4, 16.5cm / 6½in circles for the bases, and 4, 12.5cm / 5n circles for the lids of the pies.
- Place the pastry bases in the pie tins, using a small piece of waste pastry, gently press the pastry right down into the corners, make sure to leave some pastry sticking over the rim of the pie tin.
- Add the now cold steak n ale filling to each of the pastry cases, level with the top of the pie tin, the filling does expand some in the oven, so do not over fill.
- At this point, preheat your oven to, 170°C / 340°F / Gas mark 3.
- Brush egg wash all around the edge of the pastry in the tin, and some around the edge of the pie lid.
- Place the lids on the top of the pie bases, and gently press it down, using your thumb and forefingers crimp the 2 pastries together, try not to get egg wash between the pastry, and the tin, as this will stick when baking.
- Trim any excess pastry around the edge of the tins with a small dull knife, tidy up the crimping.
- Place all 4 pies on a baking tray.
- Cut 2 or 3 vent slits in the top of each pie.
- Give each pie a good coat of the egg wash.
- Place the tray on the lowest part of the preheated oven, and use the bottom element in your oven if you have one, if you don’t have separate elements in your oven, bake these in the middle of the oven.
- Now set your timer for 50 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and place the 4 tins on a wire rack, allow them to settle and cool for 10 minutes.
- While they are still hot, carefully remove each pie from their tin.
- Serve piping hot with mashed potatoes or chips/fries, sweet peas.
- Enjoy.
Equipment & products used in my kitchen and videos
