Steak and Ale Pie

Ingredients

  • 900 g (2 lb) good beef stewing steak, at room temperature
  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) plain flour
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 handful fresh thyme, marjoram and chopped parsley
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) English mustard
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt
  • Cracked black pepper
  • 150 ml (5.1 US oz) beef stock
  • 125 ml (4.2 US oz) ale
  • 450 g (1 lb) puff pastry
Steak and Ale Pie

Photo: Acabashi / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Procedure

  1. Cut the beef into cubes about 2.5 cm (1 in) square.
  2. Heat oil in a saucepan and fry the onion, without letting it colour.
  3. Add beef, making sure the meat is at room temperature first, and cook until medium brown.
  4. Stir in the flour and cook until dark brown (about 1 minute)
  5. Add Worcestershire sauce, thyme, marjoram, mustard, bay leaf and seasoning.
  6. Slowly add beef stock and ale, then bring to the boil.
  7. Simmer gently until beef is almost tender, approximately 1 ½ hours.
  8. Preheat oven to 200 °C (400 °F).
  9. Remove meat from heat, skim off any fat, adjust seasoning and add fresh chopped parsley.
  10. Place in pie dish or individual dishes. Cover pie dish (or dishes) with the pastry and trim edges.
  11. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until pastry is well-risen and golden brown.