A rich and hearty steak & ale filling in a buttery, flaky pastry shell. This steak & ale pie is a classic British dish for a good reason. It’s simply delicious! This is a bit of a labour of love, and does take quite a lot of time. The results are definitely worth it though and I would highly recommend it! If you like this, try some of my other British classics such as my Lancashire hotpot.
Pies in Britain
Pies are undeniably one of the most popular foods in the whole of the UK. They exist in so many different forms all around the country, and many of these are now popular worldwide. From potato topped pies like shepherds pie, to classics such as chicken and mushroom. Some are intended to be plated and others to be handheld, such as pork pies and Cornish pasties. Steak & ale pie is just one of many options!
Pies in Britain date back to the ancient Romans, who had a tradition of stuffing meats and cheeses into flatbreads to store them for travelling. This was adapted to instead use a pastry shell. Originally intended to be discarded, the pastry casing began to be made with fats like butter and lard and became a core part of the dishes themselves.
Pies have historically been a dish for both the rich and the poor. In medieval England, kings and lords would have massive and extravogant pies made for feasts. These could sometimes even be part of the entertainment, with live birds inside to be dramatically released. Simpler pies have always been a staple food for the workers too, as they can contain entire meals and be carried by hand.
For a long time pies were largely a savoury thing. In the Elizabethan era, along with the introduction of sugar, sweet pies came about! There are now many varieties of sweet pies, and many come from the UK. Although heavily associated with the USA, apple pie is a distinctly British dish with it’s origins firmly rooted here. Read this great article from Lochinver Larder if you would like know more!
My Steak & Ale Pie Recipe
My recipe doesn’t deviate too far from the classic version. It mostly revolves around steak, onions, carrots and button mushrooms. This is then seasoned with salt, pepper and fresh rosemary, and then I like to add some mustard seeds before the vegetables to allow them to fry and pop. This gives a great earthiness and warmth.
As this is steak and ale, ale does of course feature. I prefer an amber ale for this as it is not too bitter. As a London boy, London Pride is my usual beer of choice! This forms the backbone of the gravy alongside beef stock, tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce. The result is a thick, rich and deeply savoury gravy! I wrap this all up in homemade shortcrust pastry.
I tend to reduce the beef filling down more than you normally would for a stew. The last thing you want is a pie that just spills everywhere the second you cut into it. You want to reduce the liquid by at least half. The gravy should coat the back of a spoon and you should be able to wipe a clean line through it with your finger.
My pie makes use of shortcrust pastry. This is a great option as it is buttery, flaky and delicious. This is not a hugely robust pastry, and can go quite soggy due to the filling. To avoid this, you want to par bake the bottom crust alone before the filling goes in. The top can then be put on when the filling goes in and sealed with egg wash and crimping.
Classic British Steak & Ale Pie
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat your pan over a medium high heat and add some oil.
- Sear off the steak chunks in batches, browning nicely all over. Season them with salt and pepper as you sear and set them aside.
- Put some more oil in the pan and add the mustard seeds. Fry until they start to pop.
- Julienne your onions and add them to the pot. Fry for 3 minutes or so until they start to brown and have lifted most of the fond from the pan.
- Peel and chop your carrots into 1cm chunks and add them in. Fry off for another 2 minutes or so until they are startin to soften.
- Mince or grate your garlic and finely chop the rosemary. Add it to the pot and cook until fragrant.
- Wash and quarter the mushrooms and add them in. Cook them for 4-5 minutes until they soften and brown.
- Add in the tomato puree and mix well. Once mixed, add in the flour and mix too.
- Pour in the ale and mix to combine. Cook this off until the liquid has mostly gone and it has thickened up, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Pour in the beef stock and add the Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer for an hour covered.
- Remove the lid and raise the heat to medium until it is simmering. Cook for another hour or so to reduce, stirring regularly to prevent it from burning to the pan. You want the liquid to have reduced by at least half and the remaining stew to be quite thick. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
- Heat you oven to 180°C. Roll 3/4 of your pastry out and line the tin. Line the pastry with baking paper and add in some baking beans. Add into the oven and par bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the beans, wash with the egg and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Spoon the cooled filling into the pie shell. Roll out the last of the pastry, egg wash the edges of the pie shell and lay the pastry over the top. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Cut a couple of small holes in the top of the pastry lid to create some steam vents and put it into the oven.
- Bake for around 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and leave for 10-15 minutes to cool and settle. Slice and serve!
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