British Open Top Steak Ale And Stilton Pub Style Pies Recipes

BRITISH STEAK AND ALE PIE

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.

BRITISH OPEN TOP STEAK, ALE AND STILTON PUB STYLE PIES

Steps:

• Peel and chop the onions. Cut up the braising steak into small cubes.
• Heat some oil in a large and deep saucepan. Add the onions and sauté gently for about five minutes until soft.
• Add the meat and cook to seal.
• Add the flour and stir in to meat juices.
• Continue to cook to cook out the flour, adding the beer gradually to prevent sticking to the pan until all the beer has been added.
• Add beef stock cubes, salt and pepper to taste and stir until dissolved.
• Add water to thin down the gravy. The amount will vary according to how much juice has come out of the meat so add gradually until the right consistency is achieved.
• Add the English mustard and mix well.
• Once boiling reduce the heat, cover and simmer very gently for at least two hours.
• Allow to cool slightly.
• Pre-heat oven to 210C/425°F.
• Roll out the ready made shortcrust pastry and line 4 individual pie moulds with it - I used a Yorkshire pudding tin - the diameter of the moulds in the tin was 5" - or use individual aluminium pie containers.
• Line each pastry round with greaseproof paper and bake blind for about 5 - 10 minutes; using baking beans or heavy beans to keep the pastry flat.
• Remove the greaseproof paper and beans; divide the steak in ale mixture between the 4 pies.
• Mix the Stilton cheese into the ready-made and well seasoned mashed potato and pile on top of the steak and pastry bases.
• Place a knob of butter on top of each mashed potato topping and bake in the oven for about 10 - 15 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and the potato and Stilton cheese topping is golden brown & bubbling.
• Serve with extra ale gravy if desired and seasonal vegetables - OR allow to cool, wrap and take on a picnic!
• You can prepare and part cook your Steak and Ale Pie on the one day and then complete the cooking on the following day which will allow the flavours to come out even more.
• Suggested Ales: Theakson's Old Peculiar; Old Speckled Hen; Hobgoblin Strong Dark Ale; Hooky Dark.

NEXT LEVEL STEAK & ALE PIE

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.