Old Fashioned Beefsteak Pudding Recipes

THE BRITISH BULLDOG! TRADITIONAL LAYERED BEEF STEAK SUET PUDDING

Steps:

• (Cook the meat 2 hours prior to steaming the assembled pudding.).
• Filling: Dip meat in seasoned flour and fry lightly. Add onions and fry until golden. Place in casserole with stock, tomato puree and herbs and cook for 2 hours. Cool.
• Pastry: Put flour, suet and seasoning in a bowl. Add sufficient water to form a firm but soft dough.
• Pudding: Roll out the suet pastry and using assorted sizes of saucers, cut out rounds to fit the pudding bowl diameter, starting off small and getting bigger!
• In a well buttered pudding basin, start with a small round of suet pastry and then add some stewed beef, then a layer of suet pastry and then the beef -- carry on in this way until all the pastry and beef is used up - the last layer should be suet pastry. Cover with buttered greasproof paper and then aluminium foil.
• Steam for 2 hours, making sure there is always plenty of water. (Always top up the steamer with BOILING water - adding cold water will make the pudding heavy.).
• Serve with fresh seasonal greens and vegetables and mashed or steamed potatoes.

TRADITIONAL STEAK AND KIDNEY PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Heat a large casserole dish on the stove, add the drippings and heat until slightly smoking. Add the beef cubes and the kidney, stir well until all the meat is browned. Add the onion , carrots, and stir again.
• Sprinkle the flour over the meat and vegetables and stir thoroughly.
• Add the stock, red wine, bay leaf , parsley, and tomato puree. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Place in the hot oven and cook for 1 hour.
• Remove the casserole from the oven, season with salt and pepper to taste, and leave it to cool.
• Make the pastry. Place the flour, baking powder , and salt into a baking bowl. Add the suet and rub into the flour. Add enough cold water to form a stiff, slightly sticky dough. Leave it to rest for 30 minutes.
• Grease a 2-pint pudding basin with the butter. Divide the pastry into 2/3 and 1/3 parts and roll the larger piece of dough into a circle large enough to line the basin with an extra 1/2" border. Dust your hands with a little flour then carefully line the basin with the dough.
• Add the meat mixture and roll the remaining dough into a circle large enough to make a lid. Wet the overhanging lip of the basin with cold water, lay the lid on top and press firmly around the edge to seal.
• Cover the basin with two circles of greaseproof paper secured with kitchen string.
• Steam over rapidly boiling water for 2 hours. Check frequently to make sure water has not boiled dry. Top up with boiling water as needed.
• Remove the pudding from the steamer, remove the greaseproof paper, and serve.

OLD ENGLISH STEAK AND MUSHROOM PUDDING

Steps:

• To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a large bowl, and stir in butter. Add all the water and stir with a fork to form loose dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and press together without over working.
• Brush a 5-cup pudding mold with oil or butter. Roll out the dough with a dusting of flour to form a 10 inch circle. Cut out a quarter section and save for top, line the mold and set aside.
• Mix beef, mushrooms, onion, flour, and seasoning in a large bowl, transfer to the pastry-lined bowl. Add the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. Bring overlapping pastry edges towards the center; moisten with water and cover the top with the leftover pastry.
• Place a circle of wax paper on top of pastry, then cover the whole bowl with foil.
• Boil 2 inches of water in a saucepan large enough to hold the bowl and cover with the lid. After water boils, lower the mold into the pan and cover. Steam for 2-1/2 hours, making sure the water doesn't boil out--add more if needed.
• When ready to serve, unmold onto a plate and serve with steamed baby carrots and boiled red potatoes.