Steak Pie

Serving: 15

This is a great Sunday lunch dish, easy to make and most of it can be made in advance. It is an everyday dish in Scotland but is always served at Hogmanay. Hogmanay just wouldn’t be the same without steak pie, my family traditions state that you eat steak pie just before midnight I remember racing home from a busy New Year’s eve night in the restaurant so that I could make it in enough time to sit down and have the traditional feast, most years I was late. Fast forward a few years and I teamed up with the biggest pie makers in Scotland, Bells and collaborated with them on their Hogmanay pies as a result my ugly mug adorns thousands of pies every New Year. 

Ingredients

6Ib                                  Stewing steak, cut into cubes

3oz                                  Seasoned flour

1 tbsp                             Oil

6                                     Onions, chopped

3 tbsp                              Parsley, chopped

3 tbsp                             Thyme, chopped

4 cups                              Beef stock, a quality cube will work for this.

1 ½ Ib                              Puff pastry, readymade

1                                      Egg, beaten

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Dust the cubed steak with the seasoned flour.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan and fry the meat, remembering not to shake the pan or to stir the meat until it has browned on that side, browning the meat is very important as this is when you will create lots of flavor.
3. Once the meat has browned on all sides. You will have to do this in batches.
4. Add the chopped onions, herbs, salt and freshly ground black pepper and the stock and bring to the boil.
5. Next pre heat your oven to 300˚F.
6. Pop a lid on your pan and place into the oven until the meat is tender this should take between 1 to 1 ½ hours.
7. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature of your oven to 375˚F.
8. Transfer the filling mixture into ovenproof dishes.
9. Cut a piece of pastry and roll it out to fit across the top of the dishes.
10. Whilst the pastry is still in the table brush with egg yolk, then with the back of a butter knife make a pattern. 
11. Next carefully lay the pastry over the dishes and press the edges together to seal.
12. Make a small hole in the center of the pastry to allow the steam to escape.
13. Transfer to the oven and cook until the pastry is golden and crisp.

Notes

The beef filling can be made in advance.

You can add lots of things to the beef mixture like chopped vegetables or even add things like good quality sausages.

The beef mixture will keep for 72 hours in the fridge, or can be frozen in a Ziploc bag. (Defrost overnight in the fridge)