The Steak and Ale pie is a steak pie, popular in British pubs, that uses one of the varieties of Ale added to the stewed meat with onions.
A steak pie is a traditional meat pie served in Britain.
It is made with stewed beef enclosed in a pastry shell (similar to puff pastry).
Sometimes mixed vegetables are included in the filling.
The dish is often served with “chunky chips” : thickly cut potatoes, fried sometimes in beef fat, and peas.
Throughout the United Kingdom, steak pies are a traditional hot food eaten during football matches before kick-off or during halftime.
At the British Pie Awards, there is also a prize awarded for the best football pie.
This is the one we tasted during our trip to Cornwall in December 2024.
Among meat-based pies also:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 3 Hours
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Slow cooking, Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: English
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 3.3 lbs beef
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
- to taste thyme
- to taste rosemary
- 11 oz Ale (top-fermented beer)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 14.1 oz puff pastry
- 1 egg
- to taste salt and pepper
Steps
Cut the meat into bite-sized cubes, then pat dry with paper towels and season generously with salt.
Sear the meat in a large, deep pan in batches until golden on all sides. Remove the meat from the pan, then brown the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and herbs for 5 minutes or until they start to soften.
Return the meat to the pan along with any remaining juices, then pour in the beer and beef broth.
Season with salt and pepper, then cover with a lid and reduce the heat. Let simmer for 2-3 hours over low heat (or place in an oven if using a dutch oven at 300°F static, for about 2 and a half hours) and cook until the meat is tender enough to fall apart.
Check the stew halfway through cooking and add more liquid if necessary.
Once the pie filling is cooked, transfer it to a pie dish and then cover it with puff pastry.
Fold the edges over, then brush with beaten egg and make a few slits in the center to act as vents.
Place in the oven at 320°F and cook for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden and puffed.
Remove from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, and then serve.
For making the “pastry”:
To make the pastry by hand: add 375 g flour, salt, and 226 g butter in a large bowl. Using your fingertips (or a pastry cutter), rub the butter and flour together until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Add 118 ml water and mix using a fork until it starts to come together and holds when pressed in the hand.
You may not need all the water.
Remove and form a ball on a floured board.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is ale?
Ale is the term used for top-fermented beers, which use yeasts of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, preferring high temperatures and during the process (which is therefore quite rapid) rise to the surface of the fermentation vat (hence the name “top” fermentation); conversely, lager refers to bottom-fermented beers.
Throughout the United Kingdom, Steak and ale pie can also be found ready-made in the frozen section of supermarkets.
