The Hairy Bikers' superb steak and ale pie recipe (2024)

FAQs

What kind of ale is best for steak and ale pie? ›

To be honest, as long as you're using a proper ale rather than an industrially-produced lager, any ale will work quite well. You're best bet is to pick something dark and sweet, but not a very heavy stout, which can add a bitter flavour – a porter fits nicely.

Tip the onion into the pan and fry for a few minutes. Add the flour, stir and cook for a minute, then slowly stir in the ale. Return the meat to the pan, season and add the mushrooms. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and transfer to the floor of the Simmering Oven for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender.

Beef in ale is bitter if you take it out too early. Try cooking it a bit longer. Definitely add sugar, it needs something sweet to counteract the bitterness. Redcurrant jelly is lovely in stews.

Cabernet Sauvignon for your steak or mushroom pie

There are a number you might like to choose from. How about a fresh and fruity Cabernet Sauvignon? Velvety and smooth, a Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon is more than a match for steak and its fruitiness is a great match for a beer-tinged gravy.

A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom. (Using metal is crucial: Glass or ceramic pans don't transfer heat as efficiently, so they can be accomplices to a sad, soggy bottom.)

Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency.

Flour as Pie Filling Thickener

Teaspoon for teaspoon, you will need to use about twice as much flour as you would cornstarch or tapioca to achieve the same thickening effects. Adding too much flour to your pie filling will turn it cloudy and pasty, with a distinctly floury taste.

Cooking Method: Overcooking can cause the steak to lose its moisture, making it dry and chewy. Conversely, undercooking can make certain cuts feel tough. Aging Process: Steaks that are not properly aged can be less tender. At Heartstone Farm, our grass-fed beef is aged 14 days for optimal tenderness.

Miller (2001) reported that higher levels of myoglobin, higher degree of doneness and higher amount of lipid oxidation enhanced metallic and liver-like off-flavors in beef cuts.

What country invented steak pie? ›

If you want to make a puff pastry base for your pie

As you warm up your oven, put a baking tray in to heat up. Then when you put your pie in the oven, sit the dish on top of the hot baking tray. I find that this really helps to cook the base of the Steak Pie and stop a soggy bottom.

This steak and ale pie recipe uses stewing steak – infused with herbs, cooked with veggies and a generous amount of ale for an hour. This creates a tender, rich pie filling. In this recipe, the Hairy Bikers opt for shop-bought pastry which is a much quicker option than homemade.

For cooking, use brown ales for pork, beef, stews and chilis. They also work well in batters and in baking. Porter: Another type of ale, porters are medium-bodied with a cocoa-like sweetness. They're also medium hoppy, so less bitter than a pale ale and less sweet than a brown ale.

An ale with a full, malty flavour works best – our favourite types to use are either ruby ales or porters. What is this? They have an outstanding full flavour and add an element of sweetness to the dish. If you're after a suggestion, then Adnams Broadside is an awesome beer to try.

Amber and brown ales tend to be less bitter than the alternatives and feature a nutty flavor. Because of this, these beers are often recommended for caramels, cookies, and pies. Light-colored beers have their place in baking, too. Lagers and Witbiers are used in lighter cakes and cookies.