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Steak and ale pie
ComfortDinnerBeef

Steak and ale pie

Slow-simmered beef in rich ale gravy is finished with a golden puff-pastry lid.

Prep
25 min
Cook
175 min
Serves
4
Level
Medium
Start cook mode

Gather

Ingredients

  • 700 gbraising steak, cut into 3 cm pieces
  • 2 tbspvegetable oil
  • 200 gonions, chopped
  • 200 gcarrots, peeled and thickly sliced
  • 30 gplain flour
  • 300 mlale
  • 300 mlbeef stock
  • 1 tbsptomato purée
  • 1 tspdried thyme
  • 320 gready-rolled puff pastry
  • 1egg, beaten
  • ½ tspblack pepper

Make

Method

  1. 1.

    Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and brown the beef in batches, transferring it to a plate as it colours.

    12 minutes
  2. 2.

    Add the onions and carrots to the pan and cook for 6 minutes; stir in the flour and tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes.

    8 minutes
  3. 3.

    Gradually stir in the ale and stock, scraping up any browned bits, then return the beef and its juices and add the thyme and pepper.

    5 minutes
  4. 4.

    Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about 2 hours until the beef is tender, stirring occasionally; add a splash of water if dry, or uncover towards the end if the gravy is thin.

    120 minutes
  5. 5.

    Transfer to a pie dish about 24 cm wide and cool for 20 minutes; heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).

    20 minutes
  6. 6.

    Brush the dish rim with egg, cover with pastry and press the edges to seal; trim, cut a steam slit and brush the lid with egg.

    5 minutes
  7. 7.

    Bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp and the filling is bubbling hot.

    30 minutes