Beef Ale And Stilton Pie Recipes

BEEF, GUINNESS AND STILTON PIE

Steps:

• Put the seasoned flour in a large bowl or bag. Add the beef and coat it well. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan and cook the beef in 2 batches for 3-4 minutes until browned all over.
• Transfer it to a casserole dish. Preheat the oven to or 160°C (150 fan) Add the onion and garlic and another tablespoon of the oil to the pan and cook them for 5 minutes until softened.
• Pour in the Guinness and stock. Bring to the boil and add the sugar, salt, Worcestershire sauce, dried herbs and bay leaf. Stir well and then pour over the meat.
• Cover and cook in the oven for two hours. Add the button mushrooms for the last 30 minutes of cooking. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180 fan) Roll out the pastry on a lightly-floured surface to at least 5cm (2in) larger than the top of a pudding or pie dish. Cut out a circle, and then score it. Spoon the meat mixture into the bowl and add pieces of Stilton. Wet around the top of the dish, place a collar of pastry around, made from trimmings, and then put on the lid. Seal the edges well; tuck the excess pastry under the rim.
• Glaze with beaten egg. Place on a baking sheet, below the centre of the oven, and bake for 45-50 minutes, until the pastry is golden.

BEEF ALE AND STILTON PIE

Steps:

• Put the porter ale, beef, garlic, thyme and peppercorns into a bowl.
• Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.
• Remove the beef from the marinade, pat dry with kitchen paper and dredge in the seasoned flour.
• Strain the marinade through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and set aside.
• *Note: you only want the liquid so throw away all the other bits (peppercorns and thyme etc).
• Heat the oil and one tablespoon of the butter in a flameproof casserole and fry the beef in small batches for 2-3 minutes each time, or until browned all over.
• Once the meat is browned, remove from the casserole dish and set aside.
• Return the casserole dish to the heat and fry the mushrooms and onions for about 5 minutes, or until softened.
• Add the tomato puree, and cook for a minute before adding the Worcestershire sauce and redcurrant jelly.
• Now return the beef and the reserved marinating liquid to the casserole and add the beef stock.
• Cover with a lid and gently simmer for about 2½ hours, or until the beef is nice and tender.
• When the beef is lovely and tender, strain off half of the cooking liquid from the casserole dish and set aside to make the gravy for serving.
• Remove from the heat and crumble the Stilton into the casserole and stir until nicely melted.
• Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside to cool right down.
• While that's happening you can preheat your oven and get the pastry at the ready!
• Roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of about 3 quarters of an inch and cut large enough to cover your pie dish.
• My dish was about 10 inches by 7 inches.
• Line the edge of your pie dish with a strip of pastry like in the picture.
• I'm not good with pastry but whatever it tastes okay and that's all that matters, isn't it?!
• Brush the edges of the pastry with some of the beaten egg and lay over the pie dish.
• Crimp the pastry all around the edge to seal, then trim off any excess pastry.
• Make a small hole in the middle of the pie top so that the steam can escape whilst cooking. Brush all over some of the beaten egg.
• Put the pie into the oven to bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is piping hot.
• Put the reserved cooking liquid into a small saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to a gravy consistency.
• Stir in a knob of butter until melted, and the sauce is smooth and glossy.
• Keep it warm until needed.
• When the pie is cooked serve with mashed potato and the gravy.

BEEF AND STILTON PIE

Steps:

• Use the pastry to line a medium sized oven proof pie dish.
• For the pie filling, place the beef, garlic, thyme, peppercorns and ale into a bowl. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours, but preferably overnight.
• Remove the beef from the marinade, pat dry with kitchen paper and dredge in the seasoned flour. Strain the marinade through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and set aside.
• Heat the oil and 1 tbsp of the butter in a flameproof casserole dish and fry the beef in small batches for 2-3 minutes each time, or until browned all over. Once the meat is browned, remove from the casserole dish and set aside.
• Return the casserole dish to the heat and fry the mushrooms and shallots for 4-5 minutes, or until softened.
• Return the beef and the reserved marinating liquid to the casserole and add the beef stock. Cover with a lid and gently simmer for 1½ hours, or until the beef is tender.
• Strain off half of the cooking liquid from the casserole dish and set aside to make gravy for serving.
• Crumble the Stilton into the casserole and stir until melted. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Put the pie filling into the pie shell and top with a layer of pastry. -Remember to cut slits in the top and crimp the edges together, then glaze with beaten egg.
• Cook for approx 40 mins until pastry is golden.
• Place the reserved cooking liquid into a clean pan and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until reduced to a gravy consistency. Stir in the remaining tbsp of butter until melted, and the sauce is smooth and glossy. Keep warm.
• Serve the pie with the gravy and veg (celeriac mash goes well).

BEEF & BEER PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Using a flameproof casserole dish with a lid, soften onion and celery in the butter. Stir in the flour until it has disappeared, then stir in the beef and Worcestershire sauce. Crumble in stock cubes and add thyme. Pour over ale, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook in the oven for 2½ hrs. Remove lid and cook for another 30 mins - this should thicken the sauce nicely.
• Increase oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. For the pastry, whizz the flour, suet and 1 tsp salt in a food processor until there are no suet lumps. Keeping the motor running, dribble in 1 tbsp water at a time until the pastry starts to come together, then tip onto a lightly floured surface and bring together with your hands.
• Roll out half the pastry and use to line a 20-22cm pie dish. Using a slotted spoon, spoon in all of the meat, then pour over some of the sauce until the meat is just coated. Put the rest of the sauce into a saucepan. Roll out the remaining pastry to cover the pie. Trim the edge with a small, sharp knife, then crimp or fork the edges to seal. Make a small heart from cuttings. Brush top of the pie and heart with beaten egg, then dip heart into poppy seeds and stick to top. Bake for 30-40 mins until golden brown and crisp. Reheat sauce and serve with the pie along with some mash and greens.

STEAK & BLUE CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• First, make the pastry. Put the flour, mustard powder, ½ tsp salt, the lard and butter in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add 1 egg and pulse again. Add 1 tbsp cold water, if needed, until it forms a short pastry. Knead quickly into a ball, then wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 mins. Can be made three days ahead or frozen for two months.
• Season the steak generously and toss with the flour and mustard powder. Heat half the oil in a large pan. Brown the meat in a few batches, adding more oil as you need to and making sure you don't overcrowd the pan. Turn the meat only when the underside has a nice dark crust. Transfer the chunks to a plate as you go.
• Add the bacon to the pan and fry until beginning to crisp. Tip in the carrots, onions and bay leaves and cook for another few mins until the veg is soft. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and tomato purée for 1 min, scraping the tasty bits from the bottom of the pan, then add the stock, thyme and browned beef. Season, cover the pan and simmer gently for 2½ hrs, stirring now and again to prevent the sauce from sticking, until the beef is tender. Remove the lid for the last 30 mins to thicken the sauce. Alternatively, braise in the oven at 160C/140C fan/gas 3 for the same amount of time. Leave to cool. Can be chilled for up to three days, or frozen for two months.
• Transfer the beef to a pie dish and crumble the cheese over the top. Place the marrowbone in the centre, nestling it into the meat. Alternatively, use a pie funnel or piping nozzle. Roll out the pastry on a floured worktop until large enough to cover the pie and about ½cm thick. Brush the remaining beaten egg over the edges of the pie dish, drape the pastry over, trim the excess and pinch around the edge to seal. Cut a hole for the marrowbone or pie funnel to poke through, and brush the top all over with beaten egg. Use the pastry trimmings to decorate the pie however you like. Chill for about 30 mins while you heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• If you have any beaten egg left, give the pie a final brush for extra glossiness. Bake for 45-50 mins until the pastry is deep golden.

BRITISH BEEF AND ALE PIE

Steps:

• Mix flour and seasoning in a shallow bowl.
• Coat beef on all sides (if roast is large, cut in 2 or 3 pieces so it fits in crock pot). Toss out remaining flour mixture.
• Brown the beef on all sides, remove.
• Rough chop onions and garlic and add to the pan, heating until soft.
• Place beef, carrots, onions/garlic, ale and beef stock in crock pot and cook on high for 6-8 hours until it falls apart easily.
• Remove beef and vegetables from crock pot, reserving liquids. Pull beef into shreds, removing any fat or undesirable pieces.
• Melt butter in a large saute pan, and cook the mushrooms.
• Remove 3 cups of liquid from the crock pot and wisk in 1/4 cup flour until smooth. Add to saute pan and cook until sauce thickens. Add beefy mushroom soup. Add beef and vegetables. Maintain on low to keep warm.
• Prepare puff pastry as directed on the package, baking until risen and golden.
• Spoon beef mixture in individuals crocks/bowls and top with a single serving of puff pastry.