Meat Pudding Recipes

STEAK AND KIDNEY PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170ºC/350ºF/Gas 3.
• Rinse the kidneys and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut the kidneys, in half, snip out the white cores and cut the kidneys into roughly 1.5cm/¾in pieces.
• Place the cubes of steak into a large, strong plastic bag and the kidney pieces into another bag. Divide the flour between the two bags, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Tie the ends of the bags and shake until the steak and kidneys are thoroughly coated in the seasoned flour.
• Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the steak, in batches, over a medium heat, adding extra oil as needed, until the steak is well-browned all over. Remove the steak from the frying pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a flameproof casserole.
• Return the frying pan to the heat and repeat the process with the kidneys, frying on both sides until well-browned. Remove the kidneys from the frying pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to the casserole.
• Return the frying pan to the heat, add the remaining oil, then add the onion. Cook the onion over a low heat, stirring often, for five minutes, or until softened. Stir the cooked onion into the casserole with the beef and kidneys.
• Deglaze the frying pan with the wine, bringing it to the boil while stirring to lift all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture immediately over the beef, kidneys and onion.
• Strip the thyme leaves from the stalks and add them to the casserole. Stir in the bay leaf, beef stock and tomato purée.
• Bring the beef mixture to the boil. Remove three ladlefuls of the sauce for gravy and set aside in a small pan to cool. When cooled, set it aside in the fridge for use as gravy.
• Cover the casserole and transfer to the oven to cook for 1½-2 hours, or until the beef is tender (stir the mixture halfway through cooking).
• Return the casserole to the hob and simmer the mixture for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. When the sauce is thick enough, remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, for the suet pastry, put the flour, suet and salt into a large bowl and mix until well combined.
• Stir in enough water to make a soft dough - you'll probably need around 300ml/10½fl oz of water. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and bring it together to form a ball. Knead the dough lightly, then remove a generous quarter of the dough to make a lid for the pudding and set aside. Roll out the remaining pastry into a rough 5cm/10in circle (the size of an average dinner plate). It should be about 1cm/¼in thick.
• Butter a 1.5 litre/2 pint 12¾fl oz pudding basin and line it with the pastry. The pastry should reach 1cm/¼in above the top of the dish. Press the pastry against the sides of the basin and trim neatly.
• Spoon the steak and kidney mixture into the pastry-lined pudding basin. Brush the rim of the pastry with water. Roll the remaining pastry into a circle just large enough to sit on top of the pudding dish and place it over the filling. Trim into place and press the edges together well to seal.
• Cover the dish with a large circle of baking parchment, with a pleat in the middle to allow for expansion. Cover the parchment with a circle of aluminium foil, again with a pleat. Secure both covers tightly with string. Create a carrying handle by tying the excess string across the top of the basin - this will help you lift the pudding out of the pan after it's cooked.
• Place the pudding onto an upturned saucer or small trivet in a large, deep saucepan and add enough just-boiled water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and place on the hob over a medium heat. Steam the pudding in simmering water for 2½ hours, adding more water as necessary.
• When the pudding is cooked through, turn off the heat and carefully lift the basin from the water. Let the pudding stand for five minutes.
• Heat the reserved gravy on the hob, stirring, until the gravy is bubbling and heated through. Strain through a small sieve into a warmed jug.
• Cut the string, foil and paper off the pudding basin. Run a blunt-ended knife around the inside of the pudding basin to loosen the sides of the pudding and invert it onto a deep plate. Serve in generous wedges with hot gravy.

TRADITIONAL STEAK AND KIDNEY PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Heat a large casserole dish on the stove, add the drippings and heat until slightly smoking. Add the beef cubes and the kidney, stir well until all the meat is browned. Add the onion , carrots, and stir again.
• Sprinkle the flour over the meat and vegetables and stir thoroughly.
• Add the stock, red wine, bay leaf , parsley, and tomato puree. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Place in the hot oven and cook for 1 hour.
• Remove the casserole from the oven, season with salt and pepper to taste, and leave it to cool.
• Make the pastry. Place the flour, baking powder , and salt into a baking bowl. Add the suet and rub into the flour. Add enough cold water to form a stiff, slightly sticky dough. Leave it to rest for 30 minutes.
• Grease a 2-pint pudding basin with the butter. Divide the pastry into 2/3 and 1/3 parts and roll the larger piece of dough into a circle large enough to line the basin with an extra 1/2" border. Dust your hands with a little flour then carefully line the basin with the dough.
• Add the meat mixture and roll the remaining dough into a circle large enough to make a lid. Wet the overhanging lip of the basin with cold water, lay the lid on top and press firmly around the edge to seal.
• Cover the basin with two circles of greaseproof paper secured with kitchen string.
• Steam over rapidly boiling water for 2 hours. Check frequently to make sure water has not boiled dry. Top up with boiling water as needed.
• Remove the pudding from the steamer, remove the greaseproof paper, and serve.

THE BRITISH BULLDOG! TRADITIONAL LAYERED BEEF STEAK SUET PUDDING

Steps:

• (Cook the meat 2 hours prior to steaming the assembled pudding.).
• Filling: Dip meat in seasoned flour and fry lightly. Add onions and fry until golden. Place in casserole with stock, tomato puree and herbs and cook for 2 hours. Cool.
• Pastry: Put flour, suet and seasoning in a bowl. Add sufficient water to form a firm but soft dough.
• Pudding: Roll out the suet pastry and using assorted sizes of saucers, cut out rounds to fit the pudding bowl diameter, starting off small and getting bigger!
• In a well buttered pudding basin, start with a small round of suet pastry and then add some stewed beef, then a layer of suet pastry and then the beef -- carry on in this way until all the pastry and beef is used up - the last layer should be suet pastry. Cover with buttered greasproof paper and then aluminium foil.
• Steam for 2 hours, making sure there is always plenty of water. (Always top up the steamer with BOILING water - adding cold water will make the pudding heavy.).
• Serve with fresh seasonal greens and vegetables and mashed or steamed potatoes.

BEST YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 230C/fan 210C/gas 8.
• Drizzle a little sunflower oil evenly into two 4-hole Yorkshire pudding tins or two 12-hole non-stick muffin tins and place in the oven to heat through.
• To make the batter, tip 140g plain flour into a bowl and beat in 4 eggs until smooth.
• Gradually add 200ml milk and carry on beating until the mix is completely lump-free. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the batter into a jug, then remove the hot tins from the oven. Carefully and evenly pour the batter into the holes.
• Place the tins back in the oven and leave undisturbed for 20-25 mins until the puddings have puffed up and browned.
• Serve immediately. You can now cool them and freeze for up to 1 month.

OLD ENGLAND TRADITIONAL ROAST BEEF AND YORKSHIRE PUDDING

Steps:

• Combined method for cooking the Roast Beef and the Yorkshire Pudding:.
• Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
• Put the joint of beef into a shallow baking tray or tin.
• Season the meat to taste with a little salt and black pepper, and English mustard powder if using.
• Melt half of the beef dripping and pour over the meat and seasoning.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes and then reduce the heat to 190C/375F/Gas 5 for a further 1 1/2 hours. This will give you rare roast beef in the middle.
• When cooked, put the meat in a warm place to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving and serving, and then turn up the heat to 240C,475F or gas mark 9.
• Pour the remainder of the beef dripping into a cake baking tray (The type of baking tray used to make small cakes / muffins). Put the tray, with a little bit of dripping in each of the depressions in the tray, into the oven for 3 minutes or until you see the dripping smoke.
• Remove from the oven and pour 2 tablespoons of the Yorkshire Pudding batter (see below for batter recipe) into each cake depression and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until well puffed up and golden brown. DO NOT Open the door for the first 10 minutes!
• Meanwhile carve and portion the beef on to hot plates, and make a gravy using the juices left in the roasting. As soon as the Yorkshire pudding is ready, serve, with mustard and horseradish sauce, roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
• To make the Yorkshire Pudding Mixture (Batter):.
• Sift the flour into a large bowl.
• and add the beaten eggs into the centre of the heap of flour.
• Mix the water and the milk together in a jug. Pour the mixture slowly onto the flour and egg. As you start to pour the water/milk slowly beat the mixture together with a whisk. Add the salt and continue to beat. The puddings will be lighter if the batter includes a little air.
• Once all the ingredients have been beaten together leave to stand, covered by a cloth, for 40 minutes or so.
• Now you are at 'step 8' in the main cooking method. Your oven should be very hot and your tray for the puddings very hot.
• Tip: The bigger the joint, the better the meat, and it should always be cooked on the bone. The meat should have a good covering of fat, be dark red in colour (which shows it has been hung properly), and have a good marbling of fat throughout.
• Sprinkling some English mustard powder over the top of the meat gives a great crust and a fabulous taste.