Scottish Meat Pie Recipes

AUTHENTIC SCOTCH PIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Start by oiling the pie tins with a little vegetable oil, or put cling film over the end of the glasses/jars you intend to use.
• Put the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the middle.
• Cut the lard into cubes and add to a small pot of hot water, stirring until it's melted. Don't allow the water to boil.
• Pour the mixture into the flour well and mix together with a wooden spoon, until it's mostly combined. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead a little to make sure it's fully combined. As the hot water pastry cools it becomes harder to manage so you need to work reasonably quickly.
• Divide the pastry into 4 balls and then take a little from each ball to save for the pie lid. Between a quarter to a third depending on the size of the pies you're making.
• Roll out the pastry balls to about 5mm thickness one by one and put them into the pie tins, ensuring there is a flat even edge to the top of the sides of the pie. We rolled to approximately 20cm each for our 10cm tins. If you're using a jar or glass then drape the pastry over and cut around it to ensure it has a flat edge where the top of the pie casing will be.
• Roll out the lids and put them on cling film or baking paper on a tray. The lids will need to fit inside of the pie casing so you'll want to make sure they are not the exact size of the tins/cases but slightly smaller.
• Put all of the pastry in the fridge to harden.
• In the meantime, finely chop one small onion and fry in a pan. Add the mace and mixed herbs, and then put in a bowl with the minimum amount of stock/gravy.
• Once cooled add to the lamb and mix through. Add additional stock/gravy if the mixture isn't too wet. You don't want there to be too much liquid as it will leak out of the pie while cooking and make the pastry soggy.
• Divide the lamb mixture up and fill the pie cases about 3/4 full.
• Push the pie lids down into the pie casing, so they are around 1cm from the top of the pie.
• Cut a small hole in the top of the pies to let the air escape.
• Put the pies in the oven for around 45 minutes at 180°C or 356°F. Check at 35/40 minutes as you want the pastry to be just golden-brown.
• You can remove from the tins as soon as they're cool enough to handle.

SCOTTISH MEAT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° F and put a kettle of water on to boil.
• Place one pie crust in a deep-style pie pan. Prick crust with a fork several times and bake for 5-10 minutes.
• In a large skillet with deep sides, sauté ground beef/lamb with onions. Season well with Lawry's, salt and pepper.
• Mix well to combine.
• When beef loses its pink color, stir in oats and beef broth or bullion cube. Then cover mixture entirely with boiling water. Simmer mixture for 10-15 minutes until water is mostly gone. Then stir in Worcestershire Sauce, dry mustard and spices.
• Spoon the mixture into the partially baked pie crust and dot the top of the filling with diced butter. Place top crust on filling, crimp sides, vent crust, and bake for 1 to 1-1/4 hours. Make sure crust is slightly browned.

SCOTTISH MINCE PIE

Steps:

• Place the ground beef in a large pot and pour in enough water to cover beef. Boil until beef is cooked through. Drain.
• Add water to cover cooked beef, add onions and enough bouillon granules to taste. Cook until the onions are soft. Season with salt and pepper to your taste and make sure the filling has enough bouillon to have a nice beef flavor.
• Combine the 1/4 cup water with the cornstarch and stir until smooth. Add to the beef mixture and cook until mixture has thickened. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Roll out pastry to fit a 9-inch pie plate.
• Pour beef mixture into the pastry crust and cover the top with pastry. Crimp edges and prick top.
• Bake in preheated oven until pie crust is lightly browned, about 40 minutes.

SCOTTISH MEAT PIE

Steps:

• To make pie pastry, bring butter and water to boil in saucepan. Put flour and salt in a basin, make a hole in the middle. Pour boiling water and butter into hole. Mix until cool enough to handle. Form into a ball. Turn on to a floured board, knead well, and pat into a flat shape. Divide into six pieces, or two large pieces to roll out & cut circular pieces. Mold pastry up in the sides of ring or pan to 3 inches high to make filling holder. Roll out saved sections, cutting them into rounds to fit filling holders. Roll pastry as thin as you want, lay onto a muffin ring or large muffin pan, cut excess pastry leaving enough to fold to center of ring or muffin pan. Mix all filling ingredients together, divide into 6 or 8 portions and fill pastry. Make a slit in center of each top to let steam out. Brush tops with milk or beaten egg. Bake at 250°F for 30 minutes on baking sheet Raise oven to 350 F, bake another 15 minutes

BRITISH MEAT PIES

Steps:

• Brown 1/2 pound sausage in a skillet with 1/4 cup chopped onion and 1 each diced celery stalk and carrot. Add 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, and salt and pepper. Roll out a can of refrigerated biscuit dough and cut into twelve 3-inch rounds. Top each with a spoonful of meat filling and fold in half; pinch to seal and brush with a beaten egg. Make slits in the top and bake at 350 degrees F until golden, about 15 minutes.

SCOTCH MEAT PIES

Steps:

• Method: Create the filling by mixing the minced (ground) lamb, spice and seasoning. Make the pastry by sifting the flour and salt into a warm bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour. Melt the lard in a scant measure of water and, when it is bubbling, add to the flour and mix thoroughly. Take a small amount (remember the mixture should make 8/10 pies, with their tops) and form into a ball and keep the rest warm while making each pastry case. This is done by rolling a suitable amount for each pie and shaping the crust round the base of a glass or jar approximately 3-3½ inches (7.5-8.5cm) in diameter. Make sure there are no cracks in the pastry - you can trim round the top of the case to make it even. As the pastry cools and gets cool, remove the glass and continue until you have about a quarter of the pastry left to make the lids. Fill the cases with the meat and add the gravy to make the meat moist. Roll the remaining pastry and use the glass to cut the lids. Wet the edges of the lids, place over the meat and press down lightly over the filling. Pinch the edges and trim. Cut a small hole or vent in the centre of the lid (to allow the steam to escape). Glaze with milk and bake for about 45 minutes at 275F/140C/Gas mark 1. If the pies are not eaten immediately, they can be stored in the 'fridge but always ensure they are properly reheated before being eaten.

SCOTCH PIE

Steps:

• Melt the lard in the boiling water.
• Sieve the flour into a warmed bowl.Make a well in the middle and mix in the hot fat and water mixture with a wooden spoon.
• When the dough has coled a little - knead with your hands.When it is smooth and 'elastic' - leave in a warm place until firmer (but still elastic enough to roll out)
• Roll out the pastry to around keeping it thin.Cut the pastry into 3- 4 inch round shapes or if you are using pie or muffin molds - to the correct size.Cut out enough circles for the top of the pies.
• Mix the mince with the breadcrumbs and seasoning.
• Add gravy to bind, and mix thoroughly
• Fill the pie shells to 3/4 full.Add the top and seal.
• Using a knife, make a couple of cuts in the centre of the pid to allow the steam to escape.Brush with milk to glaze.
• Pre-heat the oven to 190 centigrade/ 375 F.Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.