Chef's Recipes

Scotch Beef Steak ‘n Ale Pie

Slow braised beef steak in ale, mixed mushrooms, tarragon-shallot potato mash, more ale gravy

For 4 Portions

Ingredients                                                  

• 2 x onions diced
• 1 x garlic clove finely crushed
• 1 x carrot, peeled and diced
• 600g rump of beef
• 1l beef stock
• 2 x craft ale – Birds and Bees
• 2 x bay leaf
• 2 x cloves
• 30ml rapeseed oil
• 75g unsalted butter
• 50g plain flour
• Pinches sea salt
• Pinches cracked black pepper
• Pinches ground coriander
• Pinches garlic flakes
• 200g mixed fresh mushrooms
• 1 x banana shallot
• 1g fresh tarragon leaves snipped
• 5g watercress finely chopped
• 4x medium Maris piper potatoes, washed peeled and cut into 4
• 75ml full milk
• 30ml double cream
• 400g puff pastry
• 1 x egg

Method

• Prepare beef day before by cutting into chunks, removing excess connective tissue.
• Place in container and cover with 1 pint bottle of ale, combine well, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
• Then, in heavy based casserole dish, heat little oil and brown onions over medium high heat.
• Drain beef, then add beef to onions and brown well, retain ale residual. 
• Add mushrooms, aromats and garlic, and brown for a further 3 minutes.
• Add 40g of the butter and melt till nutbrown colour, then add flour, combine well. 
• Finally add residual ale, and half of the 2nd bottle, together with 750ml beef stock.
• Add the carrots.
• Now turn down heat, cover with a lid, and place in a moderate oven for around 2 -3 hours.
• In the meantime, boil the potatoes till soft, drain and mash.
• Add hot milk (60ml) and cream mixture to consistency, then beat in remaining butter, season to taste, 
• then and add tarragon and watercress
• To make gravy, brown sliced shallots and chestnut mushrooms, then add ale and beef jus. Reduce till thicker and just sticky, keep warm to one side. 
• When all items are cooked, cool to room temperature, then build pie in dish, final levels to be mash and pastry
• Bake at 180°C for around 25 mins till golden brown and crispy. Serve with a summer salad or simply steamed vegetables. Remember the extra gravy!

Chef’s tips:

The carrots and the onion natural sweetness counterbalances the bitter ale. Ensure the onions are well caramelized to obtain as much sweetness as possible. 

Use a selection of steak cuts, it adds diversity to the pie filling. By using cheaper cuts and slow cooking the steak pie mix, you will achieve a rich and deeper flavour profile. 

Do not cut away the fat of the steak, this is where the flavour and moisture comes from.

To enrich further, why not try to add haggis, kidneys, pork sausage meat or confit root vegetables?