The Hairy Bikers have a wide bank of recipes that focus on comfort, flavour and ease.
This steak and ale pie recipe ticks all the boxes with a simple list of ingredients that deliver great flavour.
They describe this dish as “tender beef in a rich sauce made with beer and bacon, and topped with crispy, golden puff pastry”.
What dives this steak and ale pie rich characteristics is the use of ale. Good, dark brown English ale is a must to get a deeply infused flavour.
Braising the beef in the ale and other ingredients makes it beautifully moist and tender which comes together to make a delicious, saucy filling.
Ingredients
For the filling
Four to five tablespoons sunflower oil
200g smoked streaky bacon rashers, cut into 1cm strips
Teo onions, sliced
Two garlic cloves, finely chopped
850g braising steak, trimmed and cut into roughly 2.5cm cubes
500ml bottle real ale
500ml beef stock
One tablespoon tomato puree
Three to four fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only
Two bay leaves
Two tablespoons cornflour
400g chestnut mushrooms, halved or quartered
Flaky sea salad and black pepper
For the pastry
Plain flour for dusting
500g ready-made puff pastry
One egg, beaten for glazing
Method
Start by preheating the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the bacon with the onion, stirring regularly, until pale golden brown.
Add the garlic and fry for a minute or two more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions, garlic and bacon to a large flameproof casserole dish.
Season the beef with salt and pepper, add two tablespoons of oil to the frying pan and fry the meat in two or three batches until well browned all over, adding an extra tablespoon or two of oil if needed. Transfer the beef to the casserole as it is browned.
Next, pour half the beer into the frying pan and bring to a boil, stirring hard to lift all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour this liquid over the beef, then add the remaining beer, stock, tomato purée, thyme leaves and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook in the oven for one and a half to two hours or until the meat is very tender.
Once the time is up, mix the cornflour with two tablespoons of cold water until smooth and stir into the casserole. Return to the oven for five minutes until thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then leave to cool.
Increase the oven temperature to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and place a pastry funnel in the centre of a 1.2-litre pie dish.
Heat one tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms over high heat for about five minutes until golden. Stir into the meat mixture and spoon into the pie dish around the funnel.
On a well-floured work surface, roll out the pastry until it is large enough to cover the pie dish. Make a small cross in the centre of the pastry for the pie funnel to poke through. Brush the edge of the pie dish with beaten egg. Place the pastry gently over the filling and funnel and press the edges firmly to seal.
Trim off any excess pastry with a sharp knife and, if you like, use the pastry trimmings to make shapes to decorate the pie. Brush with beaten egg to glaze. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown.
