Steak Pie
Steak pie is a classic and hearty dish that is made in a golden, pastry crust and filled with perfectly cooked steak pieces. Famously originating in Britain, this steak pie is a very satisfying and lovely meal. It is perfect to make for your friends or your family.
In this blog post, you will learn how to make a steak pie.
What is Steak Pie?
Steak pie is a hearty and comforting dish. It features tender pieces of steak in a rich gravy that is enveloped in a flaky, golden pie crust. The filling is normally made by slow-cooking pieces of steak with onions, garlic, and sometimes other vegetables like carrots and mushrooms in s broth seasoned with herbs and spices.
How to Make Steak Pie
This steak pie is made in a hob-safe casserole dish. On your hob, braise the stewing beef in vegetable oil. Once the beef is braised on all sides, remove from the heat and set aside. In the same casserole dish, fry the onions then add the garlic and carrots to soften them and bring out the flavour. Return the stewing beef to the pot and cover everything in a light coating of flour. Mix together.
Now add the beef stock, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste. If using beef stock made from a stock cube, I do not season with extra salt here. I find that the stock cubes are a bit salty so I prefer not to add the extra salt. Mix everything together then bring to a simmer. Simmer on the hob for two hours stirring occasionally. Preheat the oven to 400℉/200℃/Gas Mark 6.
Roll out your pie crust and place into the bottom of the pie dish. Spoon in your steak pie filling. Brush the edges of the pie crust with the beaten egg yolk. Roll the top of the pie crust out onto the steak pie. Crimp the edges together and remove the excess pie dough with either a spoon on scissors. Brush the egg yolk wash generously onto the top of the pie crust. Pierce three holes into the top of the steak pie. Add your decorative cut outs here if you have any and brush with the beaten egg yolk. Bake the pie for 35-40 minutes until it is golden-brown and the edges are bubbling. Lastly, remove from the oven and let cool.
Steak Pie Crust
The Steak Pie crust can either be store bought or homemade.
Click this link to learn how to make my own Flaky, Pie Crust Recipe.
If you choose to make the pie crust in the link, that particular pie crust is big enough for the base and lid of a pie and there will be a few bits of pie dough leftover if you want to make any decorations for the steak pie.
I definitely recommend making the above pie crust for a simple crust recipe. I have made it many times for this steak pie recipe. Besides, it is hard to tell what is tastier and more satisfying: the steak pie filling or the pie crust.
If you want to try making a Puff Pastry Crust, try my Puff Pastry recipe. Amazing results!
What Cuts of Beef Should I Use?
For steak pie, the best cuts of beef to use are the ones that are the most suitable for slow cooking and braising. These beef cuts are normally tougher, but they become tender and flavourful when cooked slowly.
The best cuts to use for this dish are cuts like the chuck, brisket, round, short rib, stewing beef, or shin. I mainly use stewing beef as it is the easiest cut of beef for me to find in the grocery store without having to go to a butcher.
Ingredients
Pie Filling
Vegetable Oil: vegetable oil is used to sear the stewing beef in the pan and to saute the onions and garlic.
Stewing Beef: stewing beef is the main protein for the steak pie. Because of the long cooking time, the connective tissues break down, making the meat tender and flavourful.
Onions: onions are used for flavour and are given a golden-brown colour when sauteed.
Carrots: carrots add some sweetness and nutritional value to the filling.
Garlic: garlic enhances the savoury taste of the beef filling.
All-Purpose/Plain Flour: all-purpose flour thickness the filling for a rich consistency.
Beef Stock: beef stock is the moisture in the filling that brings everything together. And it is essential for the rich taste associated with this dish.
Ketchup: ketchup adds some sweetness and acidity that helps to balance out the savoury flavours of the beef and vegetables.
Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce adds a deeper taste to the filling.
Pie Crust
Pie Crust: the pie crust forms the top and bottom parts of the pie. This then holds the filling together.
Egg Yolk: the egg yolk is used as the egg wash and is brushed onto the pie crust before baking. This will create a glossy, golden-brown colour on the crust.
Tips
- Leave your onions and carrots in large chunks as they will be simmering for a while and will have time to soften fully.
- Make sure to purchase beef that is labeled as stewing beef as that meat is meant to be slow cooked for long periods of time.
- If using beef stock made from a stock cubes, I find that they are a bit salty so I do not season the pie with extra salt.
Steak Pie
Ingredients
Pie Filling
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 lbs. (1kg) stewing beef
- 2 onions chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 4 large carrots finely chopped
- 3 tbsp. all-purpose/plain flour
- 2 1/2 c. beef stock
- 1 tbsp. ketchup
- 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Pie Sheet
- Homemade pie crust or 1 store bought pie crust
- 1 egg yolk beaten
Instructions
- In a deep hob safe casserole dish, add 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil and braise your stewing beef until the outsides are browned. Remove from the heat by pouring into a separate bowl.
- In the same casserole dish, on medium heat add your onions and fry for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and carrots to the frying pan and fry for about 8 minutes. Once the vegetables are softened, add the braised steak pieces back into the dish and coat in flour.
- Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth to the dish. Season to taste.
- Bring the filling to a simmer, then cover and let simmer for 2 hours. Stirring occasionally.
- Once the filling has completed simmering, roll out your pastry into the pie dish.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉/200℃/Gas Mark 6.
- Spoon the beef filling into the pie dish. Brush some of the beaten egg yolk onto the edges of the pie dough and place the pie dough lid onto the top of the pie and crimp the edges together. Use either a spoon or kitchen scissors to remove the excess pie dough. Brush the entire pie dough lid with the beaten egg yolk. Poke three slits into the centre of the pie for baking. Add your decorative cut outs here if you have any and brush with the beaten egg.
- Bake the pie for 35-40 minutes until it is golden-brown and the edges are bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
Notes
In this blog post, you learned how to make a hearty steak pie.