This is a classic, hearty pie. To make it ahead, cook the meat to the end of step 3, then leave it in the fridge overnight before finishing off the pie. Serve with mashed potatoes and seasonal green vegetables.
Serves 6
Special equipment
1 quart (1.2 liter) pie dish, about 101⁄2 x 8in (27 x 20cm) and 2in (5cm) deep
2 lb (900 g) braising steak, cut into bite-sized cubes
3 tbsp (30 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp mustard powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2–3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 stalks of celery, cut diagonally into slices 1in (2.5cm) thick
2 large carrots, cut into rings 1⁄2in (1cm) thick, then quartered
2 cups (500 ml) Guinness
3⁄4 cup (200 ml) beef stock
2 tbsp red currant jelly
2 bay leaves
1 lb 2 oz (500 g) store-bought puff pastry (preferably all-butter)
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 egg, beaten
1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Put the flour on a large plate or tray and season with the mustard, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Coat one-third of the meat in the flour. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, nonstick frying pan until hot and fry the floured meat over medium–high heat. (See Brown the meat well.) Remove the meat from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to a Dutch oven. Divide the remaining meat into 2 batches and repeat the flouring and browning, adding more oil if needed.
2. Add the onion to the frying pan, with a little more oil if necessary, and fry for 3 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the celery and carrots and stir to mix, then fry for 2 minutes before spreading the vegetables on top of the meat in the Dutch oven.
3. Pour the Guinness and stock into the pot and add the red currant jelly. Mix well and bring to a boil, stirring. Add the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Place the lid on the pot, transfer it to the oven, and cook for 21⁄2 hours or until the meat is tender. Remove from the oven, taste the gravy for seasoning, and let cool completely.
4. Make the pastry lid: preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Roll out the pastry and cut out a lid and a strip for the lip of the pie dish. Remove the bay leaves from the casserole and stir in the parsley and thyme, then transfer the meat and vegetables to the pie dish using a large spoon, together with enough of the gravy to come just below the lip of the dish. Reserve any remaining gravy. Brush water around the lip of the dish; cut the pastry strip into smaller pieces and place the strips on the moistened lip. Moisten the strips, cover with the lid, and press to seal. (See Make a well-fitting, decorative pie lid, steps 1–3.)
5. Trim, tap a knife into the edge of the pastry, and scallop the edge, then brush the pastry lid with beaten egg to glaze. Use the trimmings to make decorations and reglaze with as much of the remaining egg as needed. Cut a small slit in the center of the lid. (See Make a well-fitting, decorative pie lid, steps 4–6.)
6. Bake the pie for 30–35 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden brown. If you have any gravy left over, reheat until bubbling, pour it into a jug, and serve alongside the pie.
STEAK AND GUINNESS PIE
KEYS TO PERFECTION
Brown the meat well
1 Flour will thicken the gravy during the long time in the oven, but it needs to be cooked at the initial frying stage, otherwise it will taste raw in the finished dish. Before frying the batches of meat, toss the chunks in the seasoned flour until lightly coated on all sides.
2 Make sure the oil is really hot before browning. This is vital to sear the meat and give it a good color and flavor. Place the floured beef chunks in the oil, spacing the pieces well apart, and fry over medium–high heat until browned on all sides (this takes 6 minutes or so). Remove the meat using a slotted spoon, so that the fat and juices remain in the pan.
Make a well-fitting, decorative pie lid
1 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured, cool surface until it is about 1⁄4in (5mm) thick. Place your pie dish upside down in the center of the pastry and press it down firmly. With a small, sharp knife, cut out a lid that is about 3⁄4in (2cm) larger all around than the outside edge of the dish.
2 Lift off the dish and set aside the excess pastry. Using the pie dish indentation as a guide, cut off the strip from around the outside of the pastry lid. Spoon the cold pie filling into the dish, mounding it up slightly in the center and adding enough gravy to come just below the lip of the dish. Brush the lip with water and attach the pastry strip to it, cutting it into smaller pieces and joining them together as needed.
3 Check the size of the pastry lid over the pie dish and roll it out a little larger if necessary. You don’t want to have to stretch the pastry to fit it over the dish, as this would cause shrinkage when baking. Brush the pastry strip with water, then roll the pastry lid loosely around the rolling pin, lift it over the dish, and gently unroll it. Press all around the edge to seal the lid to the strip.
4 Trim off any surplus pastry with the knife if necessary, cutting downward against the edge of the dish. “Knock up” the edge of the pastry by holding the back of the knife horizontally against the edge and tapping all the way around. This will help the pastry rise evenly.
5 For an attractive finish, scallop all around the edge of the pie by making indentations with the back of the knife and your forefinger, alternating the knife marks and finger indentations. Brush all over the pastry with beaten egg, using a pastry brush. Coat the surface lightly; too much egg will prevent the pastry from puffing up.
6 Roll out some pastry trimmings and cut out leaf shapes. Make patterns using the back of the knife. Place the pastry leaves on top of the pie and brush all over the lid again with more egg. Cut a small slit, about 3⁄4in (2cm) long, in the middle of the lid, to allow steam to escape during baking. This prevents the pastry from becoming soggy.