Whether set down on the kitchen table for a hungry workforce heading in from the cold or eaten with friends as a cosy suppertime centrepiece, this rich beef pie has been my go-to dish for years.
It’s simple, uncomplicated cookery at its best – nothing tricky about it, just good honest home cooking that is both comforting and delicious!
For best results use good quality ingredients – that means beef from your local butchers or farm shop and veg from somewhere that supplies really nice British produce.
Let it have every bit of cooking time the recipe suggests, just add a little water if needed.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 Brown onions
- 3 Garlic cloves
- 2 Carrots
- 2 Celery sticks
- 4 Field mushrooms
- 1kg Beef stew, brisket or shin cubed
- Few sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- Salt & pepper
- 440ml Guinness
- 2 Heaped tbsp plain flour
- 200g Grated cheddar cheese
- 500g pre-rolled puff pastry
- 1 Free range egg
Method
- Dice onion and soften in butter on low for 10 minutes
- Chop and add the garlic, carrots, celery and mushrooms. Stir to combine, increase heat, add beef and season.
- After 3-4 mins stir in flour then add Guinness. Top with enough water to cover the meat, add a lid and place in oven at 190°C for 1.5 hours.
- Remove from oven and stir. Return to oven for another hour.
- You should have a robust pie filling, if still watery reduce liquid on the hob.
- Allow to cool slightly and add half of the grated cheese. Stir.
- Transfer to your pie dish and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
- Cover with puff pastry lid. Gently score a criss cross pattern on the top of your pie and pinch the edges to close and neaten. Brush with beaten egg.
- Return to oven and bake for 30-45 minutes until pastry is cooked and golden.
Enjoy! Lorna x