Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Steak and Ale Pie Recipe

This Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Steak and Ale Pie Recipe is a rich and tender recipe, which is made with chuck beef and a dark, flavorful ale. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 8 hours and 15 minutes.

Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Steak and Ale Pie Recipe Ingredients

• 2 Pounds Chuck Beef, cut into 2″ pieces
• ½ Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 1 Sweet Onion, diced
• 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 Rib Celery, diced
• 1 cup Beef Stock
• 1 cup Dark Ale or Stout
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
• 1 Egg White
• 1 teaspoon Water

How To Make Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Steak and Ale Pie

1. Season and Brown the Beef: In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Toss the beef cubes in the seasoned flour until evenly coated. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches on all sides. Transfer the browned beef to a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Add the diced onion, minced garlic, celery, thyme sprigs, oregano, and bay leaves to the slow cooker with the beef.
3. Add Liquids and Cook: Pour the beef stock, dark ale, and Worcestershire sauce over the meat and vegetables. Stir gently to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
4. Prepare the Pastry Lid: About 40 minutes before the filling is done, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). On a floured surface, roll out the thawed puff pastry sheet. You can use a lid from a pan or the slow cooker itself as a template to cut out a circle for the top of your pie. Place the pastry lid on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Bake the Pastry: Decorate the lid with any pastry scraps if you wish. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white and water together to make an egg wash. Brush it lightly over the puff pastry. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed up.
6. Finish and Serve: Once the pie filling is cooked, remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Let the filling cool and thicken for about 15-20 minutes. Place the baked puff pastry lid on top of the steak and ale filling just before serving.

Recipe Tips

• What’s the best beef for a steak pie? Chuck steak or braising steak is ideal. These tougher cuts have a good amount of fat and connective tissue that breaks down during the long, slow cooking process, resulting in incredibly tender, flavorful meat.
• Do I have to brown the beef first? While you can skip this step to save time, browning the meat is essential for developing the deep, rich, caramelized flavor that makes a steak and ale pie so delicious.
• What kind of ale should I use? A dark, malty British-style ale works best. Look for a Brown Ale, a Porter, or a Stout. Avoid anything too hoppy or bitter (like an IPA) as that bitterness can become overpowering in the final dish.
• How do I get a crispy pastry lid? The secret to avoiding a “soggy bottom” in a slow cooker pie is to bake the puff pastry lid separately in the oven. This ensures it gets perfectly golden, flaky, and crisp. You simply place it on top of the rich filling when you’re ready to serve.

What To Serve With Steak and Ale Pie

This hearty, classic British pie is best served with traditional pub-style sides.

• Creamy mashed potatoes
• Mushy peas or steamed green beans
• Roasted root vegetables like carrots and parsnips

How To Store Steak and Ale Pie

• Refrigerate: Store the filling and the pastry lid separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This prevents the lid from becoming soggy.
• Reheat: Reheat the filling on the stovetop or in the microwave. You can refresh the pastry lid in a hot oven for a few minutes to make it crisp again.
• Freeze: The steak and ale filling freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. It’s best to bake a fresh pastry lid when you’re ready to serve.

Steak and Ale Pie Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 433 kcal
• Protein: 53g
• Carbohydrates: 17g
• Fat: 17g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Sodium: 1024mg

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients used and the addition of ale.

FAQs

Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Steak and Ale Pie Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Slow Cooker Cuisine:British Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time:8 hours Rest time: 15 minutesTotal time:8 hours 30 minutesCooking Temp:100 CServings:6 servingsEstimated Cost:25 $Calories:433 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

A classic British pub favorite made easy in the slow cooker, with meltingly tender beef in a rich dark ale gravy, all topped with a flaky puff pastry lid.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chuck beef, cubed
• ½ cup flour, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 sweet onion, 1 celery rib, 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup beef stock & 1 cup dark ale
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Thyme, oregano, bay leaves
• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 1 egg white & 1 tsp water

Instructions

1. Toss beef in seasoned flour. Brown in batches in a hot skillet and transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Add onion, garlic, celery, and all herbs to the slow cooker.
3. Pour in the beef stock, ale, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir gently.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours until the beef is tender.
5. Bake the puff pastry lid separately at 400°F for 15 minutes until golden and puffed.
6. Let the filling and pastry cool slightly.
7. Remove bay leaves from the filling, then place the pastry lid on top to serve.

Notes

• Do not stir the filling too often during cooking if you want to maintain large chunks of beef.
• For the best flavor, use a good quality dark British-style ale.
• Baking the puff pastry lid separately is the key to ensuring it is crisp and flaky, not soggy.
• Let the pastry cool for a few minutes before moving it, as it will be delicate when hot.