Hairy Bikers Steak and Ale Pie

A full bottle of real ale goes into the Hairy Bikers steak and ale pie, which is why their Perfect Pies book calls it superb. The ale cooks down with braising steak and smoked bacon for two hours, then serves 6 under puff pastry at around 825 calories in about 3 hours.

That long cook happens before the pastry appears, because the filling and the lid want completely different things from the oven. The beef needs slow, gentle hours to turn tender, while the puff needs one short, hot blast to rise.

The meat itself is the make-or-break choice here, since the book insists on braising steak that is well marbled with fat. Si and Dave call the pie “more British than Vera Lynn,” and that richness only comes when the marbling melts through the gravy.

Hairy Bikers Steak and Ale Pie Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:British Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time:2 hours 30 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:3 hours Servings:6 servingsCalories:825 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

Smoked bacon, onion, and garlic build the base, then browned braising steak slow-cooks in real ale, beef stock, thyme, and bay until tender. Golden fried mushrooms go in, the filling thickens with cornflour, and a puff pastry lid bakes over the top until puffed and deep brown.

Ingredients

For the Filling

• 4-5 tbsp sunflower oil
• 200g smoked, rindless, streaky bacon rashers, cut into 2cm strips
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 850g well-marbled braising steak, trimmed of any hard fat or gristle
• 500ml bottle of real ale
• 500ml good beef stock
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves stripped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp cornflour, blended with 2 tbsp cold water
• 250g small chestnut mushrooms, wiped and halved or quartered
• Flaked sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the Pastry

• 500g block of puff pastry (or 1 quantity homemade rough puff)
• Beaten egg, to glaze

Instructions

1. Build the base: Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan, then fry the bacon and onions until pale golden. Add the garlic for a minute or two, then transfer everything to a flameproof casserole dish.
2. Brown the beef: Cut the steak into 2.5cm cubes and season, then brown it in batches in 2 tablespoons of oil. Move each batch to the casserole as it colours.
3. Slow cook in ale: Deglaze the pan with half the ale, scraping up the sediment, then pour it over the beef. Add the rest of the ale, the stock, purée, and herbs, then cover and cook at 180°C for 1½-2 hours until tender.
4. Thicken the filling: Stir in the cornflour paste and return the dish to the oven for 5 minutes until the juices thicken. Season to taste and leave to cool, then turn the oven up to 200°C.
5. Add the mushrooms: Fry the mushrooms in the remaining oil over a high heat for about 5 minutes until golden, then stir them through the filling and spoon it into a 1.2-litre pie dish.
6. Top and bake: Roll the pastry 5mm thick, fix strips to the egg-brushed rim, then lay the lid over and trim. Glaze with egg and bake for 30-35 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

FAQs

What ale should I use, and does Guinness work?

The book calls for a 500ml bottle of real ale, and a malty English bitter or amber ale is the classic choice, the same thinking behind their beef and ale casserole. Its bitterness cooks down into a deep, savoury gravy over the two hours.

Guinness works too, since a stout simply gives a darker, more roasted edge to the same pie. That is really all a steak and guinness pie is, so this recipe covers both.

Why does the filling cook before the pastry goes on?

Braising steak needs up to two hours to turn tender, while puff pastry needs barely half an hour to bake. Cooking them together would give you either tough beef or a burnt lid.

The filling then has to cool before topping, because warm filling melts the butter in the pastry and kills the rise.

Can I use shortcrust pastry instead of puff?

Yes, a traditional steak pie works with either, so use shortcrust if you prefer a firmer, more old-fashioned crust. Roll it to the same 5mm and bake for the same time.

The book also gives a homemade rough puff, which lands between the two. If you fancy shortcrust in action, their corned beef and onion pie is built entirely with it.

Why is there bacon in a steak pie?

The smoked streaky bacon is the quiet trick in this recipe, because its fat and smoke season the whole filling from the first step. It is the same move French cooking uses, which is exactly how their beef bourguignon starts before wine replaces the ale.

Skipping it costs you a whole layer of depth, so keep it in even if you swap everything else.

Can I make the filling ahead or freeze the pie?

The filling is ideal for making ahead, since it needs to cool before the pastry anyway. Keep it covered in the fridge for up to two days, then top and bake fresh.

The baked pie also freezes for a couple of months, wrapped well. If you love the slow-braised filling but fancy skipping pastry altogether, their Hungarian goulash gives you the same tender beef as a stew.