So the weather is back to its beautiful and Autumnal best so time to get some stick to your ribs recipes on the blog. These individual steak and ale pies have real flavour and are ideal for the colder days and nights to come. The secret with any pie or stew is to pay attention to each layer of what you are making. Try and add favour with each step. There is a little trial and error involved but sometimes it just comes down to personal preference. There is an option to make your own stock for the base of your pie which does add great flavour but in all honesty unless youve got 7 hours spare I would opt for a good quality shop bought liquid stock. Tesco do a decent one from their "Finest" range, good old Heston does a few at Waitrose and failing that some good butchers will make their own.
Briefly if you want to make your own stock try this:
2 Medium Onions
2 Carrots
Handful of Celery tops
1 Celery stalk cut in to 1 inch lengths
3 Cloves of Garlic
2 Bay Leaves
10 Peppercorns
7 or 8 pieces of beef bones (free from the butcher) If they have any veal bones get a couple of them for the gelatin.
Any offcuts or scraps from your steak
Preheat oven to 400F
Add carrots, onion, bones, garlic and meat scraps to a roasting tin and rub all over with a little olive oil. Roast for about 45 mins turning the bonest and veg half way through. The meat and bones should be nicely browned but not burnt. Remove the contents from the pan and place in a large stockpot with the remaining ingredients. Place the roasting tin on the hob and pour on half a cup of water so you can scrape off all those lovely bits of flavour. Once you have got all the bits from the bottom of the pan pout it in to the stock pot. Fill the pan with water so there is an inch or 2 covering the bones. Bring to the simmer but not boiling then reduce the heat to low so the stock remains at about 180 degrees and not bubbling. Cover the pot loosely and leave on the simmer for about 5-6 hours. Dont stir it or mess about with it because it will mix in all the fats and you'll end up with a cloudy stock. As the stock cooks fat will rise to the top, from time to time use a big mental spoon to scoop off the excess fat. Down throw it away, it will solidify and you can use it for your roasties. At the end of the cooing time use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove all the bones meat and vegetables. Pour the liquid slowly into another large pan through a cheese cloth or fine sieve. Let it cool to room temperature then cool in the fridge. Once the stock has cooled completely any remaining fat will have risen to the top and set, it forms a protective layer so as long as you want to keep it in the fridge leave it on. If not scoop it off and pout the contents into glass or plastic sealable containers. You can freeze it but if you do leave a little gap at the top of each jar to allow for expansion...
So there you go....Up to you... From scratch or shop bought....The choice is yours.
For the pie you will need.
1kg Braising Steak (Trimmed)
1 Large Onion
2 Large Cloves of Garlic
1 Carrot
600ml of Good beef stock
200g Button Mushrooms
Salt
Ground White Pepper
1 Bottle of 330ml Guinness
Plain flour
Butter
All Butter Puff pastry
1 Egg
Turn on your oven and pre-heat to 150 degrees. Take the beef and trim the excess fat. Place in a bowl and dust with white pepper, salt and flour, ensure all pieces are covered lightly. Chop the onion into cubes (about cm square) Peel and chop the Garlic. In a large pan gently fry onion and garlic in a little olive oil until the onion begins to catch. Only then add a little sea-salt and black pepper. Take out the onions and then repeat the process with the baby mushrooms until they begin to colour also, remove and set aside with the onions. Finally place a little more oil in the pan and turn the heat up. Fry the meat in batches so it colours well and doesnt steam or stew. Once all the meat has been coloured pour in your Guinness to take all the pan juices from the bottom of the pan. It will fizz and bubble a while, give it a good stir to ensure you have all the bits up from the bottom of the pan. Add your beef stock and then place all the ingredients back to the pan. Cook on a low heat for about 15 minutes and then finally place in your diced carrot. At this stage check your seasoning. Personally I love steak and ale pies you be really peppery which is why i choose to use white pepper as it gives you that real warmth and added bite. Pour all the contents of the pan into a roasting tin and place on the lid. Cook in the oven for a minimum of two and a half hours. Once the time is up remove the tin and take a piece of the meat out and give it a try. It should break apart nice and easily. If it doesnt either put it back in the oven for another 30 minutes or change your butcher! If you are happy with the texture and taste you can then thicken the gravy by making a simple roux. Do this by cutting about an inch off the end of your block of butter and melting in a pan. Add two tablespoons of flour and continually stir until a smooth paste is formed, it should not be too liquid and come away from the sides of the pan, if it doesn't add a little more flour. Add it to your pie mixture and stir. If you find the gravy isn't thick enough for your liking just repeat the roux recipe and add a little at a time until you have the desired consistency.
You'll need to set aside the mixture and allow to cool before you try to put your pastry lids on the individual pies. Fill each individual pie dish with the mixture and rub a little butter around the rim. Cut out your circular discs ensuring you make them about about 2cm bigger than your pie dish. Place the disc on top and crimp the edge by pinching between your fingers and thumbs all the way around. If you want to decorate with a little leaf cut the shapes from the existing pastry. Once you have covered all your pies beat and egg and egg wash the lids. For a better finish place in the fridge for 30 minutes and then egg wash them again before baking in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes or until the pastry is a nice golden brown.
Enjoy!!
