Steak and Ale Pie with Mushrooms
Steak and ale pie is a traditional British comfort food. This pie is full of chunky vegetables, mushrooms, and buttery puff pastry. Your whole family will love eating this amazing meal for dinner!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 558kcal
Ingredients
For the Steak and Ale Filling
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2⅓ pounds stewing beef cut into chunks
- 2½ cups yellow onion chopped (2 medium onions)
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 cups carrot sliced (3 large carrots)
- 2 cups celery sliced (5 medium stalks)
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 pound white mushrooms quartered
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dark brown English ale
- 1¼ cups unsalted beef stock
- 1 tablespoon HP sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Pastry
- 1 pound puff pastry chilled
- 1 large egg beaten
Instructions
Making the Filling
- Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add one-third of the stewing beef and turn down the heat to medium. Flip the cubes of meat with tongs, allowing them to get golden brown and crispy on all sides, then remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate. Brown the remaining meat in two batches.
- Put the pot on medium-high heat and add the chopped onions. Cook the onions until golden, then lower the heat to medium, add the minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Pour some beef stock or ale into the pan and scrape off the brown fond from the bottom. Add the sliced carrots and celery and cook until the celery just begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the quartered mushrooms and cook until soft and brown, about 5 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently to keep the mushrooms from burning. Once cooked, remove from the heat and set aside.
- Dump the all-purpose flour onto the onion mixture and cook over medium heat for a minute to toast the flour slightly. Pour in the reserved drippings, ale, and stock and bring to a boil. Cook until slightly thickened.
- Dump in the seared steak chunks and any drippings from the plate. Add the HP sauce, brown sugar, cocoa powder, spices, and cooked mushrooms and stir until well mixed. If the steak is not covered with liquid, add ½ cup or more of beef stock, ale, or water to prevent the meat from drying out.
- Cover and bring the stew up to a full boil over medium heat, then turn the heat to medium-low. Simmer covered for 1½ hours, then remove the lid and simmer for another hour. The meat should be tender and the liquid should be thickened. Be sure to stir the stew every 15 minutes or so to prevent it from burning on the bottom.
- Let the stew cool to room temperature (or refrigerate overnight) before putting the pastry on top. This step prevents it from melting.
Assembling the Pie
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Spoon the cooled filling into a 6-cup (1.4 liter) capacity dish. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg.
- Place the chilled puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll out to ⅛ inch thick, making sure it is large enough to cover the dish. Lay the pastry on top of the pie and press down the edges to seal. Trim off the excess, then brush with beaten egg and decorate as desired. Don't forget to cut a few vent holes to allow steam to escape.
- Cook at 425°F for 35-40 minutes. The filling should be gently bubbling and the pastry should be a rich golden brown. Be sure to cover the edges with aluminum foil if it is browning too quickly in the oven.
- Allow it to cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use pre-cut stewing beef with marbling of fat throughout the meat. This means the meat will be more flavorful and tender.
- Keep the vegetables chunky, as smaller pieces of veggies will break down into mush during the long cooking process.
- Use a dark brown ale or stout with a roasty, sweet flavor. I used Yuengling Black and Tan, but Guinness works very well also.
- Cook the stew low and slow. Stewing beef is typically a tough cut and requires a long cooking time to become tender.
- Let the stew cool before putting the pastry on. Hot stew will melt the butter in the pastry, ruining the delicate layers in the pastry.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 558kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 694mg | Potassium: 820mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4538IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 4mg
