Discover The Secret Of A Truly Delicious Steak Pie

Enjoy some tasty facts about the humble pie, then try this hearty recipe from Tom Lewis. It was a sensation when I served it to my dinner guests… so much so, they were all clamouring for the recipe!

Steak Pie Traditions

Pies are not a recent dish, in fact, the earliest mentions take us back to the Middle Ages.

Egyptians and Romans certainly ate pies, and although we cannot be sure, they were perhaps more like pasties rather than the pastry-topped pies we love today.

Traditional Scottish New Year Dinner

The Scots steak pie has been enjoyed as the traditional New Year’s dinner dish throughout the country, for over 400 years, but it’s a great family dish on any day of the year.

For the hearty recipe below, Lidl partnered with celebrated Perthshire chef from The Mhor Collection, Tom Lewis, to create something special that can be prepared in advance.

Soaking the steak pieces in Lidl’s craft beer, Bright Lights American IPA, brings out a rich flavour, and combined with delicious root vegetables and flaky pastry, this recipe is sure to be a hit around the dining table.

Tom Lewis, owner and chef at Monachyle Mhor Hotel, said:

Everyone loves a steak pie – who can say no to tender meat, crisp pastry and a good gravy? For the best results, make your pie mix a couple of days before to let the flavours absorb, then add your pastry on the day and pop in the oven.”

Tom Lewis’s Make Ahead Steak Pie Recipe

Serves: 5

Tom Lewis of The Monachyle Mhor Hotel

Ingredients:

• 1kg Strathvale Farm Scotch Beef Lean Diced Steak (1kg pack)
• 2tbsp seasoned flour
• 4 sticks celery, diced 5mm
• 2 large carrots, diced 5mm
• 1 leek, diced 5mm
• 1 large onion, diced 5mm
• 3 cloves of garlic sliced
• Olive oil
• 1tbsp butter
• Good pinch of cumin and coriander
• Few sprigs of thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• One bottle of Heatherwood Bright Lights American IPA
• Meat stock
• 1 egg, beaten
• Puff pastry block (340g)
• Potatoes and vegetables, to serve

How to make the steak pie filling ahead of time:

Ideally make the filling a couple of days ahead and store in the fridge.

1. Put diced beef into bowl and give it a light coating of seasoned flour.
2. In a hot pan seal and colour the beef.
3. Take the beef out and put in a dish. Add all diced vegetables and sliced garlic to the hot pan. Add a good glug of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. Turn the heat down and sweat vegetables off.
4. Add a good pinch of cumin, coriander, thyme and the bay leaves, then add the meat back to the pan.
5. Add equal parts beer and meat stock – enough liquid that all meat and vegetables are covered.
6. Put a lid on the pan, reduce the heat down, and simmer until meat is tender (roughly 1hr 40min).
7. Alternatively, pop in a covered oven dish at 160°C, and simmer for 1hr 40min.
8. If the gravy is still feeling a little thin, drain into a pan and reduce.
9. If need be, you can thicken slightly with a mixture of soft butter and flour. Add a little at a time and whisk through.
10. Let mix cool, cover, and put in fridge for a couple of days.

Assembly and cooking on the day of serving:

1. Wash pie dish with a beaten egg, keeping some for the pastry topping.
2. Pop meat mixture into a pie dish and sit out to bring to room temperature.
3. Take out your pastry and score very lightly.
4. Place across the pie dish, crimp, and egg wash the top.
5. Bake in a medium to hot oven (210°C) till pastry crisp and heated right though.
6. Serve hot with vegetables and potatoes for the perfect family feast.

We’ve rounded up a further seven of our favourite pie recipes to inspire your cooking this British Pie Week (March 4-10, 2024) but all are ideal for family meals any time! Enjoy!

• 7 Hearty Pie Recipes