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Steak and Kidney Pie

Ready in 4 hrs + waiting

Recipe by Graham 

Ah, the humble Steak and Kidney Pie; what can I say about it that has not already been said? I'm a big fan of the hearty English favourites such as Guinness Beef Stew, Rare Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding, Sausage, Liver and Bacon Casserole etc. However, when I make Steak and Kidney Pie I make two alterations to the classic recipe...

First, I add the kidneys at the end, along with the mushrooms, since offal tends to toughen if overcooked. And second, I cook the meat a day ahead, so that I can easily remove and discard any fat that has risen to the top (you can make the pastry ahead of time too, if you want - just wrap it in cling film and place it in the fridge).

Preparation Time

30 Minutes + waiting

Cooking Time

3 Hours 30 Minutes

Ingredients for Steak and Kidney Pie

If you are not familiar with any ingredients, please check our International Cooking Terms page.

Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements

To serve 4:

2 oz plain flour (all purpose flour)
  sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1½ lb Stewing Steak or Braising Steak (Chuck Steak)
2 tablespoons butter
  olive oil
1 large onion
2 teaspoons tomato purée (tomato paste)
1 pint beef stock
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
4 oz chestnut mushrooms
12 oz veal (or lamb) kidney
FOR THE PASTRY
6 oz butter
8 oz plain flour (all purpose flour)
¼ teaspoon salt
8 - 10 tablespoons water
1 egg (for the glaze)

How to Cook Steak and Kidney Pie

  1. Mix the flour with a generous pinch of sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Trim any excess fat off the meat and cut into pieces about 1"-1¼" (2.5cm-3cm) across. Toss the meat in the seasoned flour, then place in a large sieve (strainer) and shake off any excess flour.
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan. Quickly fry half the steak chunks over a medium-to-high heat until browned all over. Set aside and repeat with the remaining meat, adding more oil and butter as necessary, until all the steak has been browned.
  3. Peel and chop the onion. Add a little more oil to the pan, reduce the heat, and fry the onion until softened and lightly golden. Add the tomato purée and stir for a couple more minutes. Pour in the stock and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Return the browned meat to the pan and add the bay leaf, thyme and Worcestershire sauce.
  4. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for 2½-3 hours until the beef is fork tender. Trim the white core out of the kidney and chop the meat into large pieces - about 1" (2.5cm) across. Stir in the mushrooms and kidney, then turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaf and transfer the mixture to a 2½ - 2¾ pint (1.5 - 1.7 litre) pie dish.
  5. When cooled, place the dish in the fridge overnight. The next day take the dish from the fridge and use a spoon to remove any fat that has come to the surface.
  6. To make the pastry, place the butter in the freezer for 45 minutes. In a bowl, mix the flour with the salt. Dip the butter in the flour and grate (shred) coarsely into the bowl. Keep dipping it in the flour as you grate. Mix in the butter with a knife (or your hands) until evenly coated with flour. Stir in the water to form a dough and knead this into a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for one hour in the fridge.
  7. Preheat the oven to Mk 6 - 200ºF - 400ºC. While it is heating, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to about ¼" (5mm) thick and cut out a shape 2" (5cm) wider than the pie dish. Using the pastry trimmings, cut out 1" (2.5cm) wide strips for the edges of the dish. Brush the lip of the dish with water and press the strips of pastry on to it.
  8. Brush the strips with water and place the pastry crust over the top. Press down the edges to seal, then trim off any excess pastry on the sides. Use the blade of a knife to cut a few 1" (2.5cm) long slits in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape. Beat the egg and brush the pastry with it. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
  9. Traditionally, Steak and Kidney Pie is served with peas and Mashed Potatoes. However, I've found that a nice alternative to peas is Leek and Bacon Platter
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
If you're shy about making your own pastry, a 12oz (350g) packet or ready-made puff pastry will work just fine.
 
GRAHAM'S WINE RECOMMENDATION:
Malbec like Les Hauts de Saint-Georges. Malbec-based wines are at their best as a match to grilled or stewed steak.