Steak and Ale Pie

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg beef for braising
• 2 carrots
• 2 onions
• 200 g mushrooms
• 1 piece(s) celery
• 1 large garlic clove(s)
• 440 ml beer (Guinness Draught or Stout)
• 300 ml beef broth
• 3 tbsp seasoning sauce (brown sauce, e.g. from HP), alternatively Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 thyme sprigs, fresh, alternatively a tsp dried
• 3 tbsp flour
• Cornstarch, for binding
• 1 package of puff pastry, frozen
• 1 egg(s)
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp sugar

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours 30 minutes; Total time approx. 4 hours 15 minutes

First, peel the vegetables, cut the carrots into 2cm pieces, and dice the onions and celery a little more finely. If you can get button mushrooms (mini mushrooms), use them whole; halve larger ones. Sauté everything together in a pan with a little oil, adding the diced garlic clove towards the end and frying briefly (otherwise it will become bitter). Transfer everything to a casserole dish. The braised meat doesn’t have to be a premium cut and shouldn’t be too lean. We had a great piece of prime rib (boneless), and the long braising made it super tender. Cut the beef into cubes, about 3 x 3 cm, and season generously with pepper and salt. Then dust with the 3 tablespoons of flour and carefully roll the meat cubes in it, ensuring that all the cubes are completely coated. Now heat the pan back up and sear the meat cubes in 2-3 batches, one after the other. They should be noticeably browned, which will give the dish a nice dark color. Add the meat to the vegetables, Guinness, stock, and brown sauce (or Worcestershire sauce), ensuring everything is well coated. Add the bay leaves and thyme (tied together) and bring to a boil. If the sauce tastes a bit bitter, don’t panic; the alcohol from the beer is still in it. This will disappear if you give the dish a rolling boil for a few minutes. Now put the lid on and be patient – ​​it should simmer gently on the lowest heat for at least 3 hours. Longer is fine; the meat cubes may fall apart – I find it delicious. Finally, season with pepper and salt and thicken with a little cornstarch if you like. Towards the end of the cooking time, fold the puff pastry squares into triangles, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water, and add a little salt. Brush the triangles with this mixture and bake for about 20 minutes according to the package instructions. This is how it is often served in English pubs (puff pastry on the side). If you want to serve a Sunday-worthy “home-cooked” dish, you can also transfer the meat mixture to a large casserole dish, cover it with puff pastry, and bake it in the oven. It’s often served with creamy mashed potatoes, and coleslaw is also delicious. Enjoy your meal!