A Forfar bridie is a popular Scottish creation that isn’t quite as famous as Cornish pasties, but if you ask me, they win the prize for the tastier of the two!
Have you ever heard of a bridie? Unless you’re from Scotland, or possibly the UK, I’d place a bet that you haven’t, and that’s such a shame! Let’s change that, shall we?
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What is a Bridie? (or a Forfar Bridie?)
A Scottish Forfar bridie is a meat and onion filled pastry that is popular in Scotland. The traditional and authentic Forfar version uses shortcrust pastry, however, bridies are often made with flaky pastry in Scotland. In the US and Canada, it would be referred to as a handheld meat pie.
Why is a Bridie called a Bridie?
According to the Rampant Scotland website and other online sources,
These are said to have been made by a travelling food seller, Maggie Bridie of Glamis (in the days when the county of Angus was called Forfarshire). They were mentioned by J M Barrie (author of Peter Pan) who was born in Kirriemuir in that county. -Rampant Scotland
What is a Bridie in Scotland?
A tasty meat and onion filled pastry that is often eaten by hand and sold in bakeries and cafes.
What’s the Difference Between a Forfar Bridie and a Cornish Pasty?
The main difference is in the filling. While a bridie only contains pieces of beef and onion, a pasty also includes potatoes and swede, or turnip or rutabaga (depending on where you live, it is known by different names.) Although both authentic versions use shortcrust pastry, the crimping style of finishing the edge is different, and as noted above, bridies often are made with flaky pastry.
What is a Forfar? 😂
I am adding this question as people are searching for the answer on Google! Forfar is not a thing, but a place! Forfar is a town in Scotland, not too far from Dundee, where the Dundee Cake recipe originated. Forfar bridies are simply the same as the aforementioned Dundee Cake, a dish from a place, just like Buffalo hot wings or New England clam chowder.
Although the ingredients are rather similar, Scottish sausage rolls taste very different from Forfar bridies. Why not make both and compare for yourself?
Scottish Sausage Rolls Recipe
Forfar bridies are perfect packable food to go, too.
Forfar Bridie Recipe
Adapted from Rampant Scotland and Traditional Scottish Cookery Cookbook Serves 6
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- ground beef (mince) or chopped lean, organic beef
- onion
- butter or shredded suet
- dry mustard powder
- Kosher or sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- beef stock
- flaky pastry or puff pastry
Note: shortcrust pastry is the authentic option.
Oven temperature to start: 450˚F (230˚C)
Step by Step Directions for Bridie Recipe
Put all of the ingredients, except for the pastry, into a large bowl and mix well, preferably with your hands.
Divide the pastry and meat mixture into six equal portions. Roll or cut (if using puff pastry) each piece of pastry into an oval or circle about six inches in diameter, and about quarter of an inch thick.
Place some of the bridie mixture in the middle of the pastry.
Wet the edge of the pastry with water, then fold over to seal.
Seal the edge of the pastry with a fork.
Place the finished bridies onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone sheet or piece of parchment paper. Cut a small slit or two in the top then brush with an egg white wash (slightly beat an egg white with half a teaspoon of water.)
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 450˚F (230˚C) for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350˚F (180˚C) and cook for another 35 to 40 minutes until they are golden brown. If they start to get too brown, cover with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and if not eating them right away, place on a metal cooling rack.
Serve hot, with a generous amount of HP Sauce! and chips (as in chunky fries) and Heinz beans. Thanks to Rona B. from Forfar who told me that they’re traditionally served with chips (and not mashed potatoes) and beans. She also went out of her way to ask NINE other friends how they eat theirs and they all concurred. So there you have it: straight from Forfar! Thanks again, Rona! 😊
How about some Dundee cake with a cup of tea, now?
Forfar Bridie Recipe
Traditional Scottish handheld meat pies from Forfar, Scotland.
Ingredients
- 1 lb mince or chopped lean, organic beef, cut into 1/2" pieces (1 cm)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 oz butter (about 2 Tbsp) cut into small pieces, or shredded suet
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Kosher or sea salt
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp beef stock (I use water and Oxo beef cube)
- 1 lb flaky pastry or puff pastry (I used Trader Joe's puff pastry for the bridies in the photos) Note: shortcrust pastry is the authentic option. (link to shortcrust pastry in the instructions)
Instructions
Oven Temperature: 450˚F (230˚C)
- Put all of the ingredients, except for the pastry, into a large bowl and mix well, preferably with your hands.
- Divide the pastry and meat mixture into six equal portions. Roll or cut (if using puff pastry) each piece of pastry into an oval or circle about six inches in diameter, and about quarter of an inch thick.
- Place some of the bridie mixture in the middle of the pastry.
- Wet the edge of the pastry with water, then fold over to seal.
- Seal the edge of the pastry with a fork.
- Place the finished bridies onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone sheet or piece of parchment paper. Cut a small slit or two in the top then brush with an egg white wash (slightly beat an egg white with half a teaspoon of water.)
- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 450˚F (230˚C) for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350˚F (180˚C) and cook for another 35 to 40 minutes until they are golden brown. If they start to get too brown, cover with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and if not eating them right away, place on a metal cooling rack.
- Serve hot, with a generous amount of HP Sauce! You can make it a full meal by adding hot, fluffy mashed potatoes and a green vegetable, like peas, (or Heinz beans.)
Notes
Note: shortcrust pastry is the authentic option. Also, omit the mustard powder and beef stock for a more authentic recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 710Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 1030mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 3gSugar: 16gProtein: 32g
Nutrition information is only an estimate.
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You need to allow for fan ovens ! Otherwise you will be covering with foil after the 10 minutes
Each oven is different, David. I used a fan oven for these and no issue at all. It’s important to know one’s own oven temperament :)
These are different then the ones I had. There is an English restaurant in Fullerton Ca called Ye Olde Ship (The Old Ship) and they sell what they call a Scottish Pasty. It was a meet in a brown gravy, but the brown gravy was a whiskey based one. It looks like they have changed their naming since I was there 20 years ago. I have always wanted to find out what they made it with, loved it. I am going to try this and see how many memories it brings back. I used to get a Black and Tan and a Scottish Pasty, loved it.
I think you’ll love them, Mitchell :)
Can you clarify what I can use for beef stock? How would I make 2 tbs of beef stock with Knorr Beef liquid concentrate?
Hi Alex, I would follow the directions on the concentrate to make a small amount (half a cup?) then use 2 Tbsp. Let me know how you like them!
Why call for lean ground/minced beef and then add butter/suet? Wouldn’t it be easier just to use an 80% ground beef and skip the butter/suet?
Flavor, Margret. Won’t have the same flavor without the butter or suet.
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These are amazing, never with mash though always chips and beans and HP Sauce or Daddies Brown sauce. Better than Greggs.
OXO cube in America? With this COVID thing we have had no visitors from Scotland and I used my last remaining OXO cube at the New Year. Is there somewhere I can buy them or do I have to work whatever America provides?
Here in North Carolina i use Knorr stock cubes, less than half cup of water with one cube. I like to taste the flavor. I can never make enough of them.