Forfar Bridie Recipe from Scotland
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 Forfar bridies? 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 baked 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?
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Forfar Bridie Recipe
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean beef organic, mince or chopped, cut into ½" pieces (1 cm)
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 oz butter or shredded suet
- ½ tsp dry mustard powder
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt
- ¾ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 2 Tbsp beef stock (I use water and Oxo beef cube)
- 1 lb flaky pastry or puff pastry (see NOTES for shortcrust recipe)
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
- Shortcrust pastry recipe
- Shortcrust pastry is the authentic option. Also, omit the mustard powder and beef stock for a more authentic recipe.
- I used Trader Joe's puff pastry for the bridies in the photos.
Nutrition
More savory Scottish recipes ~
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Another post on Forfar Bridie – made the recipe a couple of days ago, but used puff pastry (because I had it on hand), and I’m not very adept at pastry (Yet!) The meat pies were seriously beyond outstanding. a 10! If you haven’t already made them, now is the time.
I had a little more than one pound of meat, so I made 8 pies by cutting the puff pastry sheets into quarters. Shared them with 6 friends – who raved about them IMMEDIATELY. FYI, I did add some slightly spicier seasonings – and- I didn’t have time to finish them on the afternoon I got the meat mixture together, so I stored the meat in a covered bowl in the refrigerator until the next day. It was perfect because the meat had time to absorb more of the spices.
No steak sauce needed here – although HP is our favorite.
Now seeking rhubarb and on to the next recipe
As always Christine – thank you, thank you.
I can just hear your dad say ‘Bridie’ with his most incredible Scottish accent, Christina. You know, it’s so long since I’ve had one that I really appreciated having a reminder about the differences with a bridie and Cornish pasty. They’re so good, no need for any sauce, IMHO. Yours look good – and what lovely looking pastry. Would you believe (of course you do) that we have the same tea-towel but the funniest is that I ran out of Guérande salt and have the same Fleur de Sel from the Camargue – same packaging and baking with it just now too!
Haha! Yeah, we don’t make them often enough. I’m SO not surprised about the salt! :)
I’ve never heard of a bridie before but I like the recipe! And we’ve got all the fixings here at home, so I may just give this a go this week.
Yes, nothing fancy required, Frank! Enjoy!
Yum! i love any kind of meat pie! I can’t wait to try this!
You’re going to love them if you love meat pies!!
I will be anxious to try these. The recipe sounds quite similar to the French Canadian Tortiere I make for the holidays (having grown up in Montreal). anyway the meat in a Tortiere is a mixture of beef, pork, veal (if you like),cooked a simmered, put in a pie crust and baked. In older times it was usually consumed when families returned from Xmas Eve midnight mass, after having fasting for the day. Christina love all of these good memories and fantastic recipes you are serving up. Thank you
Ooh, that sounds interesting! Thanks, Wendy! I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes :)
I have never heard of a bridie – but I want to make them! I will probably use short crust because, well, I’m avoiding shopping! Hope you are well! xo
That’s the authentic way, so you’re good!! Enjoy, David!
I remember Forfar Bridie’s as being very popular fare served at the annual early October Feast of the Hunter’s Moon, an authentic re-enactment of a festival celebrated at a French fort and trading post on the Wabash River outside present day West Lafayette, Indiana. It included the arriival of French river voyagers, the wail of Scottish bagpipes, and native Indian dancing as the regional native people and European settlers gatheted. I remember the hand pies as including chunks of potato and carrots as well as meat, forming a savory gravy. It has been many years since I was well enough to attend, but I remember the children’s trading blanket, and the beautiful setting on the bend of the wide river so fondly. Thanks for bringing back the memories.
Wow, that sounds like a really interesting festival! How much fun that must have been. I think you’ll have to try the bridie recipe now! I bet it will bring back memories! :)
Yes! Feast of the Hunter’s Moon! I think these, Buffalo burgers and roasted corn were all we ever ate on those weekends! Happy to find this recipe and anxious to try it out! Ah….the memories! Envious of friends who still live in the Midwest and attend….(except for this year) hoping it returns with a vengeance in Fall 2021.
I love this & I’m actually salivating, looks so delicious. I do love a good bridie.
I think you need to make them, Karen! :)