Steak pie served with peas, mashed potatoes and gravy is a quintessential British meal. Just one of the great dishes that are under appreciated from the UK. Give this recipe a try and you’ll see what I mean.
I’ve discovered that many Americans are not familiar with a traditional British steak pie.
Introducing British Steak Pie
Once, my parents invited some friends for dinner, and my mother told them she’d like them to try her steak pie. They were pleasantly surprised when they first tasted it, and immediately fell in love with the dish.However, it was only then that they both explained their horror of what they had initially imagined a steak pie to be: a sweet pie filled with a steak!
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If you’ve never had a steak pie, here’s your chance to try something new and different (and delicious). I will warn you that if you purchase your pie crust, it won’t be that exciting, and if the crust has sugar in it, please do not use it for this purpose. This is in the same sort of category as sausage rolls, so if you like those, I bet you’ll like this pie, too.
Scottish Steak Pie
There is another option, which is the traditional Scottish manner of making a steak pie, which is to put the stew in a dish and cover the top with puff pastry. This is equally as enticing as a steak pie with crust! Make sure to serve it with more gravy, mashed potatoes and peas, and a Scottish ale wouldn’t hurt, for those who imbibe.
Traditional British Steak Pie
recipe by Christina Conte (learned from my mother) Serves 6
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- 1 double crust pie pastry (without sugar)
For the filling
- good quality stew meat, preferably organic, grass fed, cut into bite sized pieces, tossed in flour
- onions, diced
- olive oil
- OXO beef cubes or 1 tbsp beef bouillon or
- Kosher or sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- Worcestershire Sauce, if desired
- cold water (or beef stock-if using stock, omit the beef bouillion or add less)
- egg white, beaten with 1/2 tsp water (for brushing pie crust) omit for an egg-free dish
Sauté the onions in the olive oil in a heavy pot until translucent. Remove from pot and set aside. Add more oil to the pot if needed.
Over high heat, add half the meat and sear quickly, until slightly browned, and then remove, and set aside. Repeat with the remaining meat, but instead of removing it after it’s browned, add the other meat and onions back into the pot. (I get really good results when I use the pressure cooker, so if you have one and want to use it, the meat becomes really tender.)
Make a space in the middle of the pot and add the flour. Continue to sauté for about 5 minutes, so that the flour is cooked and brown; then add enough water or stock to make a gravy, but not so much that it won’t all fit in the pie dish (see photo below).
Add the bouillon/OXO cubes and salt (taste a little of the gravy so that you don’t over salt it).
Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or so, then remove from heat. Let cool slightly.
NOTE: Steak Pie can be made with seasoned raw meat being placed in the crust, but I find that the meat is too tough when made in this manner.
Place the bottom pie shell in a dish, and fill with the stew, then place the pastry on top. (If using puff pastry, place stew directly in dish and top with the pastry, crimping the edges to the side of the pan.) Brush with slightly beaten egg white and water.
Bake pie in crust, in preheated oven, near the bottom, at 400º F (200º C) for 30 minutes, then move the center of the oven for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with gravy, mashed potatoes (made with butter and half and half) and peas. Then close your eyes and pretend you’re in a British pub, and enjoy!
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Steak Pie with Peas, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Two versions of a British classic, Steak Pie is hearty yet delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 double crust pie pastry (without sugar) or enough puff pastry to cover the top of your dish
- 1 lb good quality stew meat, preferably organic, grass fed, cut into bite sized pieces, tossed in flour
- 1 very large or 2 medium onions, diced
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp beef bouillon or 2 OXO beef cubes
- 1 1/2 tsp Kosher or sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- splash of Worcestershire Sauce, if desired
- cold water (or beef stock-if using stock, omit the beef bouillion or add less)
- 1 egg white, beaten with 1/2 tsp water (for brushing pie crust or puff pastry)
Instructions
- Saute the onions in the olive oil in a heavy pot until translucent.
- Remove from pot and set aside. Add more oil to the pot if needed.
- Over high heat, add half the meat and sear quickly, until slightly browned, and then remove, and set aside. Repeat with the remaining meat, but instead of removing it, add the other meat and onions back into the pot. (I get really good results when I use the pressure cooker, so if you have one and want to use it, the meat becomes really tender.)
- Make a space in the middle of the pot and add the flour. Continue to saute for about 5 minutes, so that the flour is cooked and brown; then add enough water or stock to make a gravy, but not so much that it won’t all fit in the pie dish.
- Add the bouillon/OXO cubes and salt (taste a little of the gravy so that you don’t oversalt it).
- Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or so, then remove from heat. Let cool slightly.
- NOTE: Steak Pie can be made with seasoned raw meat being placed in the crust, but in the US, I find that the meat is too tough when made in this manner.
- Place the bottom pie shell in a dish, and fill with the stew, then place the pastry on top. (Or place stew directly in dish and top with puff pastry if using.) Brush with slightly beaten egg white and water.
- Bake pie in crust, in preheated oven, near the bottom, at 400º F (200º C) for 30 minutes, then move the center of the oven for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- (For puff pastry version, bake at 400º F (200º C) for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and risen.
- Serve with gravy, mashed potatoes (made with butter and half and half) and peas.
Notes
Nutrition information is for a double crust pie.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 262Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 750mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 25g
Nutrition information is only estimated.
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I was wondering if I could make this the day/night before, pop it in the fridge and the add the pastry to the top before I put i put it in the oven the next day? Thoughts on making ahead of time?
Hi Natalie, I wouldn’t recommend doing this simply because the crust will get soggy. What you can do is make the stew and the crust the night before and then assemble it the next day. Then you won’t have the soggy bottom crust! The other option is to make it and bake it almost all the way and then return it to the oven to finish baking the next day.
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I make mine with the addition of beef sausage links and it is a requested Christmas dish instead of turkey.
So happy that I found your site – many happy memories of growing up in Scotland now living in British Columbia.
Thank you fir sharing your recipes.
Hi Maggie! I’m happy you found it, too! My dad and I are intrigued about the sausages after seeing the episode of Still Game where Is makes Winston dinner and he asks about the steak pie, “and does it have the sausages through it?” and she says, “Aye!” Have you seen it? If you haven’t you SIMPLY must watch Still Game!!
Stay safe and thank you for the note!! :)
Omg! I love Still Game!
It’s brilliant!
Christina and Maggie, My “Nannie” made steak pie with beef sausages as well. We’ve had it for every New Year’s Day dinner my entire life, complete with tatties, turnips (rutabaga) and sprouts (we gave up on the peas many years ago). Unfortunately, I don’t eat meat any longer but it’s nice to see her tradition last for so long along with sausage rolls every Christmas Eve. And Dundee cake. :-)
Lovely! I have yet to try one with sausages! Dundee cake recipe is coming soon, too! :)
Fabulous! I can’t wait to see your recipe!
[…] Steak Pie […]
This is a great recipe, the closest I’ve ever found online to my Mum’s recipe.
You’ve got the peas wrong, though, marrowfat peas are the traditional accompaniment to steak pie, not garden peas in your picture.
Glad you like the steak pie recipe, but sorry, but no marrowfat peas in the US!
I’m English and old enough to have lived before frozen vegetables became common place. My father grew lots of vegetables in the garden and we always had what was in season. Garden peas in the days before freezing was a seasonal vegetable and in the winter the only peas available were marrowfat peas, boiled with bicarbonate of soda to keep them green. On a point about the minimal use of herbs in English cooking, it is said that in medieval times English meat was the best in Europe and required little embellishment , whereas the poor European meats required herbs and spices to compensate. Things have changed and despite the high quality of British meats, herbs and spices are widely used.
So very true! Thanks, Malcolm!
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I’m so excited to make this tonight!!! All of my Favorite things!!!
Wonderful! Let me know how you like it, Amy!
Hi can I freeze the leftovers if making the puff pastry version. Looking forward to trying this 👍🏼👍🏼
Sorry! Was in Australia when you sent this! I would freeze it without the puff pastry topping. Then when you want to serve it, add the puff pastry and bake it then. Hope it’s not too late to answer! CC