Steak and blue cheese pie
- 180 Minutes
- Easy
- Beef
We love a good pie in England and steak pie is a classic. This recipe is perfect for pie lovers looking for a twist. It’s a beautifully golden, crusted puff pastry pie with a braising steak, blue cheese, and brown ale filling. A lovely comforting meal on chilly winter evenings.
Cooking Method
- Heat the oil in a casserole or heavy-based lidded pan over a high heat and fry the pieces of steak until they’re golden brown all over (you might need to do this in batches). Move the browned steak into a bowl as you fry.
- Lower the heat slightly and add the onions to the pan with a splash more oil if required. Fry for 8-10 minutes or until the onions are soft and lightly golden. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until combined, then slowly add the ale a bit at a time, continuing to stir until the flour has soaked up the liquid and expanded. Once all the ale has been mixed in, add the herbs and sugar. Bring to a simmer then put the steak back in the pan along with the stock. Return to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on a low heat for 2 hours and 30 minutes, or until the meat has become very tender. Take off the lid in the last 20-30 minutes to reduce the gravy so it’s thick enough to coat the meat.
- Stir in the vinegar and season well. A pinch more sugar may be necessary depending on the bitterness of your chosen beer. Leave to cool down fully, then chill overnight.
- Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Crumble the cheese into big pieces and stir through the cold pie filling mixture. Pour into a lipped pie dish.
- Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface until around 5mm thick, and just slightly larger than the pie dish. Brush beaten egg along the rim on the dish.
- Lift the pastry lid over the top, press along the rim to seal, cut away any excess pastry and crimp the edge. Glaze with more egg and decorate with any off cuts. Cut a small steam hole in the top and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden, puffed up, and bubbling.
The Ingredients
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- 1kg of braising steak
- 2 finely chopped onions
- 50g of plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 550ml of brown ale
- ½ small bunch of thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp of brown sugar
- 300ml of beef stock
- 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
- 150g of stilton or another firm blue cheese
- 325g of puff pastry
- 1 beaten egg
What to serve with steak and blue cheese pie
There are a number of flavourful side dishes that can nicely complement the strong flavours of a steak and blue cheese pie. Some of our favourites are:
- Creamy mashed potato
- Peas
- Roasted vegetables
- Beer battered chips
- Roasted potatoes
