Cooking Corner Steak & Ale Mushroom Pie

This week Pub Food. Meat Pies have a long history around the world. Beer was first invented 9,000 years ago! Making this, I’m simply following in my ancestors footsteps.

This recipe takes a bit of time to produce. It’s raining today so I have lots of time. I guarantee you the time is worth the result.

Steak & Ale Mushroom Pie

Portions: 1 10 inch Pie – serves 6 or 8 portions. How hungry is everyone?

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Veggie Oil

½ medium White Onion diced – any onion works

4 Garlic Cloves, Minced – I use my Garlic Press – or chop finely – Garlic is optional

1 Tsp Ground Pepper, 1 Tsp Salt – If using salted Beef Stock – NO SALT – You will be tasting later and can increase Salt and Pepper to taste. I used no sodium Beef Stock. It needed salt.

Thyme and Rosemary – 1 Tbsp of each fresh or 1 Tsp dried – My herbs are ready to pick

2 Lb. Stewing Beef or any other kind of cheap lean beef – cut into bite size pieces. ½ to 1 inch. They will shrink. I bought the cheapest cut I could find as a test. AAA Cross Rib Roast Boneless on Special. Stewing beef is probably the right thing to use.

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tbsp Tomato Paste or Puree – I buy it in tubes – easy to deal with

2 Tbsp Flour

1 Bottle / Can Dark Beer – I used a tall can of Guinness – No Beer? Just add extra stock.

2 Cups Beef Stock – No or low sodium.

1 Lb Mushrooms cut chunky – I used simple large white mushrooms. Take a look in the markets these days – lots of variety produced locally.

1 Tbsp Corn Starch and 2 Tbsp Water, well mixed in a small bowl. This is the thickener used a the end as necessary.

2 sheets pie crust – I used pre-made from the market. There’s a pie crust recipe in my Strawberry Rhubarb Pie recipe that would work perfectly. Either way it does not get pre-cooked.

1 Egg Yolk and 1 Tbsp Milk, beaten together, for Egg Wash on Pie Crust topper

Method:

1. In a large deep pan, pot or Dutch Oven, add Veggie Oil. Heat to medium high. 6 out of 10 on my stove top. I used my Dutch Oven.

2. Add Onions. Cook until starting to brown. Add Thyme, Rosemary, Salt and Pepper.

3. Add Garlic and cook for one minute.

4. Add in the beef pieces. Allow meat to get colour on all sides of the cubes. Some recipes want you to sear the beef separately. You can but this is not necessary, This is not necessary in that we will be cooking the beef in a sauce for several hours. Stir, stir, stir – wooden spoon works well. The beef simply needs to be browned not cooked through.

5. Add Worcestershire Sauce, Tomato Paste, Flour. Stir

6. Add the Beer and Beef Stock. Stir it up to an even consistency.

7. Place a lid on the Pot. Simmer for 90 minutes. 2 out of 10 on my stove top. Give it a stir every 30 minutes to keep the beef from sticking to the bottom.

8. 90 minutes have passed. Check the Beef that it is fork tender. If not, give it more time. Mine took 3 hours. It depends on the meat. Some cuts go faster than others. When the beef is fork tender, add the mushrooms.

9. Continue simmering for 20 minutes with the lid on.

10. 20 minutes have gone by. Are the mushrooms cooked to your satisfaction? They should be right, but you can cook a little longer if you want. Why not cook the mushrooms at the beginning? They would disintegrate on you during simmering. This works well.

11. Because of all the liquid we put in there is a good portion of gravy on top. With a ladle, remove most of the gravy and set aside in a bowl. You want to leave the pie filling the right consistency to be moist but not sloppy. The gravy is for over top your pie pieces when served.

12. If you think it needs thickening, Add corn starch and water a bit at a time. As the pie cooks it will let off some steam, a little thinner is better than thicker. Cook and stir until it looks right for pie. If it gets too thick, add back a bit of the gravy.

13. 9 or 10 inch pie pan. I use glass or ceramic pans. Use what you got. Roll out pastry dough to fit the bottom of pie pan. Add filling. Brush Egg Wash around the edge of the pastry. Place top on. You can crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers. Make sure it’s sealed. Cut off the extra crust around the edge. Cut several slits in the top to allow steam to get out. Brush entire top with Egg wash. Make certain the slits on top are not plugged with egg wash.

14. Cook at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top. Done. Let cool and enjoy.

I made this recipe as one large pie in a 10 inch pie pan. You could make individual small pies or Pot Pies with a Puff Pastry topper. Then it can be kept in the fridge or frozen for later.

Have fun, make it your own. The gravy is wonderful on mashed potatoes