British Steak and Ale Pie with Shortcrust
Steak and Ale Pie
Tender beef braised with onions, mushrooms, carrots, herbs, and dark ale, then baked under a buttery shortcrust pastry lid until golden.
Steak and ale pie is built around a slow-cooked filling, not a rushed sauce. Browning the beef well and letting the ale reduce into the onions gives the gravy a savory depth that stands up to the pastry.
Chuck roast is ideal because it becomes tender during the long braise while keeping enough texture for generous slices in each serving. Mushrooms, carrots, thyme, and a spoonful of tomato paste round out the filling without making it sweet.
This version uses a shortcrust pastry lid rather than a full double crust, which keeps the pie hearty without turning heavy. Chill the pastry while the filling cools so the butter stays firm and bakes into a crisp, flaky top.
Serve the pie straight from the dish with peas, mash, or buttered greens. Let it rest for a few minutes after baking so the gravy settles and the slices spoon out cleanly.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Season the beef with kosher salt and pepper, then toss it with 1/3 cup flour until lightly coated.
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2
Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches for 3-4 minutes per side, transferring each batch to a plate.
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3
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions, mushrooms, and carrots to the pot and cook for 8-10 minutes, scraping up browned bits as the vegetables soften.
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4
Stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute. Pour in the ale and simmer for 3 minutes, then add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, and browned beef.
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5
Cover partly and simmer gently for 1 1/2-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and the gravy coats the back of a spoon. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaf, then cool the filling for 20 minutes.
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6
While the filling cools, make the pastry. Rub or cut the cold butter into the pastry flour and fine salt until the mixture has pea-size pieces, then stir in ice water 1 tablespoon at a time just until a dough forms.
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7
Shape the pastry into a disk, wrap, and chill for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 400°F and spoon the cooled beef filling into a deep 9-inch pie dish.
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8
Roll the pastry into a round slightly wider than the dish. Lay it over the filling, trim the edge, crimp to seal, brush with beaten egg, and cut 3 small vents in the center.
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9
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and the gravy is bubbling at the edges. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Ingredients
- Chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces:2 1/2 lb
- Kosher salt:1 1/2 tsp
- Black pepper:1 tsp
- All-purpose flour:1/3 cup
- Vegetable oil:2 tbsp
- Yellow onions, thinly sliced:2 large
- Cremini mushrooms, quartered:8 oz
- Carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces:2 medium
- Garlic cloves, minced:3 cloves
- Tomato paste:1 tbsp
- Dark ale or stout:12 fl oz
- Beef stock:1 1/2 cups
- Worcestershire sauce:1 tbsp
- Fresh thyme sprigs:3 sprigs
- Bay leaf:1 leaf
- Unsalted butter, cold and cubed:10 tbsp
- All-purpose flour for pastry:1 1/2 cups
- Fine salt for pastry:1/2 tsp
- Ice water:4 tbsp
- Egg, beaten:1 large
Tips & Notes
- Use an ale you would drink; very bitter beers can make the gravy harsh after reducing.
- Cool the filling before adding pastry so steam does not melt the butter before the pie reaches the oven.
- If the gravy becomes too thick during the braise, add a splash of beef stock and continue cooking gently.
- A metal pie dish gives the pastry edge especially good color, but a ceramic dish works well for serving at the table.
