Steak & Ale Pie

Serves 4

1 tbsp vegetable oil 

100 g smoked bacon lardons or smoked bacon, chopped 

1 kg beef shin, cut into large chunks 

2 onions, roughly chopped 

3 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks 

3 tbsp plain flour 

1 tbsp tomato purée 

1 tsp malt or red wine vinegar 

400 ml sweet brown ale 

500 ml Beef Bone Stock

Few thyme sprigs, stalks and leaves separated 

2 bay leaves 

For the pastry  

700 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 

2 tsp English mustard powder 

150 g lard 150g butter, plus extra for the dish 

2 egg yolks, beaten

Method

First, preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. In a large casserole dish, heat vegetable oil and fry the bacon until lightly browned. Set it aside. Brown the beef in batches, adding more oil if needed. Set aside.

Next, add onions and carrots to the pan and cook on low heat. Stir in flour, tomato purée, vinegar. Return the beef and bacon to the pan, along with any juices. Stir in ale, stock, thyme, and bay. Season generously and simmer. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for about 2 hours until the meat is tender.

Let it cool slightly, then strain off half of the braising liquid into another container. Cool it completely. This can be done up to two days ahead and refrigerated. It can also be frozen for up to three months.

For the pastry, combine flour, mustard powder, lard, and butter with salt. Gradually add up to 250 ml of ice-cold water to make a soft dough. Knead thyme leaves into the pastry, cover, and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This can be done up to two days ahead and chilled or frozen for up to a month.

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and place a baking tray inside. Butter a 26-28cm pie dish and dust with flour.

Roll out most of the pastry to line the dish, leaving some overhang. Fill the dish with the beef mixture, brush the edges with egg yolk, and cover with the remaining pastry. Trim and crimp the edges, then decorate with pastry shapes. Brush the top with more yolk and make a hole in the center. Place the dish on the hot baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes, brush with yolk again, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Let it rest for 10 minutes while you heat up extra gravy.