[FONT=Arial][SIZE=7][COLOR=Black]Hello all,
I am new to this forum so be gentle with me.![]()
Does anyone have a good recipe for Beef & Ale Pie?
Cheers
Chas
[FONT=Arial][SIZE=7][COLOR=Black]Hello all,
I am new to this forum so be gentle with me.![]()
Does anyone have a good recipe for Beef & Ale Pie?
Cheers
Chas
HMMMM......NOW YOU'RE TALKING
The thing is....doyou want a big flaky lid on it and no pastry UNDER it...or a real pie...with shortcrust all round? Even under it?
For me a pie MUST be shortcrust and be totally enclosed....sothe gravy gets into that bottom layer
The trick here is to keep the flavour ofthe ale..thats damn hard.
My plan, and this is off the topof my head, would be:
Shortcrust pasty: For every 100gm of flour, you use 25gm of lard and 25gm of butter and a pich of salt....
Rub fat into the flour until its all crumbled and lovely....smooth, no big umps, just like the crumble on top of ....err...apple crumble. You use your finger tips and you keepit all cold....cold butter, cold lard, cold bowl......you are covering ever grain of flour with unmelted butter and lard...its an action that takes practice. You move your thumb FROM your little finger to your index finger WHILE lifting it all up and letting it fall into the bowl to get air in it.....over and over....both hands.
Once thoroughyl mixed, add spoon fulls of cold water and mix with a cold metal spoon until the pastry dough becomes a nice solid, felxible ball.
Wrap in cling film, with a bit of flour on it, and put in fridge.
Get your pie bowl....butter it.....roll out half you pastry, and lay it over the bowl, gently push it into the corners and then trim the top with a knife...make sure you patch it up with any spare if you tear it. Prong the pastry with a fork all over.
Put grease proof paper over it, and weigh it down with someting that can get hot safely (lots of people use dried beans, or baking beads made of glass..but if you're stuck....use a small oven proof mug or plate.)
Bake in the oven at about Gas mark 5 or 6 until its nice and golden....this is called BAKING BLIND....cos there is no food in it. ..yet.
*At this point Zak points out that its not his forum and he's gonna get toasted by Deckard for this...but carries on regardless*
Pastry like that takes about 15 minutes...maybe 20...dont fret too much....its gonna get PIE IN IT SOON
Fry one onion, gently, not burn...sweat it...make it go all see through and nice. Then in with some cubed steak....gently fry until brown....not coked trhough....just borwned and half way done. Then in with a few herbs..my choice would be....err....whatever is in the gardenSalt and pepper.
Now.....half a bottle of NEWCASTLE BROWN ALE.......lid off.....cook and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes....then in gentle glugs until you;ve used about 3/4....then cook down until the stock is quite thick.
I'd put a splash of red wine in too......but thats me.
Then....taste....is it beefy enough? Dont be afraid of your mate OXO at this piointbut only crumble it over gently....mix...taste.....a bit at a time
We're ready.....spoon the beef and gravy into the part baked pie (clearly with all the greaseproof out), and then glug a last bit of beer in to keep the ale taste.
On with the lid. It wont stick well, cos the bottom is cooked and the top aint yet, but moisten the edge and put the lid on....
(tip: make a cone of grease proofpaper and put it pointy side up in middle of beef....use like chimney)
Trim edge and to seal it....get a fork, and push it into the edges, not pointy bit but flat, so the tines make four grooves into the edges....do all the way around..itll force the pastry to join and look nice and frilly.
Help the chimney out with a knife in the middle tolet out steam....
brush with milk.....into the oven, gas mark 5 or 6 middle shelf.....give it 20 minutes turn it, and if need be cover with foil to stop the pasrty burning while the meat finishes off cooking.
Max time in oven......30 minutes ata guess.
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Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
My mother has one, everytime we go home to see my parents its beef an ale pie for tea, cos its that goddamm nice!! and it also keeps her on tumbles good side
Will get the recipe for you![]()
South Barrule from Cringle Plantation (with a Landy)
Thanks for the fast response ZAK. I will let you know how I get on
Chas
one other thing.....you'll have to guess how much pastry to make....and a spoon of mustard in that gravy before it goes in the pie would be good.....ohh.....thats 2 things![]()
Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
and a third thing.....whatever pastry is left over....cut it into leaves or diamonds and decorate the middle of the pie....it'll strengthen the hole and look lovely.
Just wet the pastry where you want it to stick.
Its the little things that make the big things so goodI guarantee it will taste better if it looks better
Do you understand the fork thing? Hold the fork horizonatally and just push it down into the edge and then pull it out and away from the pie......all around.
Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
Steak and Ale Pie
Serves: 6 Prep and cook time: 2 hours +
Ingredients
875g braising steak
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, peeled and sliced into large pieces
1 heaped tbsp plain flour
450ml light ale
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
175g mushrooms, roughly chopped
250g fresh puff pastry
1 medium size egg, beaten
Method
Heat the oil in a large pan until sizzling, then add the meat and fry until dark brown all over.
Add the onions and cook for a further minute.
Stir in the flour, cook for two minutes then gradually add the ale, stirring all the time.
Add the bay leaf and thyme and season well.
Cover and simmer gently for 1½ hours.
Preheat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, Gas Mark 7.
Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir in. Transfer to an ovenproof pie dish and dampen the edges.
Roll out the pastry to cover the pie and carefully lay over the filling. Press down and seal at the edges.
Flute the edges by pressing with a fork, brush with the beaten egg and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
ALTERNATIVE METHOD:
Line a pie dish with shortcrust pastry and prick the base with a fork.
Cover with greaseproof paper then fill with either ceramic baking beans or dried pulses such as haricot beans.
Allow to rest in the fridge for ten minutes then bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove the beans and greaseproof and bake again for 10 minutes.
Now fill with the beef and mushrooms as above, top with the puff pastry and bake as normal.
oooops.....mine was too short on steak cooking time.....but toher than that....
am I good or WHAT![]()
Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
nother addition.....
he's using braising steak....(cos he's tight)
I'd use a nice bit of steak that you WOULD have grilled......just dice it.
Quicker![]()
Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
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