Hairy Bikers' steak and ale pie recipe

A hearty, mouthwatering steak and ale pie by the Hairy Bikers. Comfort food at it's finest. 

This steak and ale pie recipe uses stewing steak – infused with herbs, cooked with veggies and a generous amount of ale for an hour. This creates a tender, rich pie filling. In this recipe, the Hairy Bikers opt for shop-bought pastry which is a much quicker option than homemade, however, if you want to make the whole pie from scratch make your own puff pastry. The Hairy Bikers' steak and ale pie is one of our most popular Hairy Bikers recipes (opens in new tab).

Ingredients

• 900g stewing steak, diced
• 25g flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100g butter
• 2 onions roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
• 150g button mushrooms
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 400ml good-quality ale
• 500ml beef stock
• Salt and pepper
• 1 egg, beaten for glazing
• 300g ready-made rolled puff pastry

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/428°F/Gas Mark 7.
2. Pour flour into a bowl and season well. Coat the meat with the seasoned flour.
3. Heat half the butter in a heated pan and add the meat. Sear all over until golden brown.
4. Add the vegetables, herbs, ale and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and gently simmer for 1 hr. When cooked, season, add the remaining butter and pour into an ovenproof serving dish.
5. Brush the edge of the dish with the beaten egg. Roll out the pastry using as little flour as possible and place over the dish. Pinch the edges of the dish so that the pastry will stick to it and trim off any remaining pieces of pastry from around the edge. Brush the pastry top thoroughly with the remaining beaten egg and place on a baking tray.
6. Bake in the oven for 20-30 mins until the pastry is golden brown on top.

Watch how to make Hairy Bikers' steak and ale pie

Top tips for making Hairy Bikers’ steak and ale pie recipe

Make sure the filling is cooled slightly before adding the pastry otherwise the pastry will begin to soften and will be hard to manipulate into the pie top style you're after. 

Can you make this steak and ale pie ahead of time?

If you want to prep this pie in advance you'll be glad to know that its simple to do so as the filling can easily be frozen, defrosted and reheated when needed. Making the filling ahead of time will not only save you time on the day, but it will also make the filling extra flavoursome as it will be cooked twice. 

How to store leftover steak and ale pie

Leftover pie can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat thoroughly before serving again. This can be done in the oven on a low heat or in the microwave for speed. Make sure the pie is piping hot before serving.

This recipe is featured in the Hairy Bikers' Perfect Pies cookbook (opens in new tab)

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