Name: Hairy Bikers' steak and ale pie recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: Serves: 4–6
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 25g flour, plus extra for dusting; 900g stewing steak, diced; 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

By Hairy Bikers

last updated 4 October 2023

Contributions from

Jessica Ransom

in Recipes

The Hairy Bikers' steak and ale pie is easy to make ahead and can be frozen too.

Comforting, hearty, and easy to prepare, this recipe from Si and Dave is a real crowd-pleaser. Using shop-bought pastry is quicker and easier than making your own but still looks impressive. With crisp buttery pastry and a hearty meat filling, this pie is perfectly served with mashed potatoes, greens, and lashings of thick gravy.

Ingredients

25g flour, plus extra for dusting
900g stewing steak, diced
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

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Method

Pour flour into a bowl and season well. Coat the meat evenly with the seasoned flour.
Heat half the butter in a heated pan and add the meat. Sear all over until golden brown.
Add the onions, garlic carrots, mushrooms, thyme, ale and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and gently simmer for 1 hour. When cooked, season, add the remaining butter and pour into an ovenproof serving dish.
Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan, Gas 7). 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. Cut out any decorations you like using the offcuts.
Brush the pastry top thoroughly with the remaining beaten egg and place on a baking tray.
Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown on top and the filling is piping hot and tender.

Watch how to make Hairy Bikers' steak and ale pie

Top tips for making Hairy Bikers’ steak and ale pie

Si and Dave say: '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.' Continue reading for more simple tips and tricks.

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.

What is the best ale for steak and ale pie?

Generally, any ale you like drinking will also work nicely in the pie. A dark ale tends to be richer and more full-bodied and will add more flavour to the sauce. You could also use a stout like Guinness if you prefer.

If you like this recipe from Si and Dave you should also try the Hairy Bikers chicken pie or this Hairy Bikers fidget pie. We also have a delicious chicken pie recipe.

Explore More

Simon King and David Myers are the fantastic duo that make up the Hairy Bikers and are best known as Si and Dave. The Hairy Bikers have several cookbooks published including How to Love Food and Lose Weight and Eat for Life. Hairy Biker recipes are always triple tested and try to be as fuss-free as possible so you can trust the timings. Si and Dave have also had several hit cooking shows as they remain as one of the UK’s favourite cookery duos.

With contributions from