Weekly Recipe: Rick’s Steak and Ale Pie

The surprising thing about most pub fare standards is that, in spite of their simplicity, they don’t translate well to the home kitchen.   This dish, one of my favourites, is not only coin of the realm on most pub menus but maintains its ease of preparation AND can be made in advanced and stored until YOU’RE ready.   I prefer to use a maltier beer like a Scotch or Brown ale but have even used a porter/stout.

• 2 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup cubed frozen carrots
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth/stock
• 1 cup good quality ale (scotch ale, brown ale, or porter)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons drained brined green peppercorns, coarsely chopped
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• Frozen puff pastry dough
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon water
• 4 (14-oz) deep bowls/ramekins or similarly sized ovenproof dishes

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess and transfer to a plate. Heat the oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl.    Add onion, garlic, and water to pot and cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot and stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef with any juices accumulated in bowl, broth, beer, Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, carrots, peas, and thyme and bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven. Braise until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard thyme and cool stew completely, uncovered, about 30 minutes. (If stew is warm while assembling pies, it will melt uncooked pastry top.)   Put a shallow baking pan on middle rack of oven and increase oven temperature to 425°F.

Divide cooled stew among bowls (they won't be completely full). Allow puff pastry to warm up just enough to become pliable, roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Trim edges and cut dough into quarters. Stir together egg and water and brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around each square. Invert 1 square over each bowl and drape, pressing sides lightly to help adhere. Brush pastry tops with some of remaining egg wash and freeze 15 minutes to thoroughly chill dough.   Bake pies in preheated shallow baking pan until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake 5 minutes more to fully cook dough, drink any remaining beer, opening additional beer as needed.

Beer Pairings:

Ideally you should use the same beer that you used in the recipe.   My preferences are Arcadia Scotch Ale, Oskar Blues “Old Chubb”, or Troeg’s “Troegenator”.  If you want to go darker I’m a fan of North Coast’s “Old No. 8” Stout or Great Divide’s “St. Bridget’s” Porter.

Wine Pairings:

2006 Qupe Syrah (Central Coast, CA)

2006 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Chateau du Beaucastel (Rhone Valley, FR)

2007 Cotes du Rhone, Domaine Paul Autard (Rhone Valley, FR)

2007 Cotes-du-Rhone, Domaine de la Mordoree (Rhone Valley, FR)

View Recipe Archive