I don’t know about you, but a good pie can make your whole day - there’s just something uplifting about them, whether it’s the crispy, flaky pastry or the rich, warming gravy, the tender chunks of steak… the combination of everything just makes for a mouthwatering, comforting meal. Perfect for those colder winter days!

Ingredients

1kg Braising Steak - cubed

60g plain flour

2 tsp oil 

1 large onion - halved the sliced 

2 cloves of garlic minced

150g chestnut mushrooms - sliced 

1 tbsp butter

500ml ale 

2 tsp marmite 

1 tsp thyme

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste 

1 tsp ground coriander 

Additional flour and water mix for thickening if needed

1 500g pack of ready to roll puff pastry 

1 egg for wash

Method

1. Season the flour to your taste, then toss the cubed steak in the flour until well coated.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion and garlic for 1 minute then fry the meat in small batches until browned on all sides, then set aside.

3. If needed, de-glaze the pan by adding half a cup of water, heating and stirring until all of the brown pieces from the pan come up, set this aside with the beef. 

4. Melt the butter in the same pan, then add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. 

5. Place the cooked beef, mushrooms, ale, thyme, coriander and marmite into a slow cooker and stir gently, then add the bay leaves and cook on medium for 3-4 hours until the meat is tender (cooking times vary on slow cookers so check every 40 minutes or so).

6. Note - the gravy on the meat needs to be thick, so if it looks too thin it can be adjusted in the last hour of cooking by mixing a tablespoon of flour and water into a thin paste and stirring it in, then leave to cook for a further 30 minutes and check the consistency again. 

7. Make sure to taste for the seasoning! 

8. Leave to cool completely before constructing the pie - the meat can be cooked a day in advance and kept in the fridge. 

9. Divide your pastry in half, line a greased pie dish with one half of the pastry and place the pie filling inside, then brush the edges with egg wash.

10. Roll the second half into a circle that is slightly bigger than the pie dish, then carefully drape this on top of the meat and push the edges together to seal. 

11. Crimp or fold the edges of the pie and then brush it completely with egg wash.

12. Make a small hole in the middle of the pie to let the steam out while it cooks. 

13. Cook in a preheated oven at 200°c for 30 minutes - make sure to check the pastry cooking guidelines as these may differ with different brands.