Beef and Guinness Pie
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1.5 kg grass-fed chuck steak, cut in 3-4cm pieces
40g/1 and half oz seasoned flour
55g /2oz dripping or lard
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons sea salt
3 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon soft thyme leaves
7 cloves garlic, peeled
125/4 oz soft dark muscovado sugar
1 tablespoon good olive oil
25g/1oz unsalted butter
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
6 sage leaves, finely chopped
18 stoned prunes
1 x 440ml can Guinness
1 block shop bought puff pastry
2 egg yolks for glazing
Method:
- Brown the meat all over in hot dripping, remove and set aside to cool
- In a food processor blend together the next six ingredients until you have a fine paste. If it appears too dry add a little water.
-Coat the beef all over with the paste, cover and refrigerate overnight, (ideally!) turning the meat from time to time.
- Preheat oven to 150C/Gas mark 2. In a heavy casserole dish heat the butter and oil until foaming, add the onions and fry them until they take on a little colour. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to combine.
- To the same casserole, add the beef and any marinade.
- Add the sage, prunes and Guinness, stir to combine bring to the boil, cover and place in the oven for 2 ½ -3 hours. Remove from the oven.
- Place the mixture in a pie dish then cover with puff pastry, egg glaze, decorate according to your liking, egg glaze again.
- Alternatively share between individual pie dishes. Bake in a 180C/Gas mark 4 oven for 40-50 minutes until pastry is cooked and filling is hot.
-Serve with mash and your favourite green vegetable.