How to Make Beef and Ale Gravy

Steak and ale pie is a classic, 'comfort-food' recipe that will go down well at any dinner table. It features on nearly every pub menu across Britain and it does a wonderful job of warming our hearts and bellies, especially during the winter months. Make this pie at home with fall-apart chunks of braising steak and either homemade or shop bought shortcrust pastry.

Jump to:

• 👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 Step by step instructions
• 💭 Expert tips
• ❓ Frequently asked questions
• 🍖 Other steak recipes:
• 📖 Recipe

👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

The joy of this steak and ale pie is in the long slow cook of the filling. Once in the oven you can spend your time doing other things. Then, be welcomed back into the kitchen by a pot of pure food perfection. The steak and ale filling is so good that it can be served up as a stew - with optional mashed potatoes and green veggies on the side. However, it's also worth the extra effort to finish this recipe and make it into a proper pie.

Once the filling is cooked it can be cooled and stored and the pastry and pie can be put together later on or even on a different day. The finished pie is then baked in the oven for a final 45 minutes.

🥘 Ingredients

To make steak and ale pie in a 21cm (8 inch) pie dish, which will serve 4-6 people:

For the filling:

• 20g butter
• 850g braising steak (Usually this is chuck or blade)
• 2 onions
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery sticks
• 3 tablespoon plain flour
• 300ml Amber ale (I used Yorkshire Black Sheep ale)
• 300ml Beef stock (I used 2 oxo cubes dissolved in 300ml of water)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• Few sprigs of fresh Parsley, thyme and 2 bay leaves tied together in a bundle with some string (bouquet garni)

For the pastry:

• 400g plain flour
• 200g unsalted butter
• 1 egg yolk (optional - adds a bit a richness but not necessary)
• Pinch of salt
• Around 50-100ml of cold water.
• 1 egg to glaze
• Extra flour for rolling out pastry
• A bit of margarine/soft butter and flour to grease and flour the pie dish

Ingredient notes

Steak: Choose braising steak, beef brisket or beef cheeks, which will turn tender and fall apart after a long slow cook. Lamb neck and shoulder are also great for cooking long and slow and making into a lamb pie.

Vegetables: Onion, carrot and celery are the basic veg that add a great flavour to any one pot recipe. I recommend using at least these three vegetable. But you have any other leftover veg lying around then definitely chop it up and pop it in as well.

Stock: Choose a good quality stock as this will make the base of the filling, if using stock cubes I recommend beef oxo for this recipe.

Ale: Choose a pale ale that won't bee too overpowering. If you prefer you can leave the ale out completely and just make up the liquid amount with some extra stock.

Pastry: If you prefer you can use shop bought shortcrust pastry. Or if you don't want to use pastry, top your pie with mash potato instead!

🔪 Step by step instructions

How to make the filling

1. Pre heat oven to 160°C/140°C Fan/325°F. Place casserole dish on a medium heat, add the butter, then sear off the chunks of braising steak. You may need to do this in batches, then remove and set to one side.
2. Keep the casserole dish on the medium heat (add more butter if required) then add the chopped onions, celery and carrot and cook until starting to soften.
3. Sprinkle 3 tablespoon plain flour over the veg and mix in, this will help to thicken the gravy later on.
4. Next pour in the pale/amber ale, beef stock and Worcestershire sauce, stir and start to bring the whole pot to the boil.
5. Meanwhile, bunch together the sprigs of parsley and thyme. Wrap the bay leaves around the sprigs and then tie together with string to create a 'bouquet garni'. Add the bouquet garni to the pot and dunk into the centre using a spoon.
6. Once the stew starts to boil, place on the lid and transfer to the centre of a pre heated oven and bake for 2 hours 30 minutes or until the beef is tender and falling apart. Check occasionally and add water or more stock if the liquid is reducing too much.
7. Once cooked, remove from the oven. Transfer the filling to a dish or container using a slotted spoon or sieve, leaving the gravy behind in the casserole dish. Leave the steak filling on the side to cool completely and transfer the gravy to a separate container for later. (Once cooled you can start to put together the pie - see below. Or cover the filling and store in the fridge until you are ready to make your pie).

How to make the pastry

1. Make your pastry whilst the filling is cooking in the oven. Add the flour, cold butter and a pinch of salt to a large mixing bowl. Rub together the butter into the flour using your fingertips until like breadcrumbs.
2. Next add the egg yolk and roughly mix in with a knife.
3. Next slowly add in the cold water. You will only need to add a bit at a time and possibly only up to 50 or 75ml in total. With each small addition mix in with your fingers and start to bring together into a pastry with your hands.
4. Stop adding water as soon as the pastry is together in one piece. Turn out onto the work surface and shape into a ball. Cut the pastry in half, then wrap each half in cling film and chill for at least 20 minutes.

Putting the pie together

1. Pre heat the oven to (200°C/180°C fan/400°F). After the pastry has been chilling for 20 minutes, take one of the pastry halves and remove the cling film. Flour your work surface then carefully roll out the pastry. You want to roll this to be slightly bigger than your pie dish so that it will cover the base and the sides of the dish.
2. Grease a 21cm (8 inch) pie dish. Use the rolling pin to manoeuvre the pastry into position inside the dish. Use your finger tips to gently push the pastry into the corners and sides of the dish. Try not to over handle the pastry whilst doing this. Use a knife to trim off the edges.
3. Next take the cooled steak and ale filling and add to the pastry lined pie dish. Fill to the top and then use the back of a spoon to gentle press down on the filling and flatten the top.
4. Now take the second half of the pastry, unwrap, flour work top and roll out as before. Use the rolling pin again to help position the pastry over the top of the filling. Trim with a knife and seal the edges with a fork.
5. Cut two small holes in the top of the pastry lid to allow steam to escape. Use any trimmed off pastry to cut out pastry leaves for decoration. Stick the leaves into place with a bit of water and then glaze the whole pastry lid with egg.
6. Place the pie in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for 45 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden.
7. Heat up the gravy saved from earlier and serve with the pie and your choice of veg and potatoes.

💭 Expert tips

Pie dish: grease your pie dish with margarine or soft butter then use a sieve to sprinkle flour over the top of the butter. Knock out any excess flour by turning upside down over the sink and lightly tapping the dish. This will help to stop the pastry sticking to the dish during baking.

Pie filling: make sure the steak filling has completely cooled before placing onto the pastry base. Hot or warm filling will result in soggy pastry, which won't crisp up in the oven.

Pastry: When mixing ingredients for the pastry use your finger tips so keeping the heat of your hands away from the pastry mix. This helps to keep the pastry cool. Chill the pastry once its made. cold pastry is easier to roll out and helps to stop shrinkage in the oven.

Oven temperatures: cook the filling long and slow on a low temperature (160°C/140°C Fan/325°F). Cook the pie for 45 minutes at a higher temperature (200°C/180°C fan/400°F).

Gravy: Once the filling is cooked strain the gravy off. Keep the gravy to one side for pouring over your finished pie later. The beef filling should then go into the pie with as little gravy as possible. This means more beef can be compacted into the pie and less liquid means the pastry won't go soggy.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Timings for steak and ale pie:

The filling for this pie will take around 20 minutes to prepare before being cooked long and slow in the oven for around 2 hours 30mins. So you could make the filling first thing in the morning and even go out once its in the oven. After cooking, the filling needs to be thoroughly cooled, so leave plenty of time for this to happen. If you are making the pastry you will need 20 minutes for the pastry to chill in the fridge before rolling it out. Once the pie is assembled the whole thing goes back in the oven at a slightly higher temperature for around 45 minutes.

Whats the best ale to cook with?

For a steak filling that is not too overpowering with the tang of ale, its best to choose lighter ales usually labelled as pale, amber or light brown. For this recipe I chose an amber ale.

Do you blind bake pastry for steak pie?

In this recipe there is no blind baking required. If the base pastry is thin enough and if the filling is cooled properly before adding to the dish then the pastry should cook well and crisp up nicely (both on top and on the base).
However, if you feel your pastry is a little on the thick side and you don't have time to thoroughly cool your filling, then your pastry base will probably benefit from a quick 10 minute blind bake.

How to store?

The filling and pastry can both be made and then stored in the fridge for up to a day or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before assembling into a pie or use directly from the fridge. Leftover pie can be completely cooled then wrapped in cling film and stored for 1-2 days in the fridge. To reheat bring to room temp then cover with foil and warm in the oven for around 30 minutes or until piping hot throughout.

🍖 Other steak recipes:

• Chimichurri Steak Platter
• Steak and Chips
• Vietnamese Style Beef Salad
• Beef Brisket Burrito
• Roast Beef Dinner

If you've tried this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram or Sign up to my email list!

📖 Recipe

Steak and Ale Pie

Steak and ale pie is a classic, 'comfort-food' recipe that will go down well at any dinner table. It features on nearly every pub menu across Britain and it does a wonderful job of warming our hearts and bellies, especially during the winter months. Make this pie at home with fall-apart chunks of braising steak and either homemade or shop bought shortcrust pastry.

Prep Time 1 hr

Cook Time 3 hrs 15 mins

Total Time 4 hrs 15 mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine British

Servings 4 people

Calories 1377 kcal

• ▢

  Medium sized casserole dish (dutch oven) with lid

• ▢

  Large mixing bowl

• ▢

  rolling pin

• ▢

  21cm (8 inch) pie dish

For the filling

• ▢ 20 g butter
• ▢ 850 g braising steak (this is usually chuck or blade)
• ▢ 2 onions roughly chopped 400g
• ▢ 2 carrots peeled and chopped into 1cm pieces 225g
• ▢ 2 celery sticks finely chopped
• ▢ 3 tablespoon plain flour
• ▢ 300 ml Amber ale I used Yorkshire Black Sheep ale
• ▢ 300 ml Beef stock I used 2 oxo cubes dissolved in 300ml of water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ Few sprigs of fresh Parsley thyme and 2 bay leaves tied together in a bundle with some string bouquet garni

For the pastry

• ▢ 400 g plain flour
• ▢ 200 g unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 egg yolk optional - adds a bit a richness but not necessary
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ Around 50-100ml of cold water.
• ▢ Extra flour for rolling out pastry
• ▢ 1 egg to glaze
• ▢ A bit of margarine/soft butter and flour to grease and flour the pie dish
• ▢ If you prefer you can use shop bought shortcrust pastry

How to make the filling

• Pre heat oven to 160°C/140°C Fan/325°F. Place casserole dish on a medium heat, add the butter, then sear off the chunks of braising steak. You may need to do this in batches, then remove and set to one side.

  20 g butter, 850 g braising steak

• Keep the casserole dish on the medium heat (add more butter if required) then add the chopped onions, celery and carrot and cook until starting to soften.

  2 onions roughly chopped, 2 celery sticks finely chopped, 2 carrots peeled and chopped into 1cm pieces

• Sprinkle 3 tablespoon plain flour over the veg and mix in, this will help to thicken the gravy later on.

  3 tablespoon plain flour

• Next pour in the pale/amber ale, beef stock and Worcestershire sauce, stir and start to bring the whole pot to the boil.

  300 ml Amber ale, 300 ml Beef stock, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• Meanwhile, bunch together the sprigs of parsley and thyme. Wrap the bay leaves around the sprigs and then tie together with string to create a 'bouquet garni'. Add the bouquet garni to the pot and dunk into the centre using a spoon.

  Few sprigs of fresh Parsley thyme and 2 bay leaves tied together in a bundle with some string

• Once the stew starts to boil, place on the lid and transfer to the centre of a pre heated oven and bake for 2 hours 30 minutes or until the beef is tender and falling apart. Check occasionally and add water or more stock if the liquid is reducing too much.

• Once cooked, remove from the oven. Transfer the filling to a dish or container using a slotted spoon or sieve, leaving the gravy behind in the casserole dish. Leave the steak filling on the side to cool completely and transfer the gravy to a separate container for later. (Once cooled you can start to put together the pie - see below. Or cover the filling and store in the fridge until you are ready to make your pie).

How to make the pastry

• Make your pastry whilst the filling is cooking in the oven. Add the flour, cold butter and a pinch of salt to a large mixing bowl. Rub together the butter into the flour using your fingertips until like breadcrumbs.

  400 g plain flour, 200 g unsalted butter, Pinch of salt

• Next add the egg yolk and roughly mix in with a knife.

  1 egg yolk

• Next slowly add in the cold water. You will only need to add a bit at a time and possibly only up to 50 or 75ml in total. With each small addition mix in with your fingers and start to bring together into a pastry with your hands.

  Around 50-100ml of cold water.

• Stop adding water as soon as the pastry is together in one piece. Turn out onto the work surface and shape into a ball. Cut the pastry in half, then wrap each half in cling film and chill for at least 20 minutes.

  If you prefer you can use shop bought shortcrust pastry

Putting the pie together

• Pre heat the oven to (200°C/180°C fan/400°F). After the pastry has been chilling for 20 minutes, take one of the pastry halves and remove the cling film. Flour your work surface then carefully roll out the pastry. You want to roll this to be slightly bigger than your pie dish so that it will cover the base and the sides of the dish.

  Extra flour for rolling out pastry

• Grease a 21cm (8 inch) pie dish. Use the rolling pin to manoeuvre the pastry into position inside the dish. Use your finger tips to gently push the pastry into the corners and sides of the dish. Try not to over handle the pastry whilst doing this. Use a knife to trim off the edges.

  A bit of margarine/soft butter and flour to grease and flour the pie dish

• Next take the cooled steak and ale filling and add to the pastry lined pie dish. Fill to the top and then use the back of a spoon to gentle press down on the filling and flatten the top.

• Now take the second half of the pastry, unwrap, flour work top and roll out as before. Use the rolling pin again to help position the pastry over the top of the filling. Trim with a knife and seal the edges with a fork.

• Cut two small holes in the top of the pastry lid to allow steam to escape. Use any trimmed off pastry to cut out pastry leaves for decoration. Stick the leaves into place with a bit of water and then glaze the whole pastry lid with egg.

  1 egg to glaze

• Place the pie in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for 45 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden

• Heat up the gravy saved from earlier and serve with the pie and your choice of veg and potatoes.

Serving: 741 g | Calories: 1377 kcal | Carbohydrates: 103 g | Protein: 57 g | Fat: 81 g | Saturated Fat: 43 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28 g | Trans Fat: 4 g | Cholesterol: 321 mg | Sodium: 498 mg | Potassium: 1486 mg | Fiber: 8 g | Sugar: 9 g | Vitamin A: 11259 IU | Vitamin C: 14 mg | Calcium: 199 mg | Iron: 13 mg

Timings for steak and ale pie: The filling for this pie will take around 20 minutes to prepare before being cooked long and slow in the oven for around 2 hours 30mins. So you could make the filling first thing in the morning and even go out once its in the oven. After cooking, the filling needs to be thoroughly cooled, so leave plenty of time for this to happen. If you are making the pastry you will need 20 minutes for the pastry to chill in the fridge before rolling it out. Once the pie is assembled the whole thing goes back in the oven at a slightly higher temperature for around 45 minutes.

Oven temperatures: cook the filling long and slow on a low temperature (160°C/140°C Fan/325°F). Cook the pie for 45 minutes at a higher temperature (200°C/180°C fan/400°F).

Whats the best ale to cook with? For a steak filling that is not too overpowering with the tang of ale, its best to choose lighter ales usually labelled as pale, amber or light brown. For this recipe I chose an amber ale.

Do you blind bake pastry for steak pie? In this recipe there is no blind baking required. If the base pastry is thin enough and if the filling is cooled properly before adding to the dish then the pastry should cook well and crisp up nicely (both on top and on the base).
However, if you feel your pastry is a little on the thick side and you don't have time to thoroughly cool your filling, then your pastry base will probably benefit from a quick 10 minute blind bake.

How to store? The filling and pastry can both be made and then stored in the fridge for up to a day or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before assembling into a pie or use directly from the fridge. Leftover pie can be completely cooled then wrapped in cling film and stored for 1-2 days in the fridge. To reheat bring to room temp then cover with foil and warm in the oven for around 30 minutes or until piping hot throughout.

Steak: Choose braising steak (Chuck or blade), beef brisket or beef cheeks, which will turn tender and fall apart after a long slow cook. Lamb neck and shoulder are also great for cooking long and slow and making into a lamb pie.

Vegetables: Onion, carrot and celery are the basic veg that add a great flavour to any one pot recipe. I recommend using at least these three vegetable. But you have any other leftover veg lying around then definitely chop it up and pop it in as well.

Stock: Choose a good quality stock as this will make the base of the filling, if using stock cubes I recommend beef oxo for this recipe.

Ale: Choose a pale ale that won't bee too overpowering. If you prefer you can leave the ale out completely and just make up the liquid amount with some extra stock.

Pastry: When mixing ingredients for the pastry use your finger tips so keeping the heat of your hands away from the pastry mix. This helps to keep the pastry cool. Chill the pastry once its made. cold pastry is easier to roll out and helps to stop shrinkage in the oven. If you prefer you can use shop bought shortcrust pastry. Or if you don't want to use pastry, top your pie with mash potato instead!

Pie dish: grease your pie dish with margarine or soft butter then use a sieve to sprinkle flour over the top of the butter. Knock out any excess flour by turning upside down over the sink and lightly tapping the dish. This will help to stop the pastry sticking to the dish during baking.

Pie filling: make sure the steak filling has completely cooled before placing onto the pastry base. Hot or warm filling will result in soggy pastry, which won't crisp up in the oven.

Gravy: Once the filling is cooked strain the gravy off. Keep the gravy to one side for pouring over your finished pie later. The beef filling should then go into the pie with as little gravy as possible. This means more beef can be compacted into the pie and less liquid means the pastry won't go soggy.

Let us know how it was!

This post was first published in Dec 2019. Updated in Dec 2021 with new step by step images and expert tips.

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Source: https://properfoodie.com/steak-and-ale-pie/