Steak and Potato Pie

close up shot of steak and potato pie showing filling

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

This steak and potato pie is one of the most comforting pies you'll ever make!

Prep Time25

Cook Time3 5

Cooling time30

Total Time4

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: British

Servings: - 6

Author: Chris Collins

Cost: £3.50 / $4

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Large Deep Pot with Lid & Tongs
Wooden Spoon
Jug (for stock)
Medium Sized Mixing Bowl (to store cooked beef)
Large Baking Dish & Foil (mine is 12x9" / 30x22cm)
Fine Cheese Grater (for garlic)
Small Mixing Bowl & Brush (for butter)

Ingredients

Filling

1kg / 2lb Steak/Beef suitable for slow cooking (see notes)
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
3 tbsp Olive Oil
250g / 9oz Carrots, diced into chunks
1 large White Onion, roughly diced
2 large cloves of Garlic, finely diced
40g / 1/4 cup Plain Flour
180ml / 3/4 cup Dry Red Wine (see notes)
840ml / 3.5 cups Beef Stock
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
1x Beef Oxo Cube, crumbled (sub 1 heaped tsp Bouillon powder if you don't have cubes)
2 Bay Leaves (dry or fresh)

Topping

1kg / 2lb Baking Potatoes,
3 tbsp / 45g Unsalted Butter
1 heaped tsp finely diced Fresh Rosemary
1 clove of Garlic, finely grated
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

Dice the beef into fairly large bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large deep heavy-based pot over high heat. Once hot, spread out half of the beef and fry until brown all over (don't try and cook it right through). Remove and repeat with the second batch. Don't overcrowd the pot or the beef will steam and stew. Add more oil if needed.
Lower heat to medium-high and add the remaining 2 tbsp oil. Fry the carrot and onion until they soften and begin to very lightly brown, then fry the garlic for a further 30 seconds or so.
Lower the heat to medium and stir in the flour. Pour in the wine and give it a really good stir until it thickens to a smooth paste. Gradually add in the stock, stirring as you go to avoid lumps forming. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, Oxo cube, bay leaves and cooked beef (along with all of the resting juices).
Bring to a simmer, then pop on the lid and reduce the heat to low. Allow to gentle bubble away for 1 hour and 30 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and simmer for a further 30 mins, or until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened to a gravy-style consistency (see video). Keep in mind it'll thicken more in the next step. Adjust seasoning if desired.
Pour the filling into a large baking dish and allow to cool for at least 30 mins, until a skin forms across the top. Meanwhile, melt the butter and combine in a small mixing bowl with rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Very thinly slice the potatoes (approx 3-4mm or 1/8") and pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F.
Layer 1/3 of the potatoes across the top. Brush with 1/3 of the butter, then repeat two more times, ensuring you layer the potatoes in a way that reduces as many gaps as possible.
Tightly cover in foil then bake in the oven for 40mins. Remove the foil, increase the oven temp to 200C/400F and bake for a further 20-25mins, or until the potatoes are knife tender. You can flick on the grill to brown them further if you'd like.
Allow to cool for a few mins, then serve up and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Beef - I recommend something like chuck steak, but most types of casserole/braising/slow-cooking cuts of beef with marbled fat will work. Don't use lean cuts of steak/beef, it'll dry out! The marbled fat is essential. Also, I don't recommend buying the packs of pre-cut small pieces. Larger bite-sized pieces will hold up better over the longer cooking time.

b) Wine - This gives the gravy a gorgeous depth of flavour, so I highly recommend using it. Nothing fancy, just some dark/dry like a merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.

c) Consistency - After the simmering time, the gravy should be fairly thick, but slightly saucier than you'd expect for a pie filling. This is because the potatoes will soak in the sauce as they bake, so you need a bit extra or the filling will dry out. If you find yourself with hardly any gravy and the beef is still very firm, just add more water and gently simmer until it loosens up. If on the other hand, there is too much gravy by the time the beef is tender, just continue gently simmering until it thickens (a longer simmer will only further tenderize the beef, so don't worry). In all cases don't aggressively simmer the beef or it'll overcook.

d) Seasoning - I don't add extra to the sauce as I find the stock and seasoning from the beef adds enough salt. On the flip side, if you're sensitive to the salt I recommend using low-salt stock and adjusting at the end if needed.

e) Potatoes - Maris Pipers/Russets works great. Don't use waxy varieties of potatoes, you want the floury texture of a baking potato so they soak in the sauce with ease.

f) Prep Ahead - I usually tightly cover the dish and place it in the fridge after I've added the filling to the baking dish (let it cool first). Then the next day I'll stack the potatoes on top and bake.

g) Calories - whole pie divided by 5.

Nutrition