Taste Buds magazine logo
New Zealand-inspired steak & cheese pie recipe

Steak and cheese pie

Hearty and warming, this recipe for steak and cheese pie will fight off the cold this winter. It is inspired by Jody’s memories growing up in New Zealand

Ingredients

  • 500g braising steak, cut into smaller pieces
  • 1 heaped tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • Oil for cooking
  • 1 large brown onion, finely sliced
  • 160g packet of bacon lardons
  • 1 big clove of garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 8-10 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 250ml ale
  • 300ml beef stock
  • Good splash of Worcestershire sauce
  • Slices of Cheddar cheese – choose one with plenty of flavour 
  • Ready-made puff pastry
  • 1 egg, beaten

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 170˚C/150˚ fan-assisted/gas mark 3. Put the beef steak into a bag with the flour, mustard powder and season with salt and pepper. Shake the bag around and massage the mixture with your hands to coat the beef. 
  2. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and brown the meat all over. Remove and set aside. Add the onions to the pan with a splash of water and scrape any meaty bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook the onions for a couple of minutes then add the garlic and lardons. Cook for a few more minutes until the lardons have a bit of colour on them. Stir through the tomato paste and smoked paprika before adding the mushrooms and thyme. Mix everything together. Add the ale, stock and Worcestershire sauce. Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof dish, cover with foil and cook for 2-2½ hours.
  3. Once the meat is tender, remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 200˚C/180˚C fan-assisted/gas mark 6. If you are making individual pies, transfer the mixture into the dishes you wish to use. Top with the slices of cheese and cut the pastry out to fit over the top. Seal and crimp the pastry around the dish. Brush the pastry with the egg wash and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until the pastry has risen and is golden brown.

Recipe by Jody Spencer

Taste Buds chef: Jody Spencer

Prefer Print?

Six times a year, delivered to your door

Annual subscription: £18
Single Issue: £4

January February 2025 issue out now

Try before you buy. View digital edition

Go to Shop
Taste Buds JanFeb25 front cover