Steak and kidney pie recipe

A delicious shortcrust pastry topped steak and kidney pie that all the family will love. 

This pie is an absolute classic which has been served up for British dinners for hundreds of years. Kidney's are harder to come by than they once were, but you can still find them in most supermarkets. They give this pie a deep, rich flavour and tender texture that you wouldn't get from meat alone. Use beef, lamb or pork, depending on what you can find. However, the best are calves' kidneys, which you can buy fresh at most butchers. 

Ingredients

• 300g plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 75g chilled butter, cut into cubes
• 75g chilled lard, cut into cubes
• 2 tsp sunflower oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 500g lean minced steak
• 4 kidneys, quartered
• 250g potato, peeled and cubed
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp gravy granules
• 1 egg, beaten, for glaze

Method

1. Put the flour into a food processor with the salt. Add the butter and lard. Pulse the processor until the mixture forms crumbs. Measure out 5-6 tbsp ice-cold water. Pour in most of the water, pulse until the mixture just combines; add the rest of the water if needed. Lightly knead dough on a floured surface, wrap and chill.
2. Heat the oil in large frying pan, add the onion and cook for a few mins until softened and lightly browned. Add the carrot and fry for a couple of mins, then add the mince to the pan. Breaking it up and continuing to cook for about 10 mins, until it’s browned all over.
3. Set the oven to 200°C/400ºF/Gas Mark 6, and put a baking sheet in to heat up. Add the kidneys and potato to the mince, then add the Worcestershire sauce followed by the gravy granules. Stir well. Simmer gently for 15 mins until meat is tender. Tip into a bowl to cool.
4. Roll out half the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a 20cm greased pie plate. Spoon in the cooled meat filling. Brush the pastry rim with water. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to cover the filling. Pierce twice with a knife. Seal edges, chill for 10 mins, and then cut off trimmings and crimp the rim.
5. Brush the pie all over with the egg glaze, put on to the preheated baking sheet and bake for 35 mins, until the pastry is golden.
6. For freezing, freeze the pie before baking in a freezer bag and bake from frozen for 50 mins.

Top Tip for making steak and kidney pie

You can be as fancy as you like with the pastry. Either just use a flat piece laid over the top as in the direction above, or use any trimmings to make a web of lattice work over the top, as in the picture. Don't forget to cut air holes into the top though, otherwise the sauce can overrun the sides of the dish. 

If you prefer, use readymade pastry instead of making your own for this recipe. You can use puff or shortcrust for the topping, but shortcrust works best for the base layer.

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