Ox Cheek and Stout pie

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 700g ox cheek, cubed

• 1 onion, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 stalk Celery, diced

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

• 2 Bay leaves

• 2 sprigs Rosemary 

• 2 sprigs Thyme

• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tbsp mustard

• 30g plain flour

• 200g red wine

• 1 can of Guinness/ or ale of your choice

• Beef stock

• butter (optional for cooking and for lining the pie tin)

• Short crust pastry

• Parchment paper 

• Uncooked rice

Method:

Step 1.

Start by generously seasoning the cubed ox cheek (or beef) on all sides with salt. In a large pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cubed meat in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan—this way, each piece will brown properly. Brown the meat on each side, taking your time to develop a good sear. After each batch is browned, remove the pieces from the pot and set them aside.

Step 2.

Using the same pot, add the chopped onions, celery, garlic, and carrots. Cook them over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and start to release their liquid. This moisture will help you scrape up the flavourful browned bits left by the meat from the bottom of the pot. Season the vegetables with a little more salt as they cook. When the vegetables are translucent, add the tomato puree along with the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir everything well and cook until the tomato puree darkens slightly.

Step 3.

Return the browned meat to the pot, along with the Worcestershire and mustrad, then sprinkle in the flour, stirring until it evenly coats the meat and vegetables, soaking up any juices in the process. Pour in the red wine, and let it cook for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Add the Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and beef stock, stirring everything together. Cover the pot and let it simmer on low heat for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat becomes tender and falls apart easily.

Prepping and Blind baking your pastry:

Step 4.

About 45 minutes before you’re ready to start on the pastry, take it out of the fridge to soften. Butter a pie or cake tin (the latter makes it easier to remove the pie after baking). Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

Step 5.

Roll out the pastry to a thickness that’s sturdy enough to support the filling without tearing. Carefully line the tin with the pastry, pressing it gently into the corners to avoid creating holes or thin spots. If any thin areas or holes appear, you can patch them up with a bit of extra pastry. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the pastry, making sure it extends above the edges of the tin, and fill it with baking beans (not baked beans!) or uncooked rice to weigh it down. Place the tin in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Then, lift out the parchment with the beans or rice and return the pastry to the oven for an additional 5 minutes to dry out slightly.

Step 6.

After 3 hours of cooking, check the beef; it should be tender and easy to pull apart. Using a ladle, transfer about three ladles of the cooking liquid to a separate pot, passing it through a sieve to reserve for gravy. Shred the beef into the remaining sauce and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the filling thickens to your liking. For a pie filling, you want it to be thick but not too soupy.

Step 7.

Roll out another piece of pastry to the same thickness as before. Place it over the top of the filling, trimming any excess. Seal the edges by pressing down with a fork, then cut a small hole in the centre of the pastry lid to allow steam to escape while it bakes. Brush the top with egg wash for a golden finish.

Step 8.

Finally, place the assembled pie in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through. Enjoy your delicious homemade ox cheek pie!