British Pie Week – Braised Beef and Red Wine Pie. It is nearly the end of British Pie Week*. Some of you may already know what I think of some of these marketing inspired theme days. But in the spirit of things it is not too late for you to roll up your sleeves and don an apron. Please you don’t have to release your inner Sweeny Todd, but get making some pies.
A little bit of Pie history
Pies date back to pre-Egyptian history, early pies were flat, round crusty cakes called ‘galettes’. They contained honey, evidence of which can be found on the tomb walls of the Pharaoh Ramesses I, located in the Valley of the Kings. The Roman cookbook Apicius has several recipes which involve a pie case. Made with a sweet filling, more like a modern-day cheesecake on a pastry base. They were more often than not were used as an offering to the gods.
Medieval pies could be easily cooked over an open fire. The earliest pie-like recipes refer to coffyns ( meaning basket or box), with straight sealed sides and a top. The pastry was an effective airtight seal. It was used to prolong the life of expensive meat and was a handy carrying case when traveling on horseback.
Pies remained as a staple of traveling and working peoples in the colder northern European countries, with regional variations the locally available meats. The Cornish pasty is an excellent adaptation of the pie to a working man’s daily food needs.
*British Pie Week is the first week in March
WHAT TO DRINK?
The rich red wine gravy in your pie will best be complimented with a glass of what ever you put into the pie. Remember only cook with something you would happily drink. Tempranillo and Malbec are great grapes to pair with this dish. If you fancy a beer the classic choice is a porter or stout.
Shin of Beef and Red Wine Pie
Shin is an inexpensive cut of meat, which is big on flavour. It is full of gelatinous sinew which cooks down to make the most excellent gravy. It is easy to stew, you can cook it in the oven at around 350 F / 180 C / Gas mark 4 and it really lends itself to batch cooking in the pressure cooker. You can substitute the red wine for a strong tasting beer for beef and ale pie. You can also adapt the recipe further adding chestnut mushrooms or sautéed kidneys. If you are feeling indulgent a dozen oysters just before you finish cooking.
Shin of Beef and Red Wine Pie
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker
- 1 Pie Dish
Ingredients
For the braised Shin of Beef
- 1.5 kg Shin of Beef bone removed, meat cut into chunks
- ( Ask you butcher to do this as you need a really good knife to cut shin and ask the butcher to give you the bone )
- 2 large White Onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 large Carrots peeled and finely chopped
- 2 sticks Celery washed and finely chopped
- 1 ltr quality Beef Stock
- 250 ml good Red Wine
- 100 ml quality Olive Oil or 3 tablespoons Beef Dripping
- 100 gr Plain Flour
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Puree
- 1 Bouquet garni; Celery stick, Bay leaf, Parsley and Thyme
- A generous pinch freshly grated Nutmeg
- Sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
For the Pie
- Ready-made puff pastry use an all-butter one if you can or shortcrust if you prefer
- 1 Egg beaten
Instructions
- Place the beef, flour, and seasoning into a plastic bag and shake. Meanwhile, heat the oil or dripping in a large heavy-bottomed pan. Fry the beef shin in batches until browned all over and set aside. In the same pan, adding a little more oil necessary, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until soft for about ten minutes.
- Add the tomato puree and leftover flour and cook out for another minute, stirring continuously, before adding the red wine and beef stock.
- Add the beef shin back to the pan, stir everything together and place the marrow bones and bouquet garni, tied with string, on top.
- Reduce the heat and place a tight-fitting lid on the pan. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to achieve a gentle simmer. Allow to cook for about two hours then remove the lid and allow the sauce to reduce for another hour.
- When the beef is cooked, remove from the heat and thoroughly cool. When cool remove the bones and the bouquet garni.
- To serve, pre-heat your oven to 350 F / 180 C / Gas mark 4 and on a floured surface, roll out the half of the pastry to fit an oven-proof pie dish.
- Carefully place the pastry into the greased dish and add the beef shin filling. Brush the edges with egg wash and top with remaining rolled out pastry, crimp the edges and brush the top with the rest of the beaten egg.
- You can decorate with any pastry offcuts if you want. Place the pie in the oven for thirty to forty-five minutes until the pastry is golden and cooked.
- Allow to stand for 5 minutes after baking and serve with horseradish mash and buttered peas.
Notes
MAY I ASK A FAVOUR?
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