A great pub classic recipe with slow cooked boneless beef shin, chestnuts, onions, mustard and stout covered with a layer of puff pastry. Delicious!
Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 450g/1lb lean boneless beef shin, cut into 2.5cm/1 inch cubes
- 30ml/2tbsp plain flour seasoned with salt and freshly milled black pepper
- 45ml/3tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil
- 1 red onion, peeled and sliced
- 100g/4oz vacuum packed whole peeled chestnuts, halved
- 300ml/½pint stout
- 150ml/¼pint good, hot beef stock
- 5ml/1tsp brown sugar
- 5ml/1tsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 bay leaf
- For the Pie Topping
- ½ x 500g pack prepared puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
Method:
- Place the seasoned flour and seasoning into a large plastic food bag. Add the beef in batches and shake to coat.
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the beef in stages for 4-5 minutes until brown on all sides. Spoon into a 1.2L/2pint ovenproof casserole dish suitable for the hob and oven.
- In the same frying pan fry the onions and chestnuts for 2-3 minutes. Spoon into the casserole dish with the beef.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, turn up the heat and boil then cover, turn down the heat and cook on the hob or in a preheated oven at Gas mark 3, 170°C, 325°F for 1½hours.
- Remove the casserole from the hob or oven and turn up the oven to Gas mark 5, 190ºC, 350ºF.
- Remove the bay leaf and spoon into a 1.2L/2pint ovenproof pie dish.
- For the topping, roll out the pastry in a large square on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of a pound coin. Cut the pastry lid large enough to cover the dish.
- Spoon the filling into the casserole dish, dampen the edges with water and cover the top with a pastry lid. Cut a small slit on top of the pastry for the steam to escape. Put the pie on a baking tray then brush the pastry with the beaten egg.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.
- Serve the pie with creamy mash and seasonal vegetables.