Method

  1. Add some oil to a pan and fry off your beef until it's nice and brown and then remove from the pot.  

  2. Chop an onion, carrot and 6 garlic cloves. Add a little more oil to the pot and add the chopped veg. Sweat them down for 5-8 minutes. 

  3. Add back the browned beef, some thyme and a table spoon of tomato puree. 

  4. Add the ale to the pot, along with the beef stock. 

  5. Bring that to a simmer, pop the lid on and simmer for 2-3 hours, until the beef breaks apart.  

  6. Rollout the hot water pastry that has been cooled in the fridge. 

  7. Once it's filled up, top that with a lid, fork down around the rim and trim off the sides. 

  8. Poke a hole in the top to allow it to release steam so it can crisp up. Then add some egg wash to the top for colour and crack some black pepper over it. 

    A prepped pie, ready for the oven. Topped with egg wash and freshly cracked black pepper.
    A pie ready for the oven

  9. Cook it at 200 degrees for about 40 minutes or until the pie is completely golden. 

    The cross section of a freshly cooked pie
    The cross section of a freshly cooked pie