Steak & Ale Pie

During our UK trip in 2005, we drove through Wales. Our adventure had us spending a night in a very small Welsh town. It was a bed and breakfast that had an onsite restaurant, which was closed the night we were there. The owner of the inn suggested a couple different pubs to eat at. The first we couldn't find, and for fear of being lost in the Welsh countryside, we decided to go to the second which was easier to find. This pub was up on a hillside, overlooking the banks of a river. It was close to dusk when we ordered, and we decided to eat outside to enjoy the view and get away from the haze of cigarette smoke inside. I had a chicken & leek pie which was amazing. But Bryan had the ultimate: steak & ale pie. I had a sneak bite and it was wonderful.
Once we were home, we had to figure a way to make this pie. We tried a few different recipes, and this is what we have decided is the tastiest replica.
stewing steak, in cubes
chopped onion
flour
dijon mustard
Worcestershire sauce
thyme, chives, basil, parsley, majoram, bayleaf
salt & cracked black pepper
beef stock
ale
diced mushrooms
diced potatoes
pastry
If you have the ability, grind the stewing steak into ground meat. If not, buy ground steak. In a large skillet, heat some oil. Add the chopped onion and cook til translucent. Add salt and pepper, then the stewing meat. Brown the meat, then turn down the heat. Stir in about a tablespoon of flour and cook until browned. Add 1 T mustard, 2 T Worcestershire sauce, and herbs (do these amounts to what taste you like best; I usually do about a 1/2-1 t of each). Slowly add about 2 cups of beef stock and about 1/2 of a can of Guinness. Add in a few of the diced mushrooms. Bring to a boil. Add all of the potatoes and simmer for about 15 minutes, then add the rest of the mushrooms. Simmer for about 15 more minutes. Just before pulling from the heat pour in another 1/4 of the can of Guinness (you now have a 1/4 left; for those who like beer, drink the rest. But for those of us who can't stand the stuff, pour it down the drain). While the 'filling' simmers, make up the pastry. I do the traditional easy recipe, 2/3 c of shortening, 2 c of flour, 1 t salt, and 6-7 T of COLD water. Use half to make the bottom and blind bake in the oven during the 15 minutes of simmer with the mushrooms. Pull out and pour in the filling. Top with the rest of the pastry, with slits for steam escape on top. Cook in the oven at 400 F for about 35-40 minutes (until it's nice and bubbly and the crust is golden). You have to make this pie with Guinness. We've tried a few others (some cheapies usually) and they have all turned out horrible.

Every time we have this meal, I go back to the memory of sitting next to Bryan on a picnic bench, watching two Welshmen fish the river, listening to Welshmen cheer to football inside the pub, and watching the beautiful golden-blue Welsh sunset.