The Ultimate Comfort Dish - Steak & Kidney Pie

Steak & kidney pie, a beloved British classic, holds a special place on pub menus throughout London. With the resurgence of offal cuts in the spotlight for their nutrient density, I'm constantly exploring diverse ways to incorporate them into my diet, and what better way than in the comforting embrace of a pie?.

Kidneys, with their tender texture, lend themselves beautifully to stews, pies, and casseroles. Beyond their delightful taste, kidneys are nutritional powerhouses, boasting healthy amino acids, protein, thiamine, folate, selenium, phosphorus, zinc, omega-3, and various B vitamins—truly earning their superfood status.

This recipe offers a lot of versatility. While my preference is for beef stewing meat and beef kidneys, you have the option to effortlessly switch to lamb meat and kidneys or even pork kidneys. For those trying kidneys for the first time, I recommend lamb kidney for its milder flavor.

In my version, I opted for a higher ratio of kidney meat to stewing meat to elevate the offal experience. However, feel free to adjust the amounts according to your personal preferences

This pie is packed full of tender chunks of steak and kidney, slow-cooked to perfection, nestled in a thick gravy, all neatly wrapped in a delicious pastry dough. Not only is it packed with nutrients, it's also free from

• gluten

• grains

• eggs

• nuts

• refined sugars

• artificial flavouring & additives

• soy, legumes, & corn

Serve this steak & kidney pie with buttery mash and some wilted greens such kale, and you have a proper feast on your hands that is sure to be a crowd pleasure.

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steak & kidney pie

makes 1 9" pie

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INGREDIENTS

Crust:

• 10 - 12 tablespoons ice water

• 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• 270 grams of cassava flour

• 56 grams tapioca flour

• 30 grams finely ground flax

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 230 grams butter

• 1 egg (optional)

Filling:

• 2 tablespoons butter, oil or animal fat

• 250 grams braising beef (*see notes)

• 1 kg kidney

• 2 onions, sliced 

• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 3 tablespoons Arrowroot

• 600 gramsBone broth

• 1 tablespoon Mustard

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 spring of thyme

• salt & pepper, to taste

NOTES

*In my version, I opted for a higher ratio of kidney meat to stewing meat. However, feel free to adjust the amounts according to your personal preferences

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First start off by making the filling, Season the beef and kidney pieces with salt and pepper.

2. Set a large heavy based pan over a low/medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of your choice of oil and once hot add the steak and kidney pieces. Brown well on all sides then lift it out to a plate and set aside. Do this in batches so that you do not crowd the pan.

3. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan followed by the sliced onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 – 12 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Return the meat to the pan, along with the arrowroot, thyme and bay leaves. Pour in enough bone broth to cover the meat, add the mustard and bring to a simmer.

4. Cover (with the lid ajar) and cook for 1 ½ - 2 hours or until the meat is tender and the sauce thickened. If it looks a little dry at any point add a splash of water to loosen it up again. Let the pie filling cool once it’s ready. 

5. While you are waiting for the filling to cook, you can make the crust. To make the crust, in a small bowl stir together stir together 5 tablespoons of the ice water and the apple cider vinegar, set aside.

6. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cassava, tapioca flour, ground flax seeds and salt.

7. Scatter the butter pieces over the top but don't run the mixer just yet!

8. Open the feed tube and gradually pour in the ice water/lemon mixture as you pulse the mixer until all the liquid is incorporated. Open the lid and give the dough a squeeze; it should hold together easily, with lots of butter chunks the size of large peas. If the dough is dry, replace the lid and drizzle in more ice water by the teaspoon while pulsing the mixture until the dough is evenly moist but not sticky. Take care not to over mix the dough.

9. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disc, and wrap in plastic wrap, a plastic bag, or beeswax wrap. Chill until firm. This will take about an hour or you can make it 3 days ahead.

10. Once your crust is done chilling and your filling has cooled, you can start assembling your pie.

11. Preheat your oven to 180C/350F.

12. Cut your pastry dough in half and place once half back into the fridge. Using two pieces of parchment paper, roll out your dough to a circle shape that is slightly bigger than your pie dish. Once your dough is rolled out, carefully place it in a pie dish. If there is any dough hanging over the edge, cut it off with a knife. Pierce the bottom of your crust with a fork. Place your pie dish in your preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.

13. While you are waiting for your bottom crust to bake, take the other half of the pastry dough and roll out into a circle shape that is slightly bigger than you pie dish.

14. After 10 minutes, take the crust out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully add the filling into your pie dish and lay on the lid and crimp together the edges. Trim away any excess pastry. This part is optional. Whisk an egg in a bowl and brush the pastry dough with the egg. Poke a small hole in the middle of the pie to create some ventilation.

15. Bake in the oven for 30 - 40 minutes or until the crust is baked and golden. Take out of the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.