Steak And Kidney Pies

Rinse the kidneys well, I have chosen to use lamb kidneys for this recipe.

Remove any white core, sinew or fatty bits.

Once the kidneys are cleaned, cut them up into small pieces.

Cover the kidneys with milk and allow to soak about 20 minutes to reduce the strong smell.

After 20 minutes, drain them in a colander and briefly rinse them under cold water.

Place the kidneys over paper towels and pat dry with more paper towels.

Place the dried kidneys into a bowl.

Rinse the steak – I have used Rump.

Cut the steak into bite sized cubes.

Next, peel and chop an onion.

Prepare 1 cup of the beef stock (broth) or 2 cups if you are not using stout.

Heat vegetable oil in a pot on high heat and add in the steak.

Brown the cubed beef steak on all sides, then remove and set aside. Note: If the pot is overcrowded and the steak releases excess water, just drain off the water and continue browning the meat until it’s well-browned and caramelized.

Brown the kidneys briefly in the same pot, remove, and set aside.

In the same pot, turn the heat to medium-high and add in the butter and allow it to melt.

Add in the chopped onions.

Mix and sauté the onions until translucent.

Add the cayenne pepper, paprika, dried mint, dried parsley, dried thyme, salt, cracked black pepper and crushed garlic.

Stir and cook for a minute, until fragrant.

Add in the tomato paste and 1 tablespoon flour and mix well.

Return the browned steak and kidneys to the pot.

Add the Worcestershire sauce (it really pulls everything together with its umami richness and a slight tanginess) and 1 cup of beef stock (or 2 cups if not using stout).

Next, add in the stout – if using. I have chosen to use Eichbaum as Guinness wasn’t in stock but use any of the stouts listed above.

Mix well.

Cook uncovered on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Simmering uncovered helps reduce the stout and intensify its flavor.

After 5 minutes, cover and turn the heat down to low. Allow to simmer for 1 hour.

In the meantime, prepare 1 more cup of the beef stock (broth) or 2 cups if you are not using stout.

After 1 hour, the liquid should have reduced quite a bit.

Add the cup of beef stock and another ½ cup of stout (or 2 cups beef stock if not using stout) and mix well.

Cook uncovered once again for a further 5 minutes so that the alcohol can cook off.

Cover and continue cooking on low for an additional 30 minutes.

Check the filling 10 minutes before the 30 minutes are up.

If the liquid is too watery, stir in 1 tablespoon of flour to thicken the gravy. You may also adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

Continue simmering for the remaining 10 minutes and then turn off the heat.

Once done, allow the filling to cool completely. Adding hot filling to the pastry will cause the pastry to melt.

I have used 10cm foil tins which I got from Westpack.

The pastries should be thawed in the refrigerator beforehand. For this recipe I used Woolworths Puff Pastry and Today’s Shortcrust pastry.

Start by unrolling the Shortcrust Pastry. This is going to be used as the base of the pies.

Use a cutter or a lid like I have which is a bit bigger than the circumference of the foil tin.

Cut around the lid or cutter to form a circle.

You should get about 3 circles out of this.

Please do not roll out the pastry to try and make more shapes. Gently fold the pastry with your hands and press down to create more circles. You should get 8 circles in total.

Place the Shortcrust Pastry circles one at a time into the foil tins. Press down firmly so it covers the surface & outer edges

Flip the tin over & cut off excess pastry.

Continue this process until all the tins have the pastry base.

Add the cooled Steak And Kidney filling.

Unroll the Puff Pastry. Do not roll it with a rolling pin – leave it as is.

Take one of the foil tins and use this as a guide to cut the circles for the lids of the pie.

You should get the whole 8 circles cut out from the pastry – the excess can be used to create shapes for the top of the pies if preferred.

Crack the egg into a bowl and beat using a fork.

Lightly brush some egg wash around the edge of the pie base.

Place the puff pastry lids over & gently press down the edges so the lids can stay put.

Use the tip of a fork to crimp the edges of the pastry & pierce the fork in the middle of the lid so steam can escape when baking.

These can now be packed & frozen to consume whenever you want them.

If you want to bake them, preheat your oven to 200° Celsius. Brush the remaining egg wash over the pies.

Bake for 10 minutes at 200° Celsius – this will allow the puff pastry to rise. After 10 minutes lower the heat to 180° Celsius & allow to bake for 30 minutes or until golden.

Alternatively, these can be air fried at 180° Celsius for 20 minutes, then flip them over & air fry for a further 5 minutes just to make sure the bottom cooks as the element in the air fryer is only at the top.

Allow them to cool for a bit on the baking tray before serving.

The bottom side of the pies should be thoroughly cooked – some have mentioned that their pastry didn’t cook through so this would depend on your oven. I would suggest flipping them over to make sure it is cooked or pop them into your air fryer (flipped).

These pies are perfect for lunch boxes, a quick dinner, ramadan preps, etc.

You can freeze the pies either before or after baking. To freeze unbaked, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. To freeze after baking, allow the pie to cool completely, then wrap it up and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, bake from frozen at the same temperatures mentioned above.

My Steak and Kidney Pies are hands down the best comfort food, with a rich, savory filling and a flaky, golden crust that’s impossible to resist. Whether you’re enjoying it fresh out of the oven or as leftovers the next day, this pie is sure to impress every time. Give it a try, and I promise it will quickly become a family favorite!