Serves 6
Suet Pastry
1 kg self raising flour
15 g salt
500 g suet
600 ml water
Meat Filling
Flour for dusting
2 kg beef braising steak
2 chopped onions
4 chopped carrots
1 chopped leek
250 ml red wine
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 litre beef stock
6 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
50 g tomato puree
Method
- First make the suet pastry by sifting the flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the suet and add the water a little at a time until the dough comes together. (Do not over work the dough). Cover and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
- Dust the meat in the flour. (This helps to thicken the sauce).
- Fry in a hot pan with the oil until the meat is browned all over.
- Add the vegetables and colour for 2 minutes, add the tomato puree and de-glaze the pan with the red wine. Simmer until almost all the liquid has reduced.
- Cover with the stock, add the bay leaf and thyme. Cook on a low heat until the meat is tender. This will take 2 ½ hours.
- Take out meat, discard the vegetables, then past the stock through a sieve.
- Reduce the stock until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Save half the sauce to one side for serving. Bind the rest of the sauce with meat and leave to cool slightly.
- Take 6 pudding moulds. Butter and flour the sides to prevent sticking.
- Roll out pastry and line moulds. Add the meat mixture and then cut a round disk of pastry for the top.
- Cover with cling film and steam for 30 minutes.
- When ready, turn out the puddings and serve with creamy mash, braised red cabbage and pour over the warmed remaining sauce.