Steak and Kidney Pie and Pudding
3 different ways of serving steak and kidney
All three use the same filling, a cooked filling, made from steak pieces and kidney pieces. The difference is in the type of covering and the subsequent method of cooking the covering.

Steak and Kidney filling
1lb of beef (steak) pieces cut in about 1 inch cubes

4 ounces of kidney cut into smaller pieces than the steak. I prefer to use lamb’s kidney. I find calves and pork kidney too strong tasting.

Cook this in your preferred way. I fry with onion and cook in the slow cooker with half a pint of beef stock (from a beef stock cube) for about 5 hours, then thicken the gravy with flour or gravy thickening. You can also add 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce if you have it. The meat can also be simmered on the stove top for about 2 – 3 hours or cooked in a pressure cooker (fastest).

Steak and Kidney Pie (1)
This uses ordinary pastry, 1lb flour, 8 ounces butter or lard, rubbed to breadcrumb texture then bound with water. Roll out the pastry for the bottom of the pie, add the cooked steak and kidney filling (with sliced mushrooms if liked). Roll out the top of the pie, place over the mixture. Seal the edges, brush the pastry with milk or beaten egg add some steam holes (prick with a fork) and cook at gas mark 6 (400 F, 200 C) for about 30 – 45 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling piping hot. If the pastry is browning too quickly, turn the temperature down to gas 5. Serve with gravy and a green veg.

Steak and kidney pie (2) This is just a top pastry crust over a deep pie dish
As for (1) but use potato pastry. 6 ounces flour, 4 ounces of butter or lard, 6 ounces cold dry mashed potato. Rub the flour and lard together to breadcrumb consistency as above. Add potato and work in with hands. Do not add water.

Put the filling in the deep pie dish (add sliced mushroons if liked) Roll out the pastry to fit the top of the pie dish. Brush the pie dish edges with water and place pastry on top. Press down to seal edges, flute if desired. Brush pastery with milk or beaten egg and cook in oven as for (1)

Steak and Kidney Pudding
This uses suet crust pastry and the pudding is then boiled or steamed. You can use a saucepan or a pressure cooker for this.

Suet crust pastry uses 8 ounces of flour, 4 ounces of shredded suet and 7 tablespoons of water, mixed to a soft dough. Roll out the pastry into a circle, and then cut out one quarter segment. Use the large (3/4) piece to line the pudding bowl. Add the cooked meat mixture as before. Roll out the quarter segment left from before into the right shape for the top of the bowl. Moisten the edges of the bowl pastry, add the lid and press lightly to seal.

This pudding now needs to have greaseproof paper and foil placed over it. Put a pleat in the greaseproof paper to let the pastry rise. Place the bowl in a saucepan and pour in boiling water to half way up the side of the basin. Keep the water topped up and boil for 1.5 hours.

I have actually cooked Christmas pudding in the slow cooker with good results but have not tried it with suet crust. It may be a possible alternative. You can also use a pressure cooker or a steamer.

 

I have given the bare minimum for preparation and cooking instructions. If you need more detail, let me know.

By the way, the picture show a meat pie using puff pastry, which is another alternative.