Steak & Stout Pie

• 1 pound Stemmler’s Striploin Steak
• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1⁄8 cup olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 10 mushrooms, quartered
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can “locally sourced” stout beer
• 1/2 cup Stemmler’s Smokin Good Sauce
• 1 cup Stemmler’s Store Made Beef Stock
• 1⁄4 cup flour
• 2 packages frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg, beaten for an egg wash
• 1⁄2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup Stemmler’s Smoked Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350F.

Season the steaks with salt and pepper and your favorite spices. In a hot pan, 400F- 450F degrees, melt the butter then add the steaks. Sear for 2 minutes each side until it has a nice crust. Remove and set aside to cool down. In the same pan add the oil then add the onions, celery and carrots. Cook 3-4 minutes then add mushrooms, garlic and tomato paste for 2 more minutes.  Add the flour and some of the same seasonings you used on the steaks.  Cook for 7 minutes total, pour everything into a roasting pan.

When the steaks are cooled down, cut into a medium dice and add to the vegetables. Toss in the fresh herbs and bay leaves. In the previous pan, add 1 can of beer, Stemmler’s Smokin Good Sauce, and the beef stock. Bring to a simmer then dump into the vegetable and beef mixture. Liquid should just cover it. Foil tightly then place in oven for 1- 1⁄2 hours.

At this time, remove from oven and stir, also checking the tenderness of the beef and thickness of the sauce. If it is liquidly, place back in the oven uncovered for another 1⁄2 hour to reduce and thicken. Lay the thawed pastry sheets out. Place one in the bottom of the pan/pie plate. Egg wash the sheet before adding the second one, the opposite way. Keep in fridge until the beef mixture is cooled slightly then scoop it into the pastry (do not let the beef mixture be too liquidy).  Add the peas and the cheese, remove the bay leaves and lay another 2 sheets of pastry to the top (the same way you did the bottom). Roll the overhanging edges up around the entire pie. Egg wash this as well.

In a preheated 400F oven, bake the pie until the pastry is golden brown and has puffed up (usually about 25-30 minutes). Keep checking until it looks done. The bottom has to cook as well. Once the pastry is golden brown, remove from oven. Let rest for 10-15 minutes.  Enjoy our twist on a classic Irish comfort food!