Pie Mash and Liquor Recipe (2024)

This recipe will make enough for 4 individual portion pie tins measuring 16cm x 12cm x 3.5cm deep

Mince beef filling

• 500 g Beef mince 20% We find frozen beef breaks down better than fresh - 5% or 12% mince will work too.
• 500 ml Beef stock Knorr beef stock pots are the best.
• ½ teaspoon Sarson's Browning see blog post for substitute

Pie Base - Suet Pastry

• 250 grams Plain flour
• 150 grams Suet
• 5 grams Baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 125 ml Cold water

Pie Lid - Shortcrust Pastry

• 150 grams Plain flour
• 75 grams Cold butter cut into small cubes plus extra butter to grease pie tins
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoon Water
• splash of milk to glaze the pastry lid

Liquor - Parsley Sauce

• 900 ml Fish Stock Use 2 x Knorr fish stock cubes (not the stock pot)
• 5 tablespoon Plain flour
• 180 ml Cold water (¾ cup)
• 2 Handful's Fresh parsley finely chopped
• Black Pepper & Salt to taste

Mash Potato - Keep it simple, don't add milk or butter.

• 1.5 kg White Potatoes Chopped
• Salt
• OPTIONAL to serve- Jellied eels

Mince beef pie filling

• Brown off the mince in a pan over medium-low heat for 7 minutes, breaking down into small pieces as it browns. (If using leaner mince you may need a bit of oil to prevent sticking)

  

• Add beef stock, bring to a gentle boil then turn the heat off.

  

• Add browning, stir through add black pepper and salt to taste

  

• Leave to cool whilst making pastry. Preheat the oven at 180°C fan / 200°C conventional / 400°F/ Gas mark 6

  

Pie base - Suet pastry

• Sieve flour into a mixing bowl.

  

• Add a pinch of salt, suet and baking powder.

  

• For best results use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.

  Slowly combine the ingredients together

  Or use a wooden spoon to combine ingredients together.

  See Also

  Jane Austen's Favorite Bath Buns Recipe

  

• Increase speed and add cold water a little at a time

  If using a spoon switch to your hands for easier mixing, try to work quickly you don't want the heat from your hands to ruin the pastry

  

• Once all water has been added and the dough has formed into a ball. Remove from the bowl on to a well-floured worktop. Knead for a minute little until soft and pliable.

  

• Divide the suet dough into 4, which should be about 100 grams each (this is enough to cover 4 pie tins measuring 16cm x 12cm).

  You will have some left still which you will use later to shape the pastry in the tins, so don't throw it away!

  

• Roll out until 3 cm bigger all the way around the tin, repeat for all 4. Use plenty of flour whilst rolling to prevent sticking to pin or worktop. Keep to one side.

  

Pie lid - Shortcrust pastry

• Sift out flour into a mixing bowl (you can use the same one from before).

  

• Add cubed cold butter and salt use paddle attachment on medium speed to combine into breadcrumb texture.

  Or use your fingers to quickly rub butter into the flour, dont handle too much as the heat from your hands can melt the butter.

  

• Add 1 tablespoon at a time of cold water to form a dough. Remove from the bowl and onto a floured worktop.

  

• Knead into the flour, then divide into 4 pieces, they should weigh about 60g each.

  

• Roll out until bigger than the pie dish, you want it to overlap the tin slightly. It will roll out thinner than the base.

  

• It will roll out thinner than the base. See image top is the shortcrust lid and the bottom is the thicker base.

  

Mash

• Place your potatoes into a large pan of cold water. Bring to a gentle boil. cook for about 20 minutes. Continue making the pies and come back to the mash later!

  

• Once potatoes are soft enough, drain and put back into the pan to mash until smooth. Traditionally mash for this recipe does not have any butter or milk added as the liquor adds a rich enough flavour.

  

Time to make the mince beef pies!

• The 4 sheets of shortcrust should be rolled out smaller and thinner for the pie lid.

  The 4 sheets of suet pastry should be rolled out bigger and thicker for the pie base.

  

• Use butter to grease the tins well, so pies are easy to remove when cooked.

  

• Place the larger suet pastry base over the tin, use the ball of leftover pastry to gently push the pastry into the tins without tearing it.

  

• Add the minced beef mixture equally into the 4 prepared suet pastry bases, pour any remaining stock in with them too.

  

• Get a bowl of water and wet down the pastry edges with A LOT of water. Do not be shy here, it needs to be soaked well for the lid and base to stick together well. It doesn't matter if water drops into the beef mince.

  

• Now place the pastry lids on top, DO NOT push the pastry lid down onto the mince filling. Think of it more like a drum stretching the pastry across to meet the edges!

  

• Cup your hand and push the lid firmly onto the pie tin edges to seal.

  

• Use a knife to cut down and around the pie tin edges.

  

• Use a pastry brush to very gently glaze the lid with milk.

  

• Ready to bake, place all 4 prepared pies onto a baking tin. Cook in the preheated oven at 180°C fan / 200°C conventional / 400°F/ Gas mark 6 for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, make your liquor.

  

• If you want more brown on top, leave in for 5 more minutes.

  

Liquor - Green Parsley Sauce

• Make up the fish stock from cubes with boiling water in a pan.

  

• Add sieve flour into cold water, whilst whisking, to make sure it mixes well

  

• When you are positive there are NO LUMPS in the flour and cold water. Slowly pour whilst whisking into the stock. Bring to the boil.

  

• Use scissors instead of a knife to chop the parsley very finely, you want the green parsley juice in the pan, not on the chopping board!

  

• Add parsley, salt and pepper, then lower to a simmer for 5 minutes. The liquor sauce is meant to be a thin sauce.

  

• If you want it thicker repeat flour and cold water steps to prevent lumps from forming.

  

• Ready to serve! Serve pie with a couple of scoops of mash potato and drizzle the liquor all over!

  

• For a proper Eastend London Pie Mash and Liquor experience, serve with Chilli Vinegar and jellied eels!