Video summary

Phil Vickery's Perfect Steak and Ale Pie | This Morning

Main summary

Key takeaways

Cooking

Overview

Presenter/Channel: Phil Vickery (This Morning)

Ingredients (as mentioned, with substitutions)

Meat

  • Chuck steak, ~20% fat
    • Kept in big chunks for the pie filling

Vegetables

  • Onions
  • Carrots
  • Mushrooms
    • Grill first, then slice before adding
  • (Chicken pie variation) Leeks
    • Added to the chicken filling

Tomato

  • Tomato puree — 1 spoon (a “little bit”)

Browning / Thickening base

  • Flour
    • Added later only if thickening is needed
    • Phil doesn’t rely on flour thickening early
  • Butter
    • Used with flour/roux to thicken
    • More butter than flour for texture

Stock

  • Granular stock cube (type not named)
  • Water
    • “A touch” / add as needed during simmering/thickening

Ale + balance

  • Ale: ~300 ml of “bog standard bitter”
  • Sugar: “a pinch”
    • To take the edge off bitterness (ale/bitter becomes bitter when reduced)

Seasoning

  • Pepper (to taste; no specific amount)
  • Salt: not used
    • Because stock cubes already contain salt

Pastry / Assembly

  • Shortcrust pastry (top and bottom)
  • Egg
    • To egg the pastry edge and for brushing for color/finish
  • Pie bird (optional steam vent)
    • Pops steam/vents during baking

Serving extras (as shown/mentioned)

  • Mash
  • Extra gravy
  • Peas
  • Note: “am loves his spuds” → mash implied

Method (step-by-step)

1) Start the filling

  1. Use chuck steak in big chunks.
    • Keeps slicing/cutting from showing too many lumps.
  2. Phil prefers not to brown the big chunks for this pie.
  3. Add onions and carrots.
  4. Stir in tomato puree (“a bit… for color”).
  5. Mix at this stage for color, then continue.

2) Build flavor with ale

  1. Add the granular stock cube.
  2. Add a pinch of sugar (explicitly to counter ale bitterness).
  3. Add pepper (no salt).
  4. If needed, add water (“a touch”).
  5. Cover and begin to simmer.

3) First cook

  • Simmer on the lowest setting for ~1.5 hours
    • Or around 2 hours (as referenced)
  • Goal: meat becomes tender.

4) Chill/rest before pastry (critical)

  • Chill the meat/filling thoroughly right after cooking.
  • Warning: If you add warm stew to shortcrust pastry, it can push through the pastry base.

5) Thicken near the end

  1. Bring the filling back to a state where it’s simmering.
  2. Thicken using a butter-based thickener to avoid lumps.
  3. Technique cue to prevent lumping:
    • Mix flour with butter/fat first before it hits the hot mixture.
    • Phil notes caution about lumps: if you don’t mix flour and butter first, it can go lumpy.
  4. Aim for slight over-thickening so the filling moves slightly when cut (especially for a top-and-bottom pie), rather than being runny.

6) Mushroom addition

  1. Grill mushrooms first to keep a meaty texture.
  2. Slice them.
  3. Add at the appropriate stage (“add… at this point” once thickening is sorted).

7) Assemble the pie

  1. Use a pie tin.
  2. Fill the pie to be “proud” (generously filled).
  3. Egg the edge of the pastry, then lay on the top pastry.
  4. Top pastry thickness: about ~0.4 cm (roughly “a quarter of a centimeter”).
  5. Seal by thumbing up the edge so it sticks.

8) Vent / pie bird

  • Use a pie funnel/pie bird (steam vent).
  • Use it where the top isn’t solid all the way down so the head pops out.
  • Requires a hole in the top for it.

9) Bake

  • Bake for 35–40 minutes.
  • Color note: rich golden/orangey sheen from egg yolk.

10) Finish + serve

  • Serve with:
    • Mash
    • Extra gravy
    • Peas

Chef tips / mistakes to avoid

  • Chill thoroughly before pastry: warm filling can push through the shortcrust base.
  • Avoid lumps when thickening:
    • Mix flour with butter/fat first.
    • Use more butter than flour for a velvety result (avoid harsh, flour-heavy texture).
  • Ale bitterness management:
    • Add a pinch of sugar because reduced ale/bitter can be very bitter.
  • Meat handling:
    • Use big chunks of chuck steak so you don’t end up with visible lumps in slices.

Variations discussed

Chicken pie (similar method)

  • Simmer chicken filling
  • Thicken at the end
  • Add leeks
  • Best/extra tip: leave overnight chilled
    • Mentioned as good even “as is” after chilling

Different ale types (general)

  • Ale/bitter should be bitter/darker beer
    • He references examples like porter/Guinness for the “beef and ale” concept

Equipment mentioned

  • Pie tin(s)
  • Oven
  • Pie bird / pie funnel (steam vent)
  • Shortcrust pastry
  • Basic cookware for simmering/thickening (implied)

Source (as stated)

  • “For the recipe details go to the app” (no specific external source named)

Original video