Pies & Pastries

Steak Bake

Name: Steak Bake
Prep time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 300g strong white bread flour; 250g cold unsalted butter, cubed; 125 -150ml cold water; ½ tsp salt; 700g beef braising steak, diced; 1 large onion, finely diced; 2 tbsp plain flour; 500ml beef stock; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, (or Henderson’s Relish); ½ tsp MSG, (optional); 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 bay leaf; Salt and black pepper; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 egg, beaten; dash milk

These homemade steak bakes are filled with slow-cooked beef in a rich savoury gravy and wrapped in flaky rough puff pastry. Using a simple rough puff dough gives you all the buttery layers of puff pastry with a little less fuss — perfect for a weekend bake.

Published 4 days ago

At a glance

Prep: 45m
Cook: 2h
Serves: 8

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Ingredients

For the rough puff pastry
- 300g strong white bread flour
- 250g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 125 -150ml cold water
- ½ tsp salt
For the steak filling
- 700g beef braising steak, diced
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 500ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, (or Henderson’s Relish)
- ½ tsp MSG, (optional)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Egg wash
- 1 egg, beaten
- dash milk

Instructions

Make the rough puff pastry

In a bowl, mix the flour and salt.
Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat them in flour. Lightly press some of the butter pieces flat with your fingers, leaving plenty of visible chunks.
Add the cold water a little at a time and bring the dough together. It should look rough and shaggy, not smooth.
Turn out onto a floured surface and roll into a rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter, rotate 90°, and roll out again. Repeat this roll-and-fold process 3 more times.
Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Cook the steak filling

Heat the oil in a heavy pan and brown the beef in batches. Set aside.
In the same pan, cook the onion for 5 minutes until softened.
Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Gradually add the beef stock, stirring until smooth.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, MSG (if using), thyme, bay leaf, and browned beef. Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer gently for 1½–2 hours until the beef is tender and the gravy is thick. Remove the bay leaf and allow the filling to cool completely.

Assemble the steak bakes

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
Roll out the chilled pastry to about 3mm thick and cut into 8 rectangles, roughly 12–20cm each.
Place a spoonful of filling on one half of each rectangle, leaving a border around the edge.
Brush the edges with beaten egg, fold over, and press firmly to seal.
Place on a lined baking tray, brush the tops with egg wash, and cut a small steam vent in each bake.

Bake

Bake for 25–35 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and crisp.
Leave to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

The filling can be made a day ahead and chilled overnight. A cold filling is much easier to work with and helps prevent soggy pastry.

Rough puff pastry doesn't need to look perfect. Small visible pieces of butter throughout the dough create the flaky layers during baking.

Allow the filling to reduce until thick before cooling. Excess liquid can cause leaks and make the pastry difficult to seal.

Tips

Brown the beef in batches for the best flavour.
Keep the pastry cold while rolling and shaping.
Chill the assembled bakes for 15 minutes before baking for a better rise.
Cut a small steam vent in the top of each bake.
Brush twice with egg wash for an extra golden finish.

Substitutions

Use beef chuck, braising steak, or stewing steak.
Ready-made puff pastry can be used instead of homemade rough puff.
MSG is optional but adds extra savoury depth.

Storage & Reheat

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat in a preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan) for 10–15 minutes until piping hot.

Freeze baked steak bakes for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

You can freeze steak bakes either baked or unbaked.

Unbaked: Assemble the steak bakes, then freeze on a tray until solid. Transfer to a bag or container. Bake from frozen at 190°C (170°C fan) for 35–45 minutes until golden and piping hot in the centre.
Baked: Cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.