Steak & Stilton Bakes
Published
At a glance
- Prep
- 20m
- Cook filling
- 45m – 1h
- Cook pasty
- 20m – 25m
- Serves
- 4
Step-by-step Gallery
Ingredients
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For the filling
- 400g lean diced beef
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 small carrot, coarsely grated
- 1 stick celery, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 350ml beef stock
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp fresh ly ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 100 –120g blue cheese, crumbled
- salt, to taste
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To finish
- 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
Brown the beef
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Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the beef and brown well on all sides. Work in batches if necessary - you want the beef to colour rather than stew in its own juices.
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Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
Make the gravy
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Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and celery to the same pan. Cook for around 5 minutes until starting to soften.
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Add the grated carrot and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
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Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, then add the flour, mustard powder, thyme and black pepper. Stir well and cook for another minute.
Slow-cook the beef
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Gradually pour in the beef stock, stirring to make a smooth gravy. Add the Worcestershire sauce and return the beef to the pan.
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Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender.
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Remove the lid for the final 10–15 minutes and allow the gravy to reduce until very thick. The filling needs to be considerably thicker than normal gravy so it doesn't leak out of the pastry.
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Season to taste
Add the Blue Cheese
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Take the filling off the heat and allow it to cool for 10–15 minutes.
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Stir through the crumbled blue cheese, leaving some small pieces intact rather than completely melting it into the gravy.
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Transfer the filling to a bowl and allow it to cool completely before assembling the bakes. Chilled filling is much easier to work with and helps the pastry stay crisp.
Assemble
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Heat the oven to 200°C fan / 220°C conventional.
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Lay out the sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry, cut into 4 rectangles and divide the filling between them, leaving a generous border around the edges.
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Brush the pastry edges with beaten egg, fold the pastry over the filling and press the edges firmly together. Crimp with a fork to seal.
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Place on a lined baking tray and cut two or three small slashes in the top of each bake to allow steam to escape.
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Brush generously with beaten egg.
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Optional - Sprinkle with cracked black pepper or nigella seeds.
Bake
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Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until the pastry is well risen and deeply golden.
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Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving — the filling will be extremely hot.
Notes
These Steak & Stilton Bakes are packed with tender beef cooked in a rich, savoury gravy, with plenty of punchy blue cheese tucked inside crisp, flaky puff pastry. Stilton is the obvious choice, but any good blue cheese will work — I used Blue Monday because that's what I had in the fridge. The filling can be made ahead, making these particularly handy for a proper homemade lunch or an easy dinner.
Tips
- Brown the beef well. Don't overcrowd the pan or the beef will steam rather than brown. The extra colour adds a lot of flavour to the finished gravy.
- Keep the gravy thick. A loose filling will make the pastry soggy and can leak during baking. Reduce the gravy until it is thick enough to hold its shape.
- Cool the filling completely. Warm filling will soften the pastry before it gets into the oven. Chilled filling is much easier to wrap and gives you a better rise.
- Don't be shy with the seasoning. Beef, pastry and blue cheese can all handle plenty of black pepper. Taste the filling before adding the cheese and adjust the seasoning while you still can.
- Use a good egg wash. Brush the pastry generously with beaten egg for a deep golden finish and a crisp, glossy crust.
Substitutions
- Blue cheese: Stilton is the classic choice for these bakes, but you can use any good blue cheese you have. Stronger cheeses will give you a more pronounced flavour, while a milder blue will be more subtle.
- Diced beef: Use stewing steak or another economical diced beef suitable for slow cooking. Cut larger pieces into smaller chunks for easier eating.
- Mustard powder: Replace with 1 teaspoon of English mustard.
- Beef stock: A good-quality beef stock pot, stock cube, or concentrated stock can be used. If using a particularly salty stock, check the seasoning before adding extra salt. Chicken stock will work if you have it, I always have some in the freezer as its easy to make.
- Puff pastry: Ready-rolled shortcrust pastry can be used for a more traditional pie-style bake, although it won't have the same flaky finish.
Storage & Reheat
Refrigerate: Allow the baked bakes to cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Once completely cool, wrap the individual bakes well and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat: Reheat in an oven at 180°C fan for around 15–20 minutes, until piping hot throughout. Avoid the microwave if possible as it will soften the pastry.
Make ahead: The beef filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated. Cool it completely before using it to fill the pastry.
Serving Suggestions
These are substantial enough to serve on their own, but they're even better with something crisp and fresh alongside them.
- Serve with chips and mushy peas for a proper British bakery-style dinner.
- Add a simple green salad dressed with a sharp vinaigrette to cut through the rich filling.
- Serve with peas and roasted potatoes for an easy midweek dinner.
- Try them with gravy for dipping if you like your steak bakes particularly indulgent.
Equipment
- Large frying pan or shallow casserole
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Box grater
- Sharp knife
- Pastry brush
- Baking tray
- Baking parchment