Scottish Steak and Kidney Dumpling Pie
A hearty and warming pie featuring tender chunks of beef and kidney in a rich gravy, topped with fluffy suet dumplings.
🧂 Ingredients
- 750 g Beef chuck(cubed)
- 250 g Lamb's kidney(trimmed, cored, and cubed)
- 2 medium Onions(chopped)
- 2 medium Carrots(chopped)
- 50 g Flour(for dusting)
- 600 ml Beef stock
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Thyme(dried)
- 1 Bay leaf
- 150 g Suet(shredded, for dumplings)
- 150 g Self-raising flour(for dumplings)
- 4-5 tbsp Cold water(for dumplings)
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black pepper
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan/gas mark 3).
💡 Tip: Ensure oven is fully preheated before placing the pie inside. - 2
Dust the beef and kidney cubes with flour, salt, and pepper.
💡 Tip: This helps to thicken the gravy. - 3
Heat oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Brown the beef and kidney in batches, then set aside.
⏱️ 10 minutes - 4
Add the onions and carrots to the dish and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
⏱️ 5 minutes - 5
Return the meat to the dish. Pour in the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Add thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.
💡 Tip: Ensure all meat is submerged in liquid. - 6
Cover the dish tightly with a lid or foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for 2 hours, or until the meat is tender.
⏱️ 2 hours - 7
While the pie is cooking, prepare the dumplings. Mix the suet and self-raising flour in a bowl. Gradually add cold water to form a soft dough.
💡 Tip: Don't overmix the dough. - 8
Shape the dough into small balls.
- 9
Remove the casserole dish from the oven. Remove the bay leaf. Arrange the dumplings on top of the stew.
💡 Tip: Ensure dumplings are not submerged in the gravy. - 10
Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, or until the dumplings are puffed up and cooked through.
⏱️ 30 minutes💡 Tip: The dumplings should be golden brown. - 11
Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
💡 Tip: Taste and adjust seasoning carefully.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Soaking the kidneys in milk for an hour before use can help to mellow their flavour.
- ✓For a richer gravy, you can add a tablespoon of tomato purée with the onions and carrots.
- ✓Ensure the dumplings are placed on top of the stew, not submerged, to allow them to steam and cook properly.
🔄 Variations
- Add diced potatoes to the stew for an even heartier meal.
- For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the flour dusting.