Food That Time Forgot: Beef Steak Pie

Food That Time Forgot takes a closer look into food that was extremely prominent in 18th century cookbooks that you simply don’t hear much about in modern day cooking. Beef Steak Pies are absolutely delicious and should be available at most restaurants. Why aren’t they?

Instagram ➧ townsends_official

[weetbix]

Meat pies of all varieties are still very popular in England, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Available at almost every shop.

[jamescrab]

Beef steak pie are still popular here in Australia, mostly they are mince beef pies but still sold and eaten are steak pies.

[micahphilson]

Savory pies really need to make a comeback in America!

[menialbee]

here in Scotland steak pie is one of the most common dishes you can get, especially at restaurants

[flintandball]

Every bakery in every town in Australia has meat pies, every football game sells them, every supermarket in the country has frozen pies and many people make them at home regularly. Far from being forgotten they're one of the most popular foods in this country!

[sjenner]

As an Englishman, so many of these recipes are familiar. And they’re savory and delicious. Quite surprised these left the American pallet. Not sure how or why. But the one you made looks rather good. And I’d eat that eagerly with HP.

[terben]

In Australia, there are 270 million pies sold per year (12 per person) In New Zealand, the numbers are 66 million (15 per person)

[Dwarfman]

I honestly couldn't think of a world without meat pies. It's so strange to me that Americans have 'forgotten' this product. Here in Australia, you can find a meat pie anywhere from bakerys, some pubs and even service stations (gas stations).

[pillck]

My great great grandmother, great grandmother, grandmother and mother cooked this exact thing but we are from Australian origins. This channel really shows how old England influenced and made a lot of the current foods for counties that England was the progenitor of.

[ketmateo]

Steak, Steak and Ale, Steak and Onion, Steak and Mushroom pies are all very common in the UK. Almost all supermarkets sell Steak pie, sometimes you might find a minced beef pie, but on the whole it's chunks of steak. It's so bizarre to me that Americans do not really do savoury pie when they're so ubiquitous in the UK. Love the video and so glad you've found something we, on this side of the pond, mostly love.

[emilylloyd-gale]

Steak pies are extremely common here in the U.K. you can make them or get various varieties of them in every supermarket.

[melissarey]

I think John's suggestion of mushroom ketchup and nutmeg sounds pretty good.

[AngusPearson]

In the UK we still have and love Steak and Ale pie - it’s basically identical to this, but you’d use a good amber or golden ale instead of water (lighter beers like lagers might work, but ale will be better - probably not too hoppy, though. Guinness would also work, and is the most widely available ‘ale’)

[saetia]

It's interesting that the idea of putting carrots and potatoes into the pie was a later addition; you'd think that they would have used it to pad the filling out instead of just meat.

[DenieBernier]

Here’s one little tip… Chop up the steak first that way it’ll be easier to serve when it’s done baking. If you leave the beef in sheets it can be a little trickier to cut out. Marvelous video… I so look forward to Townshend’s offerings ❤✅

[tanasarahdesign]

This is basically tourtiere. Just north of you in Michigan our French and native ancestors made meat pie out of what was available for meat with a variety of spices. This was frequently venison with sumac and juniper berry. When beef became available it was used. When my ancestors had a sheep ranch across the lake in Penetanguishene, this influenced the content of the pie, and later they switched to pork when they abandoned the ranch and came back across the lake. Eventually tourtiere became a staple of Revellion. The spices seem to have stabilized to include garlic, cloves, and cinnamon. It isn’t until the 20th century that our family started to add potatoes in order to make it cheaper. We still make it frequently, and knowing the history, I feel free to mix it up with whatever I have available and know that whatever that is, it will be right.

[jeromethiel]

Root vegetables add so much flavor, and are cheaper than meat. Plus, they add needed nutrients. So if i want a savory pie, what i am looking for is like a midwest pastie. Meat, root vegetables, gravy in a crispy crust. So good.

I've been out in the cold and wet for hours, and sit down to a hot pastie or two, and it really fills your belly and warms you up. So hearty!

[floydblandston]

'Pie' was a short term preservation technique- you could fire your oven hot all day Saturday and fill it with various (Beef, Apple, Chicken etc.) pies that would keep fresh even in summer for the length of a week as long as they weren't cut into until ready to be devoured for that day's food. That's what your 'pie safe' was for- rodent, pet, fly, and people proof until meal time; breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

It's a heck of a lot easier than shooting for non-moldy bread during warm weather than a once a week schedule allows for, where you might have it fresh for the first 3-4 days before needing it toasted to keep. A pie crust is dry and oily- aiding preservation- and if filled and vented properly, allows little opportunity for internal spoilage while self pasteurizing the internal contents. Try it yourself!

[Graygor.]

I had one two weeks ago! Americans need to let savoury pies into their lives

[Alienkiwi]

Most Commonwealth countries favour these pies as snacks today. New Zealand and Australia make incredible meat pies. New Zealand used to have a McDonald's-like fast food franchise called Georgie Pie.