Steak and Kidney Pie

So, I have wanting to make this for awhile now but have had a hard time procuring any kidney. Finally found some (calves' kidney) at our supermarket (they get calves' or lambs' kidney a few times a year...sheesh, even the butcher doesn't get any!). I have had Steak and Kidney pie about 3 times in my life and really enjoyed it. I got a recipe from my Bristish Mother-in-law. Looks pretty good and she has done it a few times with great success. She uses chuck for the "steak" part, but our grocery store had a few Hanger steaks that looked so good. I picked them up thinking I would use them instead. I don't really know what they are, but they looked marbled and possible "braisable" (is that a word...LOL?). What do you all think? Any one have some good steak and kidney pie recipes? My Mother-in-law calls for chuck, kidney, onion, carrots, beef boullion, worchestire, large flat mushrooms (I am assuming portabellas) and some tomate puree...a little flour to thicken it up. I was thinking of deglazing with some sherry, roasting the veggies, and doing the meat in my slow cooker with just a little beef stock and tomato paste. I would love to hear about anyone else's experience with this. Thanks all!

Can't help with a recipe - I've never had this dish. I'll be interested in hearing how it works out for you, Maria.

On buying kidneys, do you have any Mexican or Asian markets nearby? Out here, anyway, they have a much more complete selection of innards than the more mainstream places.

Never prepared a steak and kidney pie but have dined on some excellent versions while visiting Cambridge and at several country homes. When done badly, an abomination. When done well, delicious. Good luck and lots of fun!!

The classic recipe (courtesy of my Scottish grandmother, except for the wine, which would never have passed her lips) is 4 ozs of kidney per lb of beef, and traditionally called for lambs kidnies. I have found that beef or veal kidnies are a perfectly good substitute. I think that the beef chuck called for by your your original recipe would work better than a more upwardly mobile cut of beef. Save your hanger steak for a more elegant dish!

The general approach is as follows:
1 Sweat mirepoix in a little oil and set aside.
2 Dredge the cubed meats (1" cubes for the beef and ½" for the kidney) in flour and saute on high heat until nicely browned. You may need to do this in batches. Don't crowd the pan. Set aside.
3 Deglaze the pan with ½ cup of red wine.
4 Add back to the pan the vegetables and the meat. Sprinle with another tablespoon of flour. Season with your choice of herbs (marjoram is particularly good) and add 2 bay leaves, pepper and salt to taste.
5 Pour in enough good beef stock to almost cover the meat. Bring to a simmer on the top of the stove, cover and place in a 325º oven. After 15 minutes reduce the heat to 300º. Cook until the meat is tender, but still holds it's shape.
All the above can be done the day before. The flavours develop when held in the fridge for 24 hours.

Prepare pastry, using 2 parts flour to 1 part butter. Line a deep dish pie plate and ladle in the meat mixture, straining off and setting aside as much of the liquid as possible. Brush a little egg-wash around the rim of the pastry. Add a lid of pastry and press the edges together firmly. Brush the top with egg-wash to obtain a nice golden appearance when cooked. Cut two slots in the centre to allow steam to escape.
Bake in a 375º oven until the pastry is cooked through, about 45 minutes.

While the pie is cooking adjust the consistency of the reserved cooking liquid to make a light gravy, which can be served with the pie.

For a more elegant presentation for a dinner party, heat the meat mixture and adjust the thickness of the liquid. Bake 3" rounds of egg-washed puff pastry on a baking sheet. Serve the meat and cap each serving with a round of the puff pastry.

Hanger steak seems to be another name for a sirloin strip, sometimes called a New York strip. Probably too good for steak and kidney pie!

John

No! No! No! Hangar steak is a very specific cut. It is the center portion of the muscles that attach the diaphragm to the rib cage. The outer portions are known as "skirt steak". Hanger steak has the same pronounced grain, chewy texture, and flavorful meat as skirt steak. (If you know your French cuts, hanger steak is "onglet".)

Thanks everyone.

Mike - I actually have a Mexican Meat market here...so I will check them out for future kidney.

Thanks David for the recipe...looks really good!

Jeff - so should I not use the Hanger Steak then?

Here's a diagram of where hangar steak comes from: http://peninsulaeatz.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/hanger-diagram.jpg

Can't help either. I've had Steak and Kidney Pie a few times, but the only one I ever liked was the song by Pinetop Perkins.

Sadly the edible versions have been mostly inedible. I will note however, that I am very particular about organ meats. I eat some, and even love some...but despise some as well (cow liver, for instance; with or without onions). Kidney has never been one of them I am fond of.

Wish you luck.

Jeff - so should I not use the Hanger Steak then?

Well, I was strenuously trying to correct what John said before it got too far.

As to the pie, no, it wouldn't really be my choice -- the grain is really noticeable -- and I'd use something else. But, to each his own! You'll cut it up, anyway, so maybe a bit of chew is a good thing.

Thanks, Jeff, of course you're right. I got my brain twisted up in it usual way.
John

So I went ahead last night and made this for dinner. It really came out superb (my husband says it was the 2nd best one he has ever had in his life and that the place he has had the best is world renowned for their Steak and Kidney pie and pudding), so I was really happy.

I basically followed David's recipe which a few substitutions and additions. Instead of the red wine I used an Amontillado Sherry to delglaze. I did add some Worchester, mushrooms and roasted carrots. I put the filling in individual ramikens and topped with puffed pastry. After browning the meat and sauteeing the veggies, I transferred everything to my slow cooker and cooked for about 5 hours on low, refridgerated, then heated gently just before serving. I did use the hanger steak in the end and it was absolutely fabulous. I figured, I got it on sale and it was already cut fairly thin (1/4 inch thick) and in long strips, so it would have been hard to grill and slice against the grain. I think that it took the pie to a different level because after being braised, it was tender, but still held together and had the most luscious flavor, akin to a rib eye steak.

Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

I *love* steak and kidney pie - and it is years since I made one! An alternative instead of making it in a pie crust is to make up the steak and kidney stew, then steam some dumplings on the top of it. Again, years since I've had it.
Your pie sounds very tasty!