A pastry-topped steak and haggis pie for four, with a slow beef braise, measured haggis filling and practical advice for a spoonable gravy.
Cover image: Macsween traditional haggis, used as an ingredient in this recipe.
Steak and haggis pie combines tender pieces of beef with the seasoning and texture of haggis, finished with a puff pastry lid. The beef needs its slow cooking first; adding haggis near the end keeps the two parts of the filling distinct.
This proposed version uses 600g braising steak and 200g haggis for four main portions. It takes its pastry-topped approach from Quality Meat Scotland’s traditional steak pie, with a separate haggis addition and a longer, tenderness-led braise.
Ingredients for four
600g braising beef, cut into roughly 3cm pieces
200g Macsween Haggis, chilled and not previously heated at home
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon tomato purée
500ml beef stock, plus a little boiling water if needed
1 bay leaf
320g ready-rolled puff pastry, trimmed to fit
1 egg, beaten
Black pepper, to taste
Use a lidded casserole or heavy saucepan and a shallow ovenproof pie dish of about 1.5 litres. Estimated timing: 25 minutes preparation, 2–2½ hours braising, then around 30–40 minutes baking. Beef tenderness, pastry instructions and centre temperature determine when it is ready.
Make the filling and pastry lid
Brown the beef. Heat the oil in the casserole and brown the beef in batches, transferring it to a plate. Cook the onion in the same pan until softened. Stir in the flour and tomato purée, then gradually add the stock, scraping the pan base.
Braise until tender. Return the beef and its juices, add the bay leaf and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook on a low heat for an estimated 2–2½ hours. Stir occasionally and add boiling water if the liquid reduces too far. The beef should yield easily to a fork before the haggis goes in.
Prepare the lid. Near the end of the braise, preheat the oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan, or follow the pastry pack if different. Cut a pastry lid slightly larger than the dish, make a steam slit and keep it refrigerated while you finish the filling.
Add the haggis. Remove all its packaging and casing. Crumble 200g into the simmering beef, stir well and continue heating until the filling is steaming throughout. Follow any stricter instructions on the haggis label. The gravy should coat a spoon; add small splashes of hot water if the oats make it too thick. Remove the bay leaf.
Top and bake without a cooling break. Transfer the hot filling to the dish, leaving room below the rim. Fit the chilled lid promptly, seal the edges and brush with egg. Put the dish on a tray and bake for an estimated 30–40 minutes, until the pastry is risen and cooked.
Check before serving. Use a clean thermometer in the centre of the filling: 75°C for 30 seconds is one of the Food Standards Agency’s safe cooking combinations. Cover the pastry loosely if it browns before the centre is ready, and continue cooking. Serve hot.
Shopping, portions and serving
A 400g pack provides the 200g used here plus another unheated portion. Separate that portion before starting; cover, refrigerate promptly and follow the label’s after-opening limit. Do not treat it as cooked leftovers.
Serve the pie with peas, cabbage or other vegetables. If adding mash, our mashed potato product page gives the current pack details. Compare formats in the Macsween haggis guide before buying for a larger meal.
Allergens and storing the finished pie
The haggis contains oats and may contain wheat; flour and pastry contain wheat, and the glaze contains egg. Check pastry for milk and stock for allergens such as celery. Read the exact labels rather than assuming a brand or substitution is suitable.
Use newly opened chilled haggis for this continuous preparation, not haggis already heated and cooled after another meal. The stocked Macsween product says not to reheat after heating and cooling, so this is not a cook-cool-reheat pie or a batch-cooking recommendation. Make an amount you can serve at this meal.
Frequently asked questions
When should I add haggis to steak pie?
Add the haggis after the beef is tender, near the end of the braise. Stir it into the simmering filling and heat thoroughly before fitting the pastry lid. This keeps the haggis from disappearing into the gravy during the long beef cooking stage.
How much haggis goes into a steak and haggis pie?
This four-person pie uses 600g braising beef and 200g haggis. A 400g haggis pack leaves a separate, unheated portion for another meal. Set that portion aside before cooking and follow the label’s refrigeration and after-opening instructions.
Why has the pie filling become too thick?
Haggis contains oats that absorb liquid, so the gravy can thicken after it is added. Stir in small splashes of hot water until the gravy coats a spoon. Avoid making it watery, which can spoil the pastry and dilute the flavour.
Can I cook this pie today and reheat it tomorrow?
This version is designed for one continuous preparation and cooking session, followed by immediate serving. The stocked haggis has reheating restrictions, so do not treat this as a cook-cool-reheat pie. Make the quantity you can serve at the meal.
Does the pie need a pastry base as well as a lid?
No. This recipe uses a puff pastry lid over the hot filling in a shallow ovenproof dish. Keep the lid chilled until needed, make a steam slit and bake promptly. A fully enclosed pie needs a different method to cook its base properly.
