Traditional Steak and Kidney Pudding

Steak and kidney pudding

Joff Lee/Getty Images 

Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 4 servings

No other British dish shows the British idiosyncrasy of calling a savory dish a pudding than a steak and kidney pudding. It is not a pudding in the dessert sense of the word, but a pudding in the old-British way of talking about food.

This recipe may at first look a little daunting, but don’t be put off, it is straightforward, and all the effort well worth it as the pudding makes a fabulous lunch or dinner and is considered one of the kings of British comfort foods. Perfect on a cold winter's day. The wine is not traditional, but it enriches the gravy and adds depth to the whole dish.

Do not confuse this with a steak and kidney pie; this is something entirely different.

Beware, steak and kidney pudding is a very filling dish, but it is lovely with mashed potatoes to soak up the delicious sauce and fresh seasonal vegetables.

For this recipe, you will need two sheets of greaseproof paper and kitchen string.

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce (25 grams) beef drippings

  • 1 1/2 pounds (675 grams) beef topside, cut into 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) cubes

  • 12 ounces (350 grams) beef kidney, cut into 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) cubes

  • 1 onion, roughly chopped

  • 2 carrots, peeled, thickly sliced

  • 1 ounce (25 grams) all-purpose flour

  • 10 ounces (300 milliliters) beef stock

  • 5 ounces (150 milliliters) red wine

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Pastry:

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Heat a large casserole dish on the stove, add the drippings and heat until slightly smoking. Add the beef cubes and the kidney, stir well until all the meat is browned. Add the onion, carrots, and stir again.

  2. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and vegetables and stir thoroughly.

  3. Add the stock, red wine, bay leaf, parsley, and tomato puree. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Place in the hot oven and cook for 1 hour.

  4. Remove the casserole from the oven, season with salt and pepper to taste, and leave it to cool.

  5. Make the pastry. Place the flour, baking powder, and salt into a baking bowl. Add the suet and rub into the flour. Add enough cold water to form a stiff, slightly sticky dough. Leave it to rest for 30 minutes.

  6. Grease a 2-pint pudding basin with the butter. Divide the pastry into 2/3 and 1/3 parts and roll the larger piece of dough into a circle large enough to line the basin with an extra 1/2" border. Dust your hands with a little flour then carefully line the basin with the dough.

  7. Add the meat mixture and roll the remaining dough into a circle large enough to make a lid. Wet the overhanging lip of the basin with cold water, lay the lid on top and press firmly around the edge to seal.

  8. Cover the basin with two circles of greaseproof paper secured with kitchen string.

  9. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 2 hours. Check frequently to make sure water has not boiled dry. Top up with boiling water as needed.

  10. Remove the pudding from the steamer, remove the greaseproof paper, and serve.

Recipe Variation

  • Instead of beef drippings, use lard or vegetable oil.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1372 Calories
80g Fat
66g Carbs
85g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1372
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 80g 102%
Saturated Fat 38g 191%
Cholesterol 860mg 287%
Sodium 1430mg 62%
Total Carbohydrate 66g 24%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 85g
Vitamin C 13mg 65%
Calcium 360mg 28%
Iron 14mg 78%
Potassium 998mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)