Steak and Onion Steamed Pudding
Indulge in the classic combination of beef and onions with this easy-to-make main course. Simply assemble the ingredients in a steamer and let it cook for 2 hours until dinner is ready. This recipe uses the same suet pastry as the Steak and Kidney Pudding.
There are a few variations you can try. For a twist, layer thin slices of lamb with the onions, adding a touch of chopped mint for a flavorful dish. Venison also works well, seasoned with crushed juniper berries, and the onions lightly sweetened with redcurrant jelly.
To give the beef version a peppery kick, add a few crushed green peppercorns for a pudding au poivre. You can also make a homemade jus to pour over or serve with the pudding as a gravy.
If you haven’t tried suet pudding before, you’re in for a treat. This tried and tested recipe from Gary Rhodes creates layers of lean steak and caramelized onions, all enclosed in a fluffy, dumpling-like pastry. It’s easy to make, using pantry staples, and can even be prepared the day before and steamed for about an hour to reheat.
Steak and Onion Pudding
Serves 4-5
Ingredients:
- 3 large onions, sliced
- 50g butter, plus extra for greasing
- Light brown sugar
- 500g suet pastry
- 600g lean chuck steak, skirt, or braising steak, cut into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper
- 150ml water
Instructions:
- In a pan, fry the onions in butter over medium heat until well-cooked and slightly caramelized at the edges. You may need to do this in batches.
- As each batch is removed from the pan, season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Set aside to cool.
- Roll out three-fourths of the pastry to a thickness of about ½ cm.
- Grease a 1.2-liter pudding basin generously and line it with the pastry, leaving a 1-2 cm overhang.
- Trim any fat from the meat and place it in a bowl. Season well with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to coat.
- Spoon a layer of onions into the base of the pudding basin, then cover with a single layer of beef strips. Repeat the layers until all the meat and onions are used.
- Pour in the water, adding more if needed, until it almost reaches the top layer of filling.
- Fold in the overhanging pastry edges and dampen them with a little water. Roll out the remaining pastry and place it on top of the pudding, pressing it along the rim to seal. Trim off any excess pastry with a sharp knife.
- Cover the pudding with a piece of buttered, pleated foil and place it in a steamer. Steam for approximately two hours.
- Remove the pudding from the steamer and let it rest for 10 minutes before turning it out of the bowl.
- Serve and enjoy this comforting steak and onion steamed pudding.