Pioneer
Beefsteak and Kidney Pie
Aida Boyer McAnn — The New Brunswick Cook Book (1938)A hearty Loyalist recipe carried to New Brunswick at the close of the American War of Independence — beef kidney and round steak braised for two hours with onion, parsley, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce, then covered with pastry or biscuit dough and baked until golden.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds round or chuck steak
- 2 beef kidneys (approximately 1 pound)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ tablespoons melted fat
- 1 medium-sized onion
- Two-thirds tablespoon dripping
- 3 to 4 cups water or stock
- 3 to 4 tablespoons flour
- Pastry or biscuit dough for topping
Instructions
- Wash the kidneys in cold water, then scald and remove the veins, cords, and fat. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes (longer for older animals). Drain and cut into small cubes.
- Combine salt, pepper, parsley, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and fat. Add the cubed kidney, stir well, and allow to stand for half an hour.
- Cut the beef steak into ½-inch cubes, chop the onion, and add both to the melted dripping. Heat until the onion is slightly browned and the meat is seared on all sides.
- Add the kidneys with their dressing, brown slightly, then add the water or stock. Cover and simmer until the meat is tender — about 1½ to 2 hours. Add more liquid during cooking if necessary.
- Put the meat into a casserole. Thicken the liquid in the pan with flour mixed to a smooth paste with cold water. Pour over the meat.
- Cover with pastry or biscuit dough and bake until the crust is nicely browned. This amount makes 8 servings.