If you have never tried suet pudding you don’t know what you are missing.
This tried and tested recipe from Gary Rhodes is perfect. Layers of lean steak and caramelised onions all enclosed in a fluffy, dumpling like pastry.
It’s easy to make, uses store cupboard ingredients and if you’re pushed for time it can be made the day before and steamed for about an hour to reheat.
LAYERED STEAK AND ONION PUDDING
Serves 4-5
INGREDIENTS:
3 large onions, sliced
50 g butter + a little for greasing
light brown sugar
500 g suet pastry
600 g lean chuck steak , skirt or braising steak cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
150 ml water
METHOD:
Fry the onions in the butter over a medium heat until well cooked and slightly burnt at the edges. This will probably have to be done in batches.
As each batch is removed from the pan, season with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar and set aside. Allow to cool.
Roll out ¾ of the pastry to about ½ cm thickness.
Generously butter a 1.2 litre pudding basin and line with the pastry leaving a 1-2 cm overhang.
Trim any fat from the meat and place in a bowl. Season well with salt and pepper, add the Worcester sauce and stir to coat.
Spoon a layer of onions into the base of the pudding basin then cover with a single layer of the beef strips. Repeat the layers until all of the meat and onions are used up.
Pour in the water, adding a little more if necessary, until it is almost level with the top layer of filling.
Fold in the over hanging edges and dampen with a little water. Roll out the remaining pastry and place on top of the pudding, pressing a little along the rim to seal. Trim off any excess pastry
with a sharp knife.
Cover with a piece of buttered, pleated foil and place in a steamer. Steam for about two hours then remove from the steamer and allow to rest for 10 minutes before turning out of the bowl.
