We examined steak pies from 5 main supermarkets to search out the very best worth and style
Waitrose’s steak pie was scrumptious (Picture: Emilia Randall)
For a nation of pie lovers, the seek for the UK’s greatest grocery store steak pie is actually to not be taken calmly.
Pies, of their many types from candy to savoury, have been a staple of the English culinary panorama since at the least the thirteenth century. Nonetheless, the final word pie for a lot of Brits stays the basic steak and ale.
To make sure you take advantage of this week-long pastry journey, I selflessly volunteered to place all of the grocery store steak pies to the take a look at, serving to you determine the place greatest to spend your cash.
I sampled steak pies from M&S, Waitrose, Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Tesco to search out out which delivers the very best mixture of value and style.
I used to be looking out for crumbly pastry, a beneficiant quantity of steak, a wealthy and hearty flavour and good worth for portion dimension, reviews <a href=”https://www.mirror.co.uk/way of life/food-drink/i-tried-every-uk-supermarket-36804158″>the Mirror</a>.
Marks and Spencer is one thing of a British establishment, and for good cause. Because the priciest pie of the bunch, my expectations had been understandably excessive — but I used to be left disenchanted.
Initially, be aware of your well being with this one — if the steak and pastry weren’t sufficient of a priority, it additionally accommodates a whopping 6 grams of salt.
I attempted the large 4 supermarkets’ steak and ale pies (Picture: Emilia Randall)
For causes unknown, this pie additionally ended up burnt, requiring one thing of a salvage operation earlier than I might eat it — scraping the charred prime off into the bin.
The directions acknowledged it wanted half-hour at 180C fan. My oven could nicely have been having an off day, but it surely was completely burnt by the point these half-hour had elapsed.
By way of flavour, the filling was amongst the strongest — there was ample precise steak inside to make it really feel like a real pie, and it was removed from tasteless, with the ale flavour distinctly coming via.
The pastry was the place it fell quick — being barely bland and never crumbly sufficient for my style.
As anticipated, Waitrose delivered the products. This steak pie was an outright winner. The pastry was crumbly, quick and stuffed with flavour. The steak filling was wealthy and boasted an distinctive depth of style.
This additionally contained the best precise steak content material per pie — with each mouthful offering a beneficiant portion of meat.
The M&S pie burnt within the oven (Picture: Emilia Randall)
Crucially, this one did not burn — it cooked fantastically within the oven and emerged with an ideal golden crust.
It comfortably fed two folks alongside a portion of veg, and would make for a easy, inexpensive midweek dinner when you possibly can’t face spending hours slaving over a sizzling range.
Aldi’s steak bake was disappointing. The pastry was flaky and first rate, however that is the place the reward ends. The steak filling tasted of completely nothing.
My fellow taste-tester Pierre described it as “receiving a heat hug from a relative you do not actually like.”
This was spot on. At £1.15, it barely dents your pockets – however equally delivers little or no in return.
This undoubtedly boasted essentially the most pronounced ale flavour of all of the pies, whereas its pastry was much less “puff” and extra crumbly than marketed – which was completely high-quality by me.
It supplied a genuinely satisfying filling, with no pastry encroaching on the beneficiant quantity of steak and gravy in every chunk.
Past that, there was little to differentiate this pie from the remainder, and it fell firmly into the mediocre class.
The puff pastry turned a beautiful golden, crispy shade and the filling was wealthy and stuffed with flavour.
Regardless of affected by a barely soggy backside, this pie is a completely reliable alternative and represents glorious worth for cash.
This boasted one of many extra subtly flavoured fillings, with extra notes past customary gravy coming via – together with even a touch of herbs and spices complementing the ale and steak.
It cooked to perfection throughout the allotted time and positively appeared spectacular. I’d buy it once more with out hesitation.
Sainsbury’s steak pie got here an in depth second (Picture: Emilia Randall)
It’s abundantly clear to me who emerges as victor and who falls quick. Aldi takes final place, owing to its disappointing lack of flavour.
Tesco adopted intently behind. I used to be shocked, having anticipated a stronger efficiency given it was the costliest possibility – it was an honest pie, but it surely actually didn’t justify carrying the heftiest price ticket.
Subsequent up was M&S, adopted by Sainsbury’s — the latter proving a powerful contender for the highest spot — nevertheless, its soggy backside finally let it down.
Maybe extra surprisingly, Waitrose got here in cheaper than each M&S and Tesco, whereas additionally delivering the best pie of the lot.
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It supplied excellent flavour, beneficiant dimension and distinctive style that was wholly justified by its value level, not like a number of different pies that frankly didn’t ship worth for cash.
For these in search of an inexpensive pie deal with at residence, Waitrose’s pie comes with an wholehearted advice.
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