Ingredients

• 675g/1½lb chuck steak
• cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
• 225g/8oz ox kidney
• cut into 2.5cm1in cubes
• 1 small onion
• peeled and finely chopped
• large pinch celery salt
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 150ml/¼pt fresh beef stock
• 400g/14oz self-raising flour
• 200g/7oz beef or vegetarian suet
• ½ tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 290ml/½ pint cold water

Directions

• Place the steak and kidney into a large bowl. Stir in the onion
• celery salt
• pepper
• salt and thyme leaves. Toss together lightly and set to one side.
• To make the suet pastry
• sift the flour and the salt into a large bowl. Add the suet
• salt and pepper. Lightly mix and add the water a little at a time.
• Cut through the dough using a round bladed knife as if you were making scones.
• Using your hands mix to form a soft dough.
• On a lightly floured work surface roll out the pastry into a round disc approximately 0.5-1cm/¼-½in) thick. Cut out about a quarter of the pastry mixture for the lid and set aside.
• Use the remainder of the pastry to line a well buttered 1.75l/3pt pudding basin
• leaving at least 1cm½in of the pastry hanging over the edge.
• Add the flour to the steak and kidney mixture and stir gently. Place the batches of the meat mixture into a sieve (with a glass bowl underneath) and shake to remove any excess flour.
• Spoon into the pudding basin lined with the pastry. Do not push the meat filling into the basin and add the fresh beef stock nearly 2/3rds to the top not covering the meat completely.
• Place the pastry lid over the filling and fold the border over. Press the pastry together securely to seal.
• Cover the pudding with a double piece of buttered foil
• pleated in the middle. Tie in place with string.
• Steam the pudding on an upturned plate in a large saucepan filled with hot water for 5 hours
• topping up with water occasionally so as not to boil the water in the saucepan dry.
• To serve
• turn out the pudding onto a large warm plate. Cut a wedge of the pudding and place on a serving plate with mashed potatoes and a spoonful of peas.