[azubah]

I have never made a steak and kidney pie. I have bought them, but find the steak usually tough, though they generally taste good.
Can anyone help me?
Should the meat be pre-cooked?
How do you keep the bottom layer of pastry from being soggy?
How do you make the gravy filling?

[8doubles]

Yes pre cook the meat in the gravy, i would flour and fry until browned with some onion . Put in a slow cooker with a couple of oxo cubes and the juices from the fry pan and a touch more boiling water and seasoning.

Always make sure  fillings are cold before they go in the pie to avoid soggy bottoms

[Sparkyrog]

lightly blind bake your pastry bottom then 3 minutes before its finished egg wash it that will seal it against the gravy ! works well for quiches too 

[Mrs Bee]

I cook my steak and kidney before putting it into a pie.

I flour the steak and kidney and season. Seal it and some onions then deglaze the pan with a little water and red wine and simmer until really tender.

I then let it cool before making it into a pie. I sometimes  just put a puff pastry top on the filling or scrunched up sheets of filo pastry instead on a double crust pie.

[azubah]

Thanks all. What seasoning would you use?

[Sparkyrog]

Thanks all. What seasoning would you use?

I only do salt and pepper 

[Mrs Bee]

Steak, kidney, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.

[azubah]

Lovely, thanks. I will try that. I bought some kidney today and have steak in the freezer.

[chrissie B]

Was just just talking about steak and kidney the other day , i pre cook mine alsothen you know with confidence how the meat will turn out .
chrissie b

[devonbarmygardener]

I just remember the smell of kidney cooking in the nursing home and can't go near it!!

So I have never made a steak and kidney pie either!! 
Nor have I ever made a crumble...

[azubah]

Crumbles are a little too sugary for me. I used to make them.

[8doubles]

Always used to make a big batch of dry crumble mix and keep it in a plastic box in the freezer.

Any cooked fruit would get a coating and be browned in the oven after the sunday roast had been removed.

A fast and handy desert !

[jaydig]

Always used to make a big batch of dry crumble mix and keep it in a plastic box in the freezer.

Any cooked fruit would get a coating and be browned in the oven after the sunday roast had been removed.

A fast and handy desert !

I always do the same. Big bag of crumble mix in the freezer, take out what I need, and then add to it a handful of good muesli, or nuts with sultanas, chopped dates, chopped dried apricots, or whatever you fancy to go with the fruit you are topping with it. Finely chopped crystalised ginger to cover rhubarb works well. I find that with the addition of the oats in the muesli and the extra bits and pieces, you can cut down on the amount of sugar.

[Mrs Bee]

I too, keep a bag of crumble in the freezer with nuts or oats or muesli added.

I cook mine crumble mix before I freeze it though as I find the juices from the fruit seep through the crumble topping.

I put the crumble mix on a baking tray in the oven 180C for about 10 minutes. Let it cool then break it up and freeze it. I can then cook the fruit and pop the crisp crumble on the top and there is no seepage and the topping stays crisp.

[Sparkyrog]

I too, keep a bag of crumble in the freezer with nuts or oats or muesli added.

I cook mine crumble mix before I freeze it though as I find the juices from the fruit seep through the crumble topping.

I put the crumble mix on a baking tray in the oven 180C for about 10 minutes. Let it cool then break it up and freeze it. I can then cook the fruit and pop the crisp crumble on the top and there is no seepage and the topping stays crisp.

I like this idea ! it will be hijacked