cumberland pie

[rivergirl]

thanks to a slight change in the weather this week I changed my plans for a barbie and fired up the WFO for an autumnal feast I made the cumberland pie which thanks to the wood smoke was extremely moorish ............
I sealed 800 grams beef in oil(lifted it out) and then
I softened 2 chopped celery sticks,2 chopped onions, 3 carrots in the oil and added butter , 3 thyme sprigs and 4 bay leaves .
In my claycooker I put everything and just covered with a mixture of beer and beef stock . I t bubbled away nicely all afternoon just on a box of twigs i wanted out of the way just had to top the liquid up once........
come the evening I transferred it to a roasting pan and thickened the juices up , then covered it with chunky sliced perboiled in their skin spuds and raw sweet pots then put it back in the oven about 3/4 hour before serving it was sprinkled thickly with cheddar and put back to brown off. meanwhile i roasted a load of carrots , potato wedges , butternut squash in cajun s[pices to have with it .
mopping it up with matts treacle loaf which has become a firm favourite here !!!!!!!!
it made up for the down turn in the weather

[turkey]

I have to say the lack of pics is a poor show

trying to picture it but cant quite track the cooking of the beef, you sealed it first thing, but left it on the side for all afternoon untill you baked the final pie with the potato topping? or you left it to stew with the root veggies all afternoon and then topped the pie off for the final bake?

I am a pie novice so need a helping hand lol

[rivergirl]

Sorry my fault........

I braised everything in the clay pot overnight but if doing in a saucepan etc braise for about two hours or until the beef is tender (this would be a good one to use up the left over roast)thicken the juices up to make a nice rich gravy and transfer to a pie dish.
Top with pastry, scones or as I did nice thick slices of partly cooked potatoes season the spuds with salt and pepper and a sprinkling of thyme or herb of choice if you want sprinkle the top with cheese and bake until golden and bubbly"....... If using a regular oven gas 5for about 45mins