Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 400 g beef steak (chuck or sirloin), cut into 1.5 cm pieces
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 1 small onion (about 120 g), finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 20 g plain flour
- 350 ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp cold water (optional, for extra thickness)
- 2 sheets ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry (2 x 320 g)
- 1 large egg + 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)
- 1 tbsp plain flour (for dusting)
Do This
- 1. Sear steak in oil for 3–4 minutes; remove to a bowl.
- 2. Soften onion in butter for 6–8 minutes; stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- 3. Stir in flour 1 minute, then whisk in stock, Worcestershire, soy, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- 4. Simmer 10–12 minutes; return steak and simmer 8–10 minutes until tender and gravy is thick. Cool 30 minutes, then chill 20 minutes.
- 5. Heat oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Cut pastry into 8 rectangles; add filling to 4, top with the other 4.
- 6. Seal edges, crimp, cut 2 small steam vents, egg-wash.
- 7. Bake 20–22 minutes until deep golden and puffed; rest 10 minutes before eating.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- That classic Greggs-style filling: tender steak pieces in a thick, savory brown gravy that stays put (not runny).
- Ultra-flaky pastry: all-butter puff pastry bakes up crisp with shattering layers.
- Totally doable at home: straightforward steps, no fancy equipment required.
- Great for batch cooking: make ahead, chill or freeze, and bake when you want a hot, fresh steak bake.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 small onion, 2 garlic cloves
- Dairy: unsalted butter, 1 large egg, milk (for egg wash), all-butter puff pastry
- Pantry: vegetable oil, plain flour, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, cornstarch (optional), salt, black pepper
Full Ingredients
For the steak and gravy filling
- 400 g beef steak (chuck for best tenderness after simmering, or sirloin for a leaner bite), cut into 1.5 cm pieces
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 1 small onion (about 120 g), finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves (about 10 g), finely minced
- 20 g plain flour
- 350 ml beef stock (hot or warm is easiest to whisk in smoothly)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Optional for extra-thick gravy: 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water (slurry)
For assembling the steak bakes
- 2 sheets ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry (2 x 320 g sheets), kept cold
- 1 tbsp plain flour, for dusting
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp milk
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cut the steak and set up your station
Cut the beef into evenly sized 1.5 cm pieces so it cooks at the same rate. Measure out the sauce ingredients and keep your stock ready. This recipe moves quickly once you start making the gravy, and having everything prepared helps prevent lumps.
Step 2: Sear the steak for flavor
Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the beef in a single layer (work in two batches if needed), then sear for 3–4 minutes total, turning the pieces so they brown on multiple sides.
Transfer the steak to a bowl. It does not need to be cooked through yet; it will finish simmering in the gravy.
Step 3: Cook the onion and garlic until sweet and aromatic
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to the same pan. Once melted, add the diced onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant (garlic can turn bitter if it browns).
Step 4: Make a thick brown gravy
Sprinkle in the plain flour and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste and create a roux coating the onions.
Gradually whisk in the beef stock a little at a time, smoothing out any lumps as you go. Once fully combined, stir in the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the gravy is glossy and noticeably thick. You want it thick enough that a spoon dragged through leaves a clear trail for a second before it fills in.
Step 5: Simmer the steak until tender, then cool the filling completely
Return the seared steak (and any juices in the bowl) to the pan. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the steak is tender and the gravy clings to the meat.
If you want the filling thicker (more like the classic bakery style), stir in the optional cornstarch slurry and simmer for 1 minute more.
Now the key: cool the filling so it does not melt the pastry. Spread it on a plate or shallow dish to cool faster for 30 minutes at room temperature, then chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
Step 6: Assemble the steak bakes (keep the pastry cold)
Preheat the oven to 220°C (or 200°C fan). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
Lightly dust the counter with 1 tbsp flour. Unroll the puff pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 4 equal rectangles to make 8 rectangles total.
Place 4 rectangles on the lined tray. Spoon the cooled filling onto the center of each, using about 125–140 g filling per bake, leaving a 1.5 cm border all around. (Avoid overfilling; it makes sealing harder and can cause leaks.)
In a small bowl, beat the egg with the milk. Brush a thin line of egg wash around the border of each base rectangle.
Top each with a second pastry rectangle. Press around the edges to seal, then crimp with a fork. Cut 2 small steam vents in the top of each bake.
Step 7: Egg wash and bake until deeply golden and flaky
Brush the tops (and edges, if you like) with egg wash. For the flakiest puff, chill the assembled bakes on the tray in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking (optional but helpful if your kitchen is warm).
Bake for 20–22 minutes at 220°C (200°C fan), rotating the tray at the 15-minute mark for even browning, until puffed and a deep golden brown.
Let the steak bakes rest for 10 minutes before eating. The filling will be extremely hot, and resting helps the gravy set so it stays inside when you cut.
Pro Tips
- Cool filling = flaky pastry: warm filling melts puff pastry and prevents proper lift. Chilling is not optional if you want crisp layers.
- Go for thick gravy: the goal is scoopable filling, not a pourable sauce. Simmer longer or use the cornstarch slurry if needed.
- Seal well to prevent leaks: egg wash on the edges, press firmly, then crimp. If any filling smears onto the edge, wipe it off before sealing.
- Deep color tastes better: bake until truly golden brown; pale pastry can be doughy in the center layers.
- Cut small vents: they release steam so the pastry stays crisp and the bakes don’t burst at the seams.
Variations
- Steak and onion extra: add an additional 60 g onion (total 180 g) and cook it down slowly until lightly caramelized before making the roux.
- Steak and ale style: replace 100 ml of the beef stock with 100 ml brown ale, and simmer 2–3 extra minutes to cook off the bitterness.
- Peppery bakery vibe: increase black pepper to 1 tsp and add 1/8 tsp ground white pepper for a classic savory kick.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Fridge (baked): Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking tray at 180°C (160°C fan) for 12–15 minutes until hot throughout and crisp again.
Fridge (unbaked): Assemble the bakes, cover well, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Egg-wash right before baking for best color.
Freeze (unbaked): Freeze assembled, unbaked bakes on a tray until solid (about 2 hours), then wrap and freeze up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 200°C (180°C fan) for 28–32 minutes, egg-washing the tops right before they go into the oven (or after 5 minutes of baking if fully frozen and egg wash won’t stick).
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate, per 1 steak bake (1/4 recipe): 620 calories; 23 g protein; 45 g carbohydrates; 40 g fat; 18 g saturated fat; 3 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 900 mg sodium.
