British Pie Week! Make Heston’s perfect pork pie

Looking to up your pie game? Heston Blumenthal has rifled in The Hinds Head archives for his top drawer pork pie recipe in honour of British Pie Week (6-12 March). It’s a banger.

Pork Pie The Hind's Head Bray Heston BlumenthaL

If anyone is qualified to share his pastry expertise, it’s Heston Blumenthal – a man who has delved deep into the history books to bring back the best of British at his one Michelin star gastropub The Hind’s Head in Bray. If you want to sample this bad boy with lashings of piccalilli, you have two choices: 1/ grab your pinny and make it at home or 2/ race to Berkshire where this beauty is being served a week – and an tasty tipple waiting for you in the bar.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 20 mini pies

For the pork filling

  • 500g pork belly, minced
  • 200 pork shoulder (10mm dice)
  • 100g Lardo di Colonnata (10mm dice)
  • 1g ground nutmeg
  • 1g ground mace
  • 1g ginger powder
  • 50g brioche crust crumb
  • 120g hydrated Paxo stuffing
  • 1g ground black pepper
  • 10g fleur de sel
  • 1g Prague®  powder (curing salt)
  • 0.5g Nutrifos® 

For the hot water pastry

  • 500g plain flour
  • 5g salt
  • 270g rendered lard from pork fat, passed and chilled
  • 250g water

For pork jelly

  • 500g pork stock
  • 4g coriander seeds
  • 1g whole star anise
  • 3g black peppercorns
  • 1g blade of mace
  • 1g salt
  • 4g picked thyme leaves
  • 60g sage
  • 15g gelatine leaves

To assemble and bake

  • 50g Pork filling 
  • Egg wash (1 yolk, 1 whole egg, 2g sugar, 2g salt)
  • Hot water pastry (remove from the fridge 1 hour before needed)

Method

For pork filling: Combine all the ingredients (except for brioche crumb and Paxo stuffing mix). Leave the mix to marinade in the fridge for 24 hours. Once marinated, add brioche and paxo stuffing and mix until fully combined, weight out 50g portions of the pork filling and leave in the fridge to rest for 1 hour.

For the hot water pastry: Sift the plain flour, add salt and 70g of pork fat in a bowl and rub until fully combined. In the meantime, bring the water to the boil and whisk in the remaining fat. As soon as it is fully emulsified, remove from the heat. Transfer the flour mixture into a stand mixer (Kenwood) bowl with a hook attachment. Turn the mixer on a low speed and add the heated liquid in small amounts at the time. Once all ingredients are fully combined, cover the bowl with cling film and rest in the fridge overnight.

To make pork jelly: Bring the pork stock up to a simmer. Add herbs and spices, then remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. In the meantime, soak the gelatine leaves in 1L of cold water and leave it until soft. Remove the gelatine from the water and squeeze any excess water off. Add to the stock and whisk. Once fully dissolved, pass the stock through a fine sieve and place in the fridge until cold.

To assemble and bake the pie: Preheat the oven to 215°C. Roll pastry to 2mm thickness. Cut 1 disc 85mm in diameter and 1 disc in 75 mm in diameter. Place the pork filling in the middle of smaller disc and brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash. Cover it with a larger disc of pastry and shape into a dome, making sure no air is trapped inside. 

Using 75mm cutter, with a 65mm and a 55mm cutter upside down (rim facing the pastry), place them on the top of the pie and evenly apply pressure to cut the excess pastry and fully seal the filling (the dome should fit inside the smallest ring). 

Thinly brush the pastry with egg wash. Using a 20mm cutter, create a hole on the top of the dome (this will be where you will pour the jelly later on).Bake the pies for 15 minutes at 215°C or until golden brown. Set aside to cool down to room temperature. With a pipette, add the pork stock (warm enough to be liquid). Transfer into the fridge and once fully set, top up the jelly. Repeat the process until the jelly reaches the level of the pastry.

The Hind’s Head, High Street, Bray, SL6 2AB

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