The Best Type Of Beef For Meltingly Tender Steak And Ale Pie

When you think of "pies," you likely think of sweet iterations — those stuffed with custard and fruit fillings and topped with meringue or whipped cream. However, savory pies are equally as delicious, and one worth making for a hearty weeknight meal is the iconic steak-and-ale pie. This U.K. staple is made with slow-cooked meat, vegetables, and an ale-infused sauce, all encased in a sturdy pie crust. While the pie's richness stems from the use of dark brown English ale, the meat is no doubt a key component — and if you want to ensure it comes out meltingly tender, there's a specific cut of beef you should stick to.

When Tasting Table spoke with Chris DeLisle, the carnivore-cuisine advocate behind Chris Cooking Nashville, whose new cookbook debuts in October 2026, about which cut he'd recommend using in this recipe, his answer was simple: chuck roast. "It has excellent marbling, plenty of connective tissue, and a rich beefy flavor. During a long braise, the collagen melts into gelatin, creating incredibly tender bites while naturally enriching the sauce," he said. DeLisle also warned folks to stay away from lean cuts, as they can easily dry out in the sauce. The connective tissue in chuck roast is what, as DeLisle described, "makes a hearty pie memorable."

Soon-to-be cookbook author Chris DeLisle offered some of his top tips for making meat pies at home. The first thing he recommended was browning your meat before preparing the rest of the filling. "Those deeply caramelized bits create layers of flavor that no seasoning can replace," he said. 

Another tip he offered was to cook the meat well, which will come in handy for preventing a soggy bottom crust (using the right pie plate for this also helps, as well as par-baking your crust before adding your ingredients). "Cook the filling until it's slightly thicker than you think it should be before assembling the pie, since steam released during baking will loosen it. A filling that's too thin can leave you with a soggy crust," he said. 

Lastly, like any fruit pie, you should always let a steak and ale pie rest so that the filling firms up. Otherwise, when you slice into the pie, you risk all of that juice flooding out and ruining your pastry. "Just like a great brisket, giving it time to settle helps everything stay together and makes for a much better serving and eating experience," he explained.