📝 About This Recipe
A true relic of British culinary history, the Squab Pie is a curious and delightful specialty of Devon and Cornwall that, despite its name, traditionally contains no pigeon at all. This savory-sweet masterpiece layers tender neck of mutton with tart Bramley apples and sweet onions under a buttery, flaky pastry lid. The result is a deeply comforting, historical dish where the acidity of the fruit perfectly cuts through the richness of the meat, offering a taste of the English countryside in every bite.
🥗 Ingredients
The Meat Filling
- 750 grams Mutton or Lamb Neck (cut into 1-inch chunks, excess fat trimmed)
- 2 tablespoons Plain flour (seasoned with salt and black pepper)
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil (for searing the meat)
The Layers
- 500 grams Bramley or Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored, and thickly sliced)
- 2 pieces Large Yellow Onions (peeled and thinly sliced into rings)
- 1 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar (to balance the apple acidity)
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Allspice
- 300 ml Lamb or Beef Stock (high quality)
- 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme (leaves stripped)
The Pastry Crust
- 320 grams Shortcrust or Puff Pastry (all-butter variety, chilled)
- 1 piece Egg (beaten with a splash of milk for the wash)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Preheat your oven to 170°C (325°F/Gas Mark 3). Toss the mutton chunks in the seasoned flour until evenly coated.
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2
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat in batches until deeply caramelized on all sides, then remove and set aside.
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3
In a deep 1.5-liter pie dish or casserole, begin layering. Start with a third of the sliced onions at the bottom.
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4
Add a layer of half the browned meat over the onions, followed by half of the sliced apples.
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5
Sprinkle half of the brown sugar, allspice, and thyme leaves over the apple layer. Season generously with salt and pepper.
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6
Repeat the layers: remaining onions, remaining meat, and finally the rest of the apples on top.
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7
Pour the stock over the ingredients. The liquid should come about halfway up the dish; it will create a rich gravy as the apples break down.
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8
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. This ensures the mutton becomes meltingly tender before the pastry is added.
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9
Remove the dish from the oven and increase the temperature to 200°C (400°F). Check the meat with a fork; it should be nearly tender.
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10
Roll out your pastry on a floured surface until it is slightly larger than your pie dish.
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11
Brush the rim of the dish with egg wash. Drape the pastry over the filling, trim the edges, and press down firmly to seal. Cut a small cross in the center to let steam escape.
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12
Brush the entire top of the pastry with the egg wash for a golden, professional finish.
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13
Bake for a further 25-30 minutes until the pastry is risen, crisp, and a deep golden brown.
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14
Allow the pie to rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to thicken into a luscious sauce.
💡 Chef's Tips
Use Mutton if you can find it; its stronger flavor stands up beautifully to the tart apples, though lamb is a fine substitute. Don't skip the pre-cooking of the meat under foil; if you put the pastry on immediately, the meat will be tough and the pastry will burn. If the apples are very juicy, you may want to reduce the stock slightly to avoid a soggy bottom. For an extra authentic touch, add a few pieces of cooked bacon or salt pork between the layers for added depth. Make sure your pastry is very cold when it goes into the oven to ensure maximum flake.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a generous portion of buttery mashed potatoes to soak up the apple-scented gravy. Steamed seasonal greens like Savoy cabbage or kale provide a fresh, bitter contrast to the sweet filling. A glass of dry West Country cider is the traditional and perfect beverage pairing. A dollop of English mustard on the side adds a lovely piquant heat to the mutton. Roasted root vegetables, such as parsnips or carrots, complement the autumnal flavors of the dish.