Braised Beef Cheek & Short Rib Suet Pudding

Beef filling

Heat and sear:

• Heat a large heavy-based pot over medium–high heat.
• Add olive oil, beef cheek, and short rib.
• Cook for 6–8 minutes, turning frequently, until the meat is well caramelised.
• Remove the meat and set aside.

Aromatics and deglaze:

• Add onions and leeks to the pot, cook for 3 minutes or until translucent.
• Add carrots and tomato paste, cook for 2 minutes.
• Deglaze with Madeira, scraping all the caramelised bits from the bottom.

Simmer:

• Return the beef to the pot.
• Add bouquet garni and beef stock.
• Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 2 ½ hours.

Finish filling:

• Remove from heat.
• Add mushrooms, mustard, and butter.
• Fold together, cover, and let rest for 1 hour.

Suet pastry

Prepare pastry:

• In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and suet. Mix well.
• Add water and bring together as a dough.
• Turn onto a floured surface, knead until smooth.
• Return to the bowl, cover with a tea towel, and rest for 30 minutes.

Roll pastry:

• Roll out one large round (about 4 mm thick) for lining.
• Roll out a smaller round to serve as the lid.

Assemble pudding

Line basin:

• Grease a pudding basin (or Pyrex bowl) with butter.
• Line with pastry, leaving an overhang at the top and pressing pastry into edges.

Fill:

• Spoon the rested beef mixture into the pastry.
• Discard bouquet garni and any rib bones.
• Brush the lid pastry with water, place water-side down over filling.
• Pleat and seal edges.

Cover:

• Place 2 sheets of baking paper over the top.
• Stack 2 large sheets of foil, place bowl in centre, and wrap tightly to enclose.

Cook pudding

Steam-bake:

• Preheat oven to 150°C.
• Place a rack in a deep roasting tray.
• Set the pudding basin on the rack and pour water into tray until half-filled.
• Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Turn oven off and rest pudding in oven for 15 minutes.

Finish:

• Remove from oven and rest on bench for 30 minutes.
• Unwrap foil and turn pudding out onto a serving plate.

Serve

• Serve hot, finished with veal jus.
• Suggested accompaniments: pomme purée and braised peas.