Thank you Rik! My first bridie & first pork pie were 1979 (and I fell in love that year). A highschool friend from 1963 had married an Irish baker and they opened Bit O' Scotland Bakery. They made all our bridies & pork pies for football games, as well as all our delicious pastries & even our traditiional Scots wedding cake. They closed after many years, and we are sad to this day. I would give anything for just one last trip to my beloved Scotland so I could walk into my favorite cafes and have my choice of the best the world can offer.❤
The juice of the meat and onion would flavor the pastry crust, I am so hungry for this! I have never had a pasty but now I can make my own and finally taste one! Thanks, Rick.
I grew up in Forfar Street, in Dunedin, New Zealand... Our granddad's family originally came from Auchtermachty in Scotland in the 1860s. Meat and three veg... Scottish basics, turnips were optional... My grandma's family were English, but I still have memories of her steamed suet pudding, and she was truly good at puddings. A pot of water and a bowl, throw all ingredients in with jam and a paper lid to hold the steam in... As a little bloke, her old recipes were marvels... Recipes made the traditional ways with suet, real yellow butter and a bit of love never killed us - I just wish that Gran wrote the recipes down! Thanks, Rick, true nostalgia for us when we watch you cooking!
I'm a romania living in westport and to be fair I have no idea what he's talking about 😂; I agree with you, old recipes are gems; I lost my grandma's recipes too; at this point I'll try any grandma recipes ❤
I'm Australian and I did find a notebook from about 1880 of recipes. There are some food ones but also many of medicines, wine and liqueurs. I tried a delicious one for brandied mulberries.
Thanks for the video, Rick. Great to see "Old School", no-nonsense, British recipes championed on RU-vid as you do! You know, I'm often struck by the number of recipes that are similar in Scotland and the West Country of England: Fudge & Tablet, White Pudding & Hog's Pudding and, of course, Bridies and Cornish Pasties (of course the Bridie lacks the spuds and turnip of the Tatty Oggie, but the similarity, especially considering the distance between the two areas, always struck me.) Anyway, keep on as you're doing, mate. Respect!
Regional variations make the dishes. However some are that close in region that ingredients have found their way in when folks make. That causes others to start bickering, "Its not made that way" When most of the time it actually is. There is such a variety of dishes around the UK its actually a foodies dream. That is one good thing about an island. the variety of home grown and then shoreline and sea. Its not just fish and chips, roast beef, that others see , (which I absolutely love) there are so many. As you have named. thank you. Best, Rik
Brilliant! Was going to suggest these - they're a weekly lunch box bake for me and a thing of joy!. Only addition I've got in the recipe I use, is loads of pepper and a teaspoon of mace . Also I was taught that they have one vent hole for just mince and two for mince and onion filling. Thank you and keep up the good (yummy) work! (Bedfordshire clanger next?)
Yes! I was going to add mace. Decided against. Here you go ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zLfHN3HNL90.html You are correct with vents - lucky mine have two holes, mince and onion. Thank you. Best, Rik
Forfar bridies 😋 yum, haven’t tasted one for years. Will definitely be giving making these, thanks 🙏 for sharing the recipe & your easy to follow demo Rik!👨🍳👌
Never heard of these but another fantastic dish for my waistline. Lol. Thanks as always Rik. I’ve put 10 kg on just watching all these yummy recipes. I just love pies
Made them just now, but using spelt flour and it came out brilliantly. Your pastry dough is perfect. I served my husband with one on his plate to start and within a minute or so he asked, "we do have more of those, right?" Big hit!
Cheers, Eric. That pudding is on the to do list. It will cause controversy. I'm sure. there will be folks saying it's not made like that! It will be done. Best, Rik
I loooove short crust pastry. Just cut it into fingers and I can eat it. I think good suet is key but even add a bit of butter to really boost the buttery crust. Bridie’s are wonderfully simple and that’s their strength.
I have just made these meat pies for the first time the pastry is absolutely lovely, it’s flaky it’s not too hard not to soft perfect texture will definitely be making these again and the dough was so easy to make. Thank you very much for sharing.
Oh man! When I was in Wales, I regularly ate a variation of these. My landlord was a fine old lady that fell in love with me because I caught her cows and herded them back into their yard when someone wrecked the gate with their car. She made these for me. She knew I was a Yank and thought I would know nothing about cows. I grew up in ranching country in New Mexico, USA. Cows were not unfamiliar!
Fancy you making these..😅..I loved mine with shortcrust pastry & my black pudding addition of course..I will give these a go, next time I make some,they look delicious. There is a similar recipe called Aberdeen braidies too I believe.
@@BackyardChef No, I used raw Steak mince & half of a teeny black pudding,chopped into small dice ,same onion & suet but in shortcrust pastry. I used bake setting at 140 , 45 mins. Very simple but absolutely delicious..😋..🙏..x
This brings back memories of Scotland 🏴 where my Grandparents came from They were lovely Thankyou Rik for sharing these. They look delicious 😋 👍😋💯
Thank you for the tips on pastry I can now make pastry as good as 1st attempt was Forfar Bridies best pasty I've ever eaten No mustard powder in the cupboard so I used Dun River all purpose seasoning still spot on
In Louisiana, USA, they make a more highly spiced "bridie" called a Natchitoches (pronounced Nak'-a-chis) meat pie that i really like. It may have this Scots version as an ancestor. I'm going to try the Scots version and see.
They look delicious ! Thank you for demonstrating ! Question: you started w/ 5 portions, but you ended up w/ 4 - did you make some change in the middle ?
I'm making these tonight... traditional, and a lentil / vegan option. They remind me of Runzas ... except Runzas also have finely shredded cabbage. Delicious!
I shall try these in Winter,as the Temperature here in Australia is 39 degree and the same tomorrow. Can’t wait to try these..What is veg shortening is it like lard?
I think I will need to try to make these. Is the suet to moisten the mixture, or does it add a flavor component? It's not really easy to come by for cooking (around here we use suet as bird feed) in these parts. If it's just to moisten or add fat, could a person use the fat left over after browning ground beef for another use (I keep that on hand for gravy and Yorkshire puddings and such), or just start with ground beef with a higher fat content? BTW, you make pastry exactly like my grandma taught me. She was born and raised and lived her whole life in southeast Kansas in the US. The only difference is I can't imagine her putting her hands in it. We typically use a pastry blender to cut the fat into the flour, although I can't really do it now since I broke my arm a few years back, so I do use my food processor for that part (I mix in the liquids by hand because the processor warms the dough too much otherwise, and like yours my recipe keeps everything at room temperature). I think I will try rubbing it in by hand as you do next time. Grandma's recipe called for all shortening, but shortening has been changed since it was decided that partially hydrogenated fats are badferya and now a pastry made with all shortening comes out very brittle, so I usually use half shortening and half butter, or all butter.
Yes indeed the beef fat would do to moisten. Nothing wrong in using the food processor a good and quick way. Sounds like you have this cooking malarky sorted. Best, Rik
My memory of Forfar (pronounced more Forfr as the a sound is very short as the emphasis is on the first syllable) bridies, though I haven’t had one in well over thirty years. But I seem to remember them having small cubes of potato in them, the pastry being very thin and almost like a hot water pastry and with the crimp being wavy and going along the top. Though there is a very good chance that the way I remember them is just how the baker or butcher my Mum got them from in 80’s west central Scotland made them. As Bridie is a girls first name in Scotland, the origin of their name could be from any abundance of Bridie’s that made them.
Hope you enjoy. Its one of those to eat on the run, warm stright from the shop. Lovely. However can be paired with many things and some gravy. Lovely too! Best, Rik
A former company back in the 1980s used to sell a roast beef n light gravy in a round pastry shell in the freezer section of the grocery... I believe they were around about five years. They were so good, I loved to cut an end off and sprinkle some Franks Red Hot sauce on them.
I'm very surprised to see that you don't pre-cook the meat before filling the pastry! I do something very similar but with cooked meat with onion, green olives and spices, pretty much like Argentinian empanadas.
Thank you for exposing the fact that British Isles food IS NOT BLAND, nor BORING! I shall be making these tonight...only with Lard, as suet is hard to find hereabouts....and i will throw in Worcester for my Chetwode kin.
Hi Rik, I also have the same oven as you, bought after watching your review of it. I notice that you always use the first (toast) setting, is there a reason for this, as I tend to used the airfry (bag if chips) symbol, with similar results. I also see that you cooked these bridies on the lower shelf, again I would much appreciate your thoughts on this. Many thanks..
Great question. The chips setting is a set temp at 190, the toast setting has a full range of temp. Cooking on the lower shelf for pies and pasties is a breeze. The heating elements at the bottom of the oven cook the bottom of the pastry perfectly. Combined with the heat from the top element - cook very well without burning. The only issue I have with the oven is that it would have been good to have the variable fan included that is in the bake setting. That would have been a game-changer. Low fan full variable temp control would make this oven really stand out. Thanks for asking. Best, Rik
@@BackyardChef I've just had a quick check before going to work, and the chip setting goes from 60 to 230...just wondering what the difference is between that and the toast one. Have a good one.
Well I never - you are completely right. Ive just checked its just the pre set that comes on at the fixed temp and then can be adjusted like you say. Thank for that we all learn. So there is absolutely no difference at all apart from the pre set. Again. Thank you. Best, Rik@@stewartmk7
@@BackyardChef it is a bit confusing isn't it. I assumed that the toast setting was for grilling/toast, and that the airfry was for general cooking. But I've tried both, and basically there is no difference... it's a great little cooker though, compared to my big oven, so thanks for the recommendation. Best wishes, Stewart.
Dave, lard is good. Here is a link for amazon, you don't have to get from there, however it will be a better product understand that you will find in the supermarkets. amzn.to/3wsj0QG Best, Rik
Hiya Rik. I tried to make these a couple of months ago, but the amount of fat and water?? that flowed out when I cut them open was quite unpleasant. How did you keep the meat and onion filling in yours so dry? Maybe I shouldn't have used 'supermarket' mince? Bit it's a delicious recipe, nevertheless, and one to try and enjoy. All the best! Pete A :) :) :)
Pete, these type of pasties do leak out. All the raw ingredients cooking inside. A cheats way would be to pre cook. Not the same but a good result. Best, Rik
@@BackyardChef Thanks again for your advice, Rik. I had toyed with the idea of pre-cooking the filling but felt it was akin to cheating. When I can, I'll get some proper meat from my local butcher and try with that; I suspect a much better outcome will ensue! Have a great day! Pete A :) :) :)
Cheers, Pete. There is nothing wrong with shortcuts in the kitchen if you have the meal you like. Everyone does that. Thank you. Best, Rik@@wurlitzer895
I make something similar I use ground beef, onion and chopped cabbage. I precook the meat and veggies , drain and add a small amount of butter. I’m going to try your recipe adding the filling raw. Cheers
Yes, absolutely. Μια συνταγή από τη Σκωτία που χρησιμοποιεί κιμά μοσχαρίσιο, είναι μια απλή μαγειρική διαδικασία χρησιμοποιώντας ωμά υλικά. Ευχαριστώ. Με τις καλύτερες ευχές, Ρικ.
@@BackyardChef Thank you, but how bizarre that after your response of "Yes, absolutely", the rest was in Greek. Thank goodness for Google translations. 😜
Suet and lard are both animal fat products, but they come from different parts of the animal and have different characteristics and uses in cooking. Suet: Suet is the hard fat around the kidneys and loins in beef and mutton. It has a high melting point, which makes it ideal for making pastry and puddings, as it provides a light, crumbly texture. Suet is often used in traditional British cuisine, such as in Christmas puddings, mincemeat, and steak and kidney pies. When rendered, it can be used similarly to lard but retains a distinct texture and flavor profile. Lard: Lard is rendered pork fat. It can come from various parts of the pig but is most commonly sourced from the fat deposits around the kidneys and belly. Lard has a lower melting point than suet and is prized for its use in baking and frying for its ability to give a flaky texture to pastries and a crispy finish to fried foods. Lard has a more neutral flavor than suet, making it more versatile in both savory and sweet dishes. The primary differences between suet and lard are their sources (beef or mutton vs. pork), their melting points, and their uses in cooking, with suet being more specific to certain traditional dishes and lard being more widely used for a variety of cooking methods. Best, Rik
Hi Mabel. Everything is in the description, have to scroll down. If you aren’t watching in the RU-vid app open it upon RU-vid then press the word “ more”. Scroll down and the recipe is there. Best, Rik
Looks absolutely delicious. Sadly I"m on a carbohydrate free diet at the moment in an effort to lose some weight. But it's definitely something to save for the future. Whatever happened to the fifth bridie? Hope it didn't end up lost!
My mom was Scottish and she would make Cornish Pasties. Loved them as a boy, as a 60 year old I would say they were a bit bland, as were all the Scottish dishes!
Finally - GRATED onion - I really don't like onion, and the less, the better. I'd just rather get the flavor of onion, as in grated, or just the juice of, or onion powder, rather than big chunks or slices. The only thing I like raw onions on is hot dogs, and I like grilled, soft, caramelized onions on a Maxwell Street polish sausage (I live in Chicago, Illinois, USA).❤
Oh how i miss a Forfar Bridie be it from Saddler's, Mclearns or the Coop, but my understanding is that the meat should be finally chopped rather than minced.
Somewhat apology, BC: To this 72-year-old Scot, the 'perfect Bridie' is encased in Puffed, Flaky Pastry. Just a thought ... Stay free, and keep the tradition alive, in whatever way. Keep The Bridie Free. Rab 🥟 💚
We used cut up, cheap steaks because I don't care for ground beef. Of course they were delicious but that much shortening can choke a horse. I'll try it again using less.
