Steak and Stout Pie

Begin by preheating your oven to a moderate temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit, or equivalently, 165 degrees Celsius. Prepare the steak cubes on a plate and lightly dust them with flour.

Next, heat lard and bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the lard melts and the bacon starts to sizzle. Add the flour-coated steak cubes and cook, stirring constantly, until they are nicely browned along with the bacon, taking around 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish.

Add sliced onions and mushrooms to the same skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned and the mushrooms become tender, approximately 10 minutes. Transfer this mixture to the casserole dish.

Mix stout beer, chopped parsley, raisins, and brown sugar in the casserole dish. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil to prevent any moisture loss.

Bake in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens and the steak becomes tender, taking roughly 2 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to a high heat of 400 degrees Fahrenheit, or 200 degrees Celsius.

Prepare a pie pastry by lining a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with it. Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is partially cooked and lightly browned, approximately 10 minutes.

Spoon the cooked steak filling into the partially-baked pie crust. Cover this with the remaining pie pastry, pinching the edges tightly to seal the dish. Return it to the oven and bake until the top crust is golden brown, taking around 10 to 15 minutes.