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Pie Mash and Liquor

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Recipe Card Jump to Video Print Recipe

A traditional pie mash and liquor recipe. That looks and tastes just like the one served in the East End London pie and mash shops.

We show you every step of the way how to make pie mash and liquor from scratch. Using simple ingredients, the best cheap British meal.

Pouring liquor by hand from a silver jug onto pie and mash on a white plate with a knife,fork and spoon on the side

This high-calorie proper cockney dinner will become a new family favourite recipe.

How to make pie mash and liquor?

Our video below gives you step by steps to cook pie mash and liquor like the East end London shops.

Continue reading for more advice and the history of this nostalgic cockney classic meal. To get started straight away, go check out the recipe card. All the ingredients you need and how to make it.

Jump to Recipe

We have been working on this homemade pie mash and liquor recipe for a while now, to get it right! We are so excited to share it with you. So you can make your own pie mash and liquor at home.

History

Pies were originally sold by piemen on the streets of London in Victorian times. They would be filled with eels, one of the only fish that survived the polluted River Thames. They were cheap and plentiful!

From the 1850's pie and mash moved off the streets and into Victorian shops. Around this time, they started making more desirable, but still relatively cheap minced beef pies. They served the pie with mashed potato and liquor.

The mince beef pies soon become more popular then the eel version.

Pie Mash and Liquor served on a white plate with a knife, fork, spoon, a bowl of jellied eels, a jug of liquor and a bottle of chilli vinegar on the side

The meat pies mash and liquor were a great high calorie, cheap meal for the working class, who would need all the calories they could get after a hard day's work.

Eels

They didn't stop the eels though, the liquor sauce was made from stewed eel stock and fresh parsley.

The pie shop would also sell stewed eels, jellied eels and live eels to be cooked at home.

Over the years the two most succesful families to run London's pie and mash shops are the Manzes and Cookes, who still have family run shops open today.

Ingredients for pie and mash

Pie pastry

The pie has two different types of pastry a suet pastry base and a shortcrust pastry lid. When rolling out make sure to keep the suet base big enough to fit into the pie tins and the shortcrust lids big enough to overlap the tin.

Four pie bottoms and four pie tops stacked on a floured surface
One pie bottom and one pie top being held up by hand to show thickness of both

The shortcrust pastry lid for the mince beef pie should be be thinner than the suet pastry bottom.

There will be extra suet pastry left, use it to help shape the pie base into the greased tins.

Greasing a pie tin with butter by hand
Pushing the middle of the pie bottom down with a lump of pastry

Pie mince beef filling

Inside the pie is a simple easy to make minced beef and stock filling which also has browning in to give the pies a deep meaty colour.

Pouring beef stock from a jug onto beef mince cooking in a cast iron pan

Add this mince beef filling into the pastry base.

Four pies being filled with mince beef filling by hand with a silver spoon

Wet the edges down very well before placing lids on top.

Coating four pies bottom edges with a water a wash by hand with a brush
Placing the pie tops on top of the bottoms of four pies by hand

When placing the pie lid on top stretch it over the sides and push to seal the edges before trimming away excess pastry.

Pressing down the pie tops by hands
Cutting away the remaining pastry away from the edges of the pie with a knife
Coating the tops of four pies with a milk wash with a brush

Seal the top of pie with milk, or just water will work too.

Mash

The mash served with the minced beef pie and liquor is a simple plain mashed potato with no milk or butter added.

Mashing the potato with a silver masher by hand in a large silver pot

What is liquor?

The most asked question from people who see this dish, is what is the green sauce served on pie and mash?

Liquor is what makes this meal so good! Our liquor sauce is made from fish stock, flour and parsley.

Whisking flour and water mix by hand into fish stock cooking in a cast iron pan
Placing fresh chopped parsley into the liquor cooking in a cast iron pan

In the past, it was made out of the stock from the stewed eels because they were cheap, but it is now cheaper to buy fish stock cubes instead!

Homemade liquor cooking in a pan

How to serve pie mash and liquor?

Serve up one pie per person with 2 scoops of mash and drizzle the liquor all over the top!

Pie Mash and Liquor served on a white plate with a knife, fork, spoon on the side

Pie and mash shops sometimes still serve them with jellied eels too, we picked some up from Tesco's.

Traditional Pie Mash and Liquor served on a white plate with a knife,fork, spoon, a bowl of jellied eels, a jug of liquor and a bottle of chilli vinegar on the side

The final must-have is a splash of vinegar, use malt vinegar or if you want it like a real East End or Essex pie mash and liquor shop, make yourself some of our Chilli Vinegar to go with it.

I have included some FAQ's below the recipe card, if you have any more questions please comment and we will get back to you asap.

Make sure to check the oven conversions between the fan oven Celsius to Fahrenheit and Gas Mark.

📖 Step by Step Recipe

Homemade Pie Mash and Liquor served on a white plate

Pie Mash and Liquor

Luke and Kay - Flawless Food
This a proper pie mash and liquor recipe, that looks and tastes just like the original pie and mash shops in London.
We show you every step of the way how to make pie mash and liquor from scratch using simple, and best of all cheap ingredients.
A homemade suet base pastry, minced beef filling, shortcrust pastry lid, oven-baked and served with simple mash and liquor, a green sauce made from stock, flour and parsley.
This traditional high-calorie cockney dinner will become a new family favourite.
Makes 4 individual pies, enough for 1 per person.
4.90 from 105 votes
Rate this Recipe
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine British, London
Servings 4 People
Calories 1565 kcal

Equipment

Pie dishes 16cm x 12cm
Pie dishes 16cm x 12cm
rolling pin
rolling pin
Cake mixer
Cake mixer

Ingredients
  

This recipe will make enough for 4 individual portion pie tins measuring 16cm x 12cm x 3.5cm deep

Mince beef filling

  • 500 g Beef mince 20% - We find frozen beef breaks down better than fresh - 5% or 12% mince will work too.
  • 500 ml Beef stock - Knorr beef stock pots are the best.
  • ½ teaspoon Sarson's Browning - see blog post for substitute

Pie Base - Suet Pastry

  • 250 grams Plain flour
  • 150 grams Suet
  • 5 grams Baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 125 ml Cold water

Pie Lid - Shortcrust Pastry

  • 150 grams Plain flour
  • 75 grams Cold butter cut into small cubes - plus extra butter to grease pie tins
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 tablespoon Water
  • splash of milk - to glaze the pastry lid

Liquor - Parsley Sauce

  • 900 ml Fish Stock - Use 2 x Knorr fish stock cubes (not the stock pot)
  • 5 tablespoon Plain flour
  • 180 ml Cold water (¾ cup)
  • 2 Handful's Fresh parsley - finely chopped
  • Black Pepper & Salt - to taste

Mash Potato - Keep it simple, don't add milk or butter.

  • 1.5 kg White Potatoes - Chopped
  • Salt
  • OPTIONAL to serve- Jellied eels

Instructions
 

Mince beef pie filling

  • Brown off the mince in a pan over medium-low heat for 7 minutes, breaking down into small pieces as it browns. (If using leaner mince you may need a bit of oil to prevent sticking)
    Browning off mince in a cast iron dish and stirring it with a black spoon
  • Add beef stock, bring to a gentle boil then turn the heat off.
    Pouring beef stock from a jug onto beef mince cooking in a cast iron pan
  • Add browning, stir through add black pepper and salt to taste
    Pouring browning into the cooked beef mince cooking in a pan
  • Leave to cool whilst making pastry. Preheat the oven at 180°C fan / 200°C conventional / 400°F/ Gas mark 6
    Stirring the pie beef mince filling with a black spoon cooking in a cast iron pan

Pie base - Suet pastry

  • Sieve flour into a mixing bowl.
    Sieving flour into a large silver mixing bowl
  • Add a pinch of salt, suet and baking powder.
    Plain flour, beef suet in a large silver mixing bowl and pouring baking powder into the bowl by hand
  • For best results use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
    Slowly combine the ingredients together
    Or use a wooden spoon to combine ingredients together.
    Mixing the flour and suet mix with an electric mixer and pouring water into the bowl with a tablespoon by hand
  • Increase speed and add cold water a little at a time
    If using a spoon switch to your hands for easier mixing, try to work quickly you don't want the heat from your hands to ruin the pastry
    Mixing the pie dough in an electric stand mixer
  • Once all water has been added and the dough has formed into a ball. Remove from the bowl on to a well-floured worktop. Knead for a minute little until soft and pliable.
    Kneading the pastry by hand in flour and a rolling pin in the background
  • Divide the suet dough into 4, which should be about 100 grams each (this is enough to cover 4 pie tins measuring 16cm x 12cm).
    You will have some left still which you will use later to shape the pastry in the tins, so don't throw it away!
    Four pastry balls on a floured surface and one in a hand with a wooden rolling pin in the background
  • Roll out until 3 cm bigger all the way around the tin, repeat for all 4. Use plenty of flour whilst rolling to prevent sticking to pin or worktop. Keep to one side.
    Rolling out the pie bottoms by hands with a wooden rolling pin on a floured surface

Pie lid - Shortcrust pastry

  • Sift out flour into a mixing bowl (you can use the same one from before).
    Sieving flour into a large silver mixing bowl
  • Add cubed cold butter and salt use paddle attachment on medium speed to combine into breadcrumb texture.
    Or use your fingers to quickly rub butter into the flour, dont handle too much as the heat from your hands can melt the butter.
    Flour and cubed butter in a large silver mixing bowl
  • Add 1 tablespoon at a time of cold water to form a dough. Remove from the bowl and onto a floured worktop.
    Pouring water from a tablespoon into the shortcrust pastry mixture while being mixed in a electric standing mixer
  • Knead into the flour, then divide into 4 pieces, they should weigh about 60g each.
    Four balls of shortcrust pastry on a floured surface
  • Roll out until bigger than the pie dish, you want it to overlap the tin slightly. It will roll out thinner than the base.
    Rolling out pastry with a wooden rolling pin on a floured surface
  • It will roll out thinner than the base. See image top is the shortcrust lid and the bottom is the thicker base.
    One pie bottom and one pie top being held up by hand to show thickness of both

Mash

  • Place your potatoes into a large pan of cold water. Bring to a gentle boil. cook for about 20 minutes. Continue making the pies and come back to the mash later!
    Boiling chopped potatoes in a large silver pot
  • Once potatoes are soft enough, drain and put back into the pan to mash until smooth. Traditionally mash for this recipe does not have any butter or milk added as the liquor adds a rich enough flavour.
    Mashing the potato with a silver masher by hand in a large silver pot

Time to make the mince beef pies!

  • The 4 sheets of shortcrust should be rolled out smaller and thinner for the pie lid.
    The 4 sheets of suet pastry should be rolled out bigger and thicker for the pie base.
    Four pie bottoms and four pie tops stacked on a floured surface
  • Use butter to grease the tins well, so pies are easy to remove when cooked.
    Greasing a pie tin with butter by hand
  • Place the larger suet pastry base over the tin, use the ball of leftover pastry to gently push the pastry into the tins without tearing it.
    Pushing the middle of the pie bottom down with a lump of pastry
  • Add the minced beef mixture equally into the 4 prepared suet pastry bases, pour any remaining stock in with them too.
    Four pies being filled with mince beef filling by hand with a silver spoon
  • Get a bowl of water and wet down the pastry edges with A LOT of water. Do not be shy here, it needs to be soaked well for the lid and base to stick together well. It doesn't matter if water drops into the beef mince.
    Coating four pies bottom edges with a water a wash by hand with a brush
  • Now place the pastry lids on top, DO NOT push the pastry lid down onto the mince filling. Think of it more like a drum stretching the pastry across to meet the edges!
    Placing the pie tops on top of the bottoms of four pies by hand
  • Cup your hand and push the lid firmly onto the pie tin edges to seal.
    Pressing down the pie tops by hands
  • Use a knife to cut down and around the pie tin edges.
    Cutting away the remaining pastry away from the edges of the pie with a knife
  • Use a pastry brush to very gently glaze the lid with milk.
    Coating the tops of four pies with a milk wash with a brush
  • Ready to bake, place all 4 prepared pies onto a baking tin. Cook in the preheated oven at 180°C fan / 200°C conventional / 400°F/ Gas mark 6 for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, make your liquor.
    Four homemade pies on a black baking tray ready to go in the oven
  • If you want more brown on top, leave in for 5 more minutes.
    Four mince beef pies cooked on a black baking tray

Liquor - Green Parsley Sauce

  • Make up the fish stock from cubes with boiling water in a pan.
    Pouring boiling hot water on two fish stock cubes in a cast iron pan
  • Add sieve flour into cold water, whilst whisking, to make sure it mixes well
    Sieving plain flour into water in a glass jug whilst mixing with a whisk
  • When you are positive there are NO LUMPS in the flour and cold water. Slowly pour whilst whisking into the stock. Bring to the boil.
    Whisking flour and water mix by hand into fish stock cooking in a cast iron pan
  • Use scissors instead of a knife to chop the parsley very finely, you want the green parsley juice in the pan, not on the chopping board!
    Chopped up parsley on a black plate with a pair of orange and silver scissors on the side
  • Add parsley, salt and pepper, then lower to a simmer for 5 minutes. The liquor sauce is meant to be a thin sauce.
    Placing fresh chopped parsley into the liquor cooking in a cast iron pan
  • If you want it thicker repeat flour and cold water steps to prevent lumps from forming.
    Homemade liquor cooking in a pan
  • Ready to serve! Serve pie with a couple of scoops of mash potato and drizzle the liquor all over!
    Pouring liquor from a silver jug onto pie and mash on a white plate with a knife,fork and spoon on the side
  • For a proper Eastend London Pie Mash and Liquor experience, serve with Chilli Vinegar and jellied eels!
    Pie Mash and Liquor served on a white plate with a knife, fork, spoon, a bowl of jellied eels, a jug of liquor and a bottle of chilli vinegar on the side

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 1565kcalCarbohydrates: 171gProtein: 73gFat: 65gSaturated Fat: 35gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 30965mgPotassium: 2975mgFiber: 11gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 657IUVitamin C: 77mgCalcium: 280mgIron: 15mg
Keyword Cockney, Eels, green sauce, liquor sauce, London recipe, mince beef pie, pie mash and liquor shop
Tried this recipe? Share an image on Facebook / Instagram / PinterestPlease mention @flawlessfooduk or tag #flawlessfooduk!

Frequently Asked Questions?

What mince to use for pie filling?

We find that frozen mince works better in this recipe than fresh, the moisture content helps break it down softer ready for filling the pie. Pouring frozen beef mince from a bowl into a cast iron pan

What's the best beef stock to use?

We find the best stock for adding richness and flavour to the pie mince filling is Knorr beef stock pots, the jelly like stock which you mix with hot water.Pouring beef stock from a jug onto beef mince cooking in a cast iron pan

Browning substitute?

The main purpose of browning is to give the pie a deep dark brown colour. The flavour will not be negatively affected if you do not use it.Pouring browning into the cooked beef mince cooking in a pan

What is a substitute for suet?

Suet is hard to find outside of the UK, if you need to substitute I recommend using vegetable shortening, weigh it out and freeze it before use then grate it into the flour.Plain flour, beef suet in a large silver mixing bowl and pouring baking powder into the bowl by hand

What's the best fish stock to use for liquor?

We tried a few and found the Knorr fish stock cubes better than the fish stockpot (which were too strong). Pouring boiling hot water on two fish stock cubes in a cast iron pan

Can I serve with gravy?

Please do try the liquor sauce first, many people are put of at first sight but it really is very tasty and in my opinion brings out the best of this recipe! One of our kids refuses it so he has gravy instead!

What size pie tin to use?

We use Falcon brand 16cm x 12cm pie dish the depth is about 3.5cm. I would say that they are slightly bigger than the average pie and mash shop mince beef pies. You can buy the tins in Sainsbury's or Amazon. I have seen some foil pie dishes too but they are smaller. Traditional cockney Pie Mash and Liquor served on a white plate with a knife,fork, spoon, a bowl of jellied eels, a jug of liquor and a bottle of chilli vinegar on the side

If you enjoyed this and want to try some more classic British recipes, try out our Bakewell Tart, Butterscotch Tart or Manor House Cake.

Pin image of Pouring liquor from a silver jug onto pie and mash on a white plate with a knife,fork and spoon on the side

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Comments

    4.90 from 105 votes (74 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Michael O'Sullivan says

    4 stars
    This was great, exactly as I remember it, except for one thing. The recipe said add the rest of the stock when filling the pies. The result was that when I cut into the pie, the stock poured out all over the plate, drowning the lovely liquor!

    Am I doing something wrong?

    Reply

    • Luke and Kay says

      Hi Michael, thank you for your review and we're glad to hear that our pie mash and liquor recipe brought back some happy memories for you!
      If you prefer the sauce not coming out when cutting into the pie i would recommend not adding the extra stock.
      Hope you enjoy the next lot of pies you make 🙂

      Reply

  2. Tony Wraight says

    5 stars
    Good morning , Do I freeze the pies before or after cooking

    Reply

    • Luke and Kay says

      Thanks for the question Tony
      Freezing pies can be done before or after baking, each method has its perks. But there's one important step to remember no matter which route you choose: defrosting.
      If defrosted before they are cooked, cook for the full time and if already cooked they will just need to be reheated 🙂

      Reply

  3. Phil says

    Well I’ve made 8 and 6 are in the oven they actually look really good, sorry I can’t add a picture, but I tasted the filling before hand and it’s tastes spot on 👍

    Reply

    • Luke and Kay says

      Thank you, Phil, for your kind review of our Pie Mash and Liquor recipe! We are so glad to hear that 8 of them looked really good and that the filling tasted spot on. We appreciate all the hard work you put in and the fact that you chose to make our recipe. 🙂

      Reply

  4. James Law says

    Made this recipe quite a few times absolutely foolproof comes out great every time ,pies freeze well to

    Reply

    • Luke and Kay says

      James, thank you for leaving a review and for choosing to use our Pie Mash and Liquor recipe! It is heartwarming to know that it is a keeper in your kitchen and it has been helpful enough that you have made it multiple times.:)

      Reply

  5. Steven says

    5 stars
    Just moved from London to Norfolk and was getting serious pie and mash withdrawals. Thanks so much for this guide. Tried it today and my son and I loved it. I cannot tell you how happy I am to have found this recipe. We had a lovely day making it and it tasted like the real thing. I was missing home but knowing I can have this anytime I want means so much. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Luke and Kay says

      Hi Steven,

      That's wonderful to hear! I'm thrilled that the recipe could bring a taste of London to your new home in Norfolk. It's always a joy to know that my guides not only help in cooking but also in creating lovely memories. Your kind words truly mean a lot. Thank you for giving the recipe a try and I'm glad you and your son enjoyed it. Happy cooking!

      Best,
      Luke and Michaela 🙂

      Reply

  6. Mark Edward Chard says

    5 stars
    Fantastic!

    Reply

    • Luke and Kay says

      Hi Mark, thank you so much for the kind review of our Pie Mash and Liquor recipe! We really appreciate your positive feedback and are glad to hear you're enjoying it. 🙂

      Reply

  7. kevin says

    5 stars
    Tried this recipe a few times now and each time it gets better, we will all tweak it to our own preferences but even at the set recipe it’s brilliant, great as it’s impossible to get pie & mash in Blackpool!!!!

    Reply

    • Luke and Kay says

      Thank you for your positive review, Kevin! We're so glad to hear that this recipe has been a hit with you and your family. It's wonderful to learn that we can bring a little bit of pie and mash to people who may not have easy access to it like those living in Blackpool. We appreciate the kind words, and we hope you continue to enjoy this recipe 🙂

      Reply

  8. James says

    5 stars
    Bought pie tins from Goddards,10 for£24 these are the right size,followed recipe did thicken mince filling slightly 2nd time of making other than that followed recipe it was as near as I got to traditional pie&mash delicious and enjoyed by the whole family

    Reply

    • Kay says

      Thank you for your kind words, James! We're so glad you enjoyed the pie mash and liquor recipe worked well for you. We hope you'll be back to try some of our other recipes soon. 🙂

      Reply

  9. Chris says

    5 stars
    I cooked it last night for my partner who was brought up by a pie n mash shop and very fussy about her pie n mash…. She absolutely loved it and the taste was spot on couldn’t be Møre happier this is now going to be a regular and will save me a 200 mile journey and save about £70 in the process happy days !!!!

    Reply

    • Luke says

      Brilliant, so glad that your partner loved the recipe. We spent a while perfecting this pie mash and liquor recipe, so it’s nice to hear that we got it right.

      Reply

  10. Brad says

    4 stars
    Great effort. Very nice

    Reply

  11. Brad says

    Very good recipe for a home made 'fakeaway'. Great instructions and Liquor too. Thanks a lot. My family love it.

    Reply

    • Kay says

      Brad, We're glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed our pie mash and liquor recipe. Our goal is to provide easy-to-follow recipes that will help you create delicious home-cooked meals, so we're happy to hear that we were able to do that for you. Thanks again for giving our recipe a try!

      Reply

    • Natalie Farmer says

      Hi we grew up in London. So love pie mash and liquor. Mum has made her version for a while but not traditional at all. Excited to try yours. My one question is how do they get the pies soft yet crunchy? Do they steam them?

      Reply

      • Marie says

        Hi.

        I’ve just bought pie and liquor from my local butcher. I put it in the oven and it was not the same so the other pack, I put in the steamer up high on grease proof paper for about 10 minutes and then under the grill for a couple of minutes and it was perfect texture. I am definitely going to try this recipe but, I really want to know how Goddard’s in Deptford cooked their mince? I’m craving their pie and mash!

  12. Graham says

    3 stars
    It's a meat pie but nothing like what you'd get in London. I've yet to find a recipe that comes close. Which is a shame because there are less and less making these pies.

    Reply

    • AliW says

      I think the original pies were mutton back in the day which is why they taste different nowadays even in the pie shops

      Reply

  13. Lorraine says

    5 stars
    Sorry forgot to add rating

    Reply

    • Kay says

      Thank you!

      Reply

  14. Lorraine says

    I have made this several times, my family love it, the prep involved can be time consuming but it is so worth it for the end result. Excellent recipe...thank you.

    Reply

    • Kay says

      Thank you so much for trying this recipe, Lorraine! We're so happy to hear that your family loves it as much as ours. The prep involved can be time-consuming, but it is so worth it for the end result. We have made it for a group of 15 family members before as my son wanted it for his birthday meal! We made all the pies the day before to make it easier.

      Reply

  15. linda says

    4 stars
    Thank you for your recipe for 'pie-mash' (as Londoners used to call it!). The tip on using frozen mince was useful and the advice to keep the dough cold reminds of my mother's assertion that a marble rolling-pin made the best pastry, for that very reason. Sadly though, the quintessential ingredient - the liquor - is not the same as it used to be. In the 50's and 60's we ate our pie-mash from Maggie Brown's in Battersea High Street and the liquor was authentic eel-stock. Their stewed eels were cooked-in and served directly from the large trough of green liquor but if one didn't want the eels, one could still enjoy the unique and very delicate flavour that defines eel-stock - not to mention the nourishment to be gained from fresh fish stock. I occasionally join the Pie & Mash Club on their three-weekly tours of London's remaining pie-mash shops and I've yet to encounter one that maintains that tradition. Sadly the true flavour is no longer to be found.

    Reply

    • Kay says

      Thank you, Linda, for the comment 🙂
      Glad our pie mash and liquor recipe brought you back some memories, I agree about the stock, but, unfortunately, you can't get eel stock, so we had to work with what we had and what people could get from local supermarkets and fish stock is the nearest to this.

      Reply

  16. Phil says

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe! The authentic taste took me right back to the early-mid 60s when I was 10 or 11: pie and mash with liquor was a weekly regular when my mates and I went into the local Manzies for lunch straight after Saturday morning pictures. So glad I found this recipe.

    Reply

    • Kay says

      Thank you so much, Phil, for that great comment and rating 🙂
      It's so lovely to hear that our Pie, mash and Liquor recipe brought back memories for you, and you thought our recipe was excellent 😉

      Reply


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Many thanks,
Kay & Luke
Flawless Food