Scotch Pie or Mutton Pie

Name: Scotch Pie or Mutton Pie
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 500 g lamb mince; 4 tbsp lamb stock (or beef); 1 tsp mixed herbs (dried); ½ tsp ground mace; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp ground black pepper; 360 g flour (plain or all purpose); 120 g lard; 1 egg yolk; 1 tsp water; ½ tsp salt; 160 ml water

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Have you tried a Scotch pie, also known as a mutton pie?

These delicious little morsels are individual lamb pies made with spiced lamb mince.

The lamb is baked in a hot water crust pastry case, which is deliciously crisp and very quick to make.

Perfect for picnics and get togethers, they are also delicious served hot.

Enjoy!

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❤️ Why you will love this recipe
🥘 Ingredients
🍽 Equipment
🔪 Instructions
⏲️ Cooking Time
🥗 Serve with
🥙 Substitutions
📖 Variations
🍣Storage
🍱 Prepare in Advance
📋 Recipe
💬 Comments

🤔 FAQs

What are the origins of a Scotch pie?

These lamb pies are a traditional Scottish dish which were typically made with mutton and spices, all encased in a crisp hot water crust pastry.

The crust allows the pie to be eaten by hand, rather like a Cornish pasty pastry edge. This made the pies traditionally popular at events, particularly football.

They are known by many names, such as mutton pie, lamb pie, football pie, pie, shell pie or even mince pie.

Today, the mutton pie is normally made with lamb mince or beef mince, sometimes with the addition of onions too.

The pies have a larger than normal lip around the edge, of around a centimetre, which was often used to hold a dollop of mashed potato, baked beans, sauce, egg or a pool of gravy.

Although still extremely popular in Scotland they are still found across the British Isles and are even sold widely in Canada.

Such is its popularity, it even has its own competition of the Scotch Pie Awards!

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

Delicious hot for a meal or cold.
Perfect picnic or buffet food.
Traditional Scottish origins.
Crisp pastry with a tender lamb filling.
No fuss pastry, with no rubbing in or chilling.

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🥘 Ingredients

Lamb - lamb mince, typically around 20% fat. The fat helps the meat to stay together in the pie when you bite into it.
Stock - a small amount of beef or lamb stock keeps the meat moist in the pie. I used Bovril concentrate mixed with boiling water.
Flour - plain or all purpose flour for the pastry.
Seasoning - salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Lard - pork dripping, essential for a proper hot water crust.
Herbs - dried mixed herbs, typically a mix of parsley, basil, thyme, marjoram and oregano.
Egg - egg yolk to mix with water to glaze the pies before baking.
Mace - this is the outer coating of nutmeg and usually comes in a yellow brown powder or as 'blades', the nane of the lacy coating. It is very similar to nutmeg but not quite as sweet, making it perfect in savoury dishes. It's not available in all supermarkets, but is easy to buy online. It is easier to buy ground mace for this or use nutmeg.

The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post.

🍽 Equipment

mixing bowl
small saucepan
4 x 10 centimetre spring form pie dishes
pastry brush
clean tea towel to cover pastry
rolling pin
large oven tray

💭 Top tip

To make a traditional Scotch or mutton pie, the sides need to be straight.
For ease, I would recommend using either a spring form or loose bottomed tin about 10 centimetres in diameter and 6 centimetres high.

🔪 Instructions

For the Scotch pie filling.

Put the lamb mince in a bowl with the seasoning, herbs and mace and mix together with a fork.

Divide the mixture in 4 and form into flattened balls.

Place into the fridge to chill.

The hot water crust pastry takes just a few minutes to make, with no chilling or rubbing in. However, you do need to work relatively quickly, as the pastry becomes unworkable if it dries out.

💭 Top tip

Gather all of the pastry ingredients and equipment together before you start, including some extra flour for rolling.
If you are not confident with pastry rolling, place the dough between 2 pieces of clingfilm before rolling. This will make it easier to transfer to the tins.

For the Scotch pie cases.

Put the flour and salt in a bowl and mix.

Make a well in the centre.

Cut the lard into pieces and place in the saucepan over a low heat with the water.

Allow the lard to melt and then remove from the heat and pour into the flour.

Use a wooden spoon to mix to a dough quickly.

Initially, the dough will be very hot.

As soon as it is cool enough to handle, form the dough into ball.

Cut out a quarter of the dough and place back in the bowl. This piece will be used to make the lids.

Cover with the tea towel to stop it drying out.

Divide the remaining dough into 4 balls.

Flour the work surface and quickly roll out a circle about 20 centimetres diameter.

Line the tin with the pastry.

It doesn't matter if it cracks, or you need to patch it. Just work quickly. The pastry will magically mend as it cooks.

Repeat with the remaining tins.

Place a ball of lamb mince in each tin and flatten to fit with a fork.

Roll out the reserved dough to make the lids. Press gently to seal the mutton pies.

There should be a good gap between the lid and the top of the tin to produce the tall crust.

Mix the egg yolk with a teaspoon of water and use a pastry brush to glaze the lids.

Next, use the handle end of a wooden spoon to make a steam hole.

Put the tins on an oven tray.

⏲️ Cooking Time

Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F / 180 FAN / Gas 6 and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

💭 Top tip

I like to put the oven tray in the oven when it's warming up. I add the pies, (or any other pastry dish), when the oven is ready, and this helps to get the heat into the bottom of the lamb pies and ensure a crisp base.

Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes and then remove the pies from the tins.

🥗 Serve with

Make a proper picnic spread, buffet or afternoon tea with some of these ideas.

🥙 Substitutions

Lard - use butter or vegetable shortening.
Nutmeg - use freshly grated nutmeg if you can't source mace.

📖 Variations

Meat - use beef mince, but turkey, pork or chicken would also work if you prefer.

🍣Storage

Refrigerator - cool, cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer - wrap well in an airtight container or wrapping and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat - eat the pie cold or warm in the oven at 180 C / 350 F / 160 FAN / Gas 4.

🍱 Prepare in Advance

Prepare the lamb mince in advance, but the pastry needs to be made and used immediately.

More pies and tarts

📋 Recipe

Scotch Pie or Mutton Pie

Amanda

Make authentic lamb Scotch pies with hot water crust pastry and detailed step by step instructions. Perfect for picnics.

4.80 from 24 votes

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Course Party, Snack, tea time

Cuisine British, Scottish

Servings

Calories 354 kcal

Equipment

Mixing bowl
Small saucepan
4 x 10 centimetre spring form pie dishes
Pastry brush
Large oven tray
clean tea towel to cover pastry
Rolling Pin

Ingredients

For the filling

500 g lamb mince
4 tablespoon lamb stock or beef
1 teaspoon mixed herbs dried
½ teaspoon ground mace
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the pastry

360 g flour plain or all purpose
120 g lard
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon water
½ teaspoon salt
160 ml water

Instructions

Put the lamb mince in a bowl with the seasoning, herbs and mace and mix together with a fork.
Divide the mixture in 4 and form into flattened balls.
Place into the fridge to chill.
Put the flour and salt in a bowl and mix.
Make a well in the centre.
Cut the lard into pieces and place in the saucepan over a low heat with the water.
Allow the lard to melt and then pour into the flour.
Use a wooden spoon to mix to a dough quickly.
Form the dough into ball.
Cut out a quarter of the dough and place back in the bowl and cover with the tea towel to stop it drying out.
Divide the remaining dough into 4 balls.
Flour the work surface and quickly roll out a circle about 20 centimetres diameter.
Line the tin with the pastry and repeat with the remaining tins.
Place a ball of lamb mince in each tin and flatten to fit with a fork.
Roll out the reserved dough to make the lids and press gently to seal the pies.
Mix the egg yolk with a teaspoon of water and use a pastry brush to glaze the lids.
Next, use the handle end of a wooden spoon to make a steam hole.
Put the tins on an oven tray.
Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F / 180 FAN / Gas 6 and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes and then remove the pies from the tins.

Nutrition Facts

Scotch Pie or Mutton Pie

Amount Per Serving

Calories 354 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 70mg23%

Sodium 344mg15%

Potassium 224mg6%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 0.2g0%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 788IU16%

Vitamin C 5mg6%

Calcium 56mg6%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

Detailed instructions for this recipe, including step by step photographs, hints and tips, can be found in the main article

Keyword football pie, lamb mince pie, lamb pie, mutton pie, Scotch pie, Scotch pie cases, Scotch pie filling

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Food Safety

Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
Wash hands after touching raw meat.
Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
Never leave cooking food unattended.
Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
Always have good ventilation when using gas.

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