This is a beef pie, but just as nice made with mutton, hogget or even goat. You don’t have to use the marrow bone (you can just cut a hole in the pastry) but this looks much better.

1. Coat the meat with the flour, salt and pepper. Heat the oil and brown the meat a few pieces at a time, removing the cooked pieces to a bowl when they’re done. Put the onion, garlic, celery and mustard in the same pan and cook on a low heat until the onion is soft.

2. When the onion mixture is cooked, add it into the bowl with the meat. Return the empty pan to the hob, turn up the heat and pour in half the stout. Let it bubble, scraping all the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Pour the meat and onions into the pan, add the stock, herbs, carrots and all the remaining beer and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 190C.

4. Roll out the pastry till it’s about 50mm thick. Pour the filling into a suitably sized, ovenproof pie dish, add the pastry top and press down round the rim. Cut a hole on top and add in your marrow funnel if using.

5. Trim the edges, brush with egg and bake for 40 minutes till golden brown.