"BIG FITZ" STEAK & ALE PIE

"BIG FITZ” STEAK & ALE PIE

When I found this recipe earlier this fall, I knew it was definitely a heartier pie, perfect for cooler weather, like November.  As irony would have it, when I was considering which ale to use, I was reminded of The Great Lakes Brewing Company, which has a fantastic porter, named after…you guessed it…”The Edmund Fitzgerald.”  The choice was obvious.

Growing up in the Great Lakes region of the Midwest, many of us may be familiar with stories of the great many shipwrecks that have taken place over the last several hundred years on Lakes Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.  As I write this posting, we’re into early November, and no shipwreck stands out further in my mind that that of the “Edmund Fitzgerald.”

For those who are passingly or unfamiliar with this story either courtesy of the song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, by Gordon Lightfoot, let me elaborate a bit more for you with some details:

The “Edmund Fitzgerald” (“Big Fitz” or “Mighty Fitz”), was an iron ore ship owned by the Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Weighing in at 729 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 38 feet tall, “Big Fitz” lived up to its name.  The ship was launched on June 8, 1958, and predominantly served as a working cargo ship transferring taconite iron ore pellets from mines near Duluth, Minnesota to Great Lakes ports in Detroit, Toledo, etc. 

“The Fitz” left port in Superior, Wisconsin on November 9, 1975 for Detroit, Michigan with a cargo of 26, 116 tons of iron ore pellets, and a crew of 29.  During the evening hours of November 10^th, the ship ran into severe winter weather conditions on its route through Lake Superior.  Experiencing hurricane force winds and waves up to 35 feet high, “Edmund Fitzgerald” continued on course, in the hopes of making White Fish Bay to safety.  Shortly before 7:10pm, the “Edmund Fitzgerald” disappeared from radar, sinking 17 miles from their port of safety, taking all 29 crew members with her.

There are countless theories, books, and websites dedicated to “Edmund Fitzgerald” and its tragic sinking.  Investigations have taken place over many years to gain better understanding on what caused the disaster, and the final resting place of the ship is a protected site by both the US and Canada.  The wreck was visited on July 4, 1995, and the original ship’s bell removed from the site, replaced with a replica inscribed with the names of the captain and crew members.  The bell is on display at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historic Society Museum.  A memorial service is held yearly at The Mariner’s Church in Detroit, where the names of those who perished are read, accompanied by the ringing of the bell in remembrance of each individual.

From a personal perspective, I’d grown up hearing stories of “The Fitz”, but knew it only as a part of Great Lakes history.  The summer before my sophomore year in high school, my family took a trip to see a performance of the play “Ten November”, by Steven Dietz.  The show would have a very profound effect on me, particularly several months later when I worked on a production of the same show at my high school.  The story became much more real, and the legend part of me.

On a final and personal note, I’d like to take a brief moment to remember the 29 men who served as the crew of the “Edmund Fitzgerald.”  In particular, I pause to pay tribute to 43 year old Allen G. Kalmon, Second Cook.

“….The Legend Lives on…”

“BIG FITZ” STEAK & ALE PIE:

CRUST:

·         2 Packages of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry, Thawed

FILLING:

·         3 Tbs. Flour

·         Salt and Black Pepper

·         1 ½ Lbs. Beef Stew Meat, Cut Into ¾ Inch Pieces

·         3 Tbs. Vegetable Oil

·         1 Large Onion, Chopped

·         1 tsp. Minced Garlic

·         2/3 Cup Beef Stock

·         2/3 Cup Great Lakes Brewing Company – “Edmund Fitzgerald” Porter Ale

·         1 Bay Leaf

·         ½ tsp. Thyme

·         1 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce

·         1 Tbs. Tomato Paste

DIRECTIONS:

Season the flour with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss the beef in the flour, shaking off any excess.  Heat 2 Tbs. of oil in a skillet, browning the beef in batches over high heat until browned on all sites.  Remove beef and set aside.

Add remaining, 1 Tbs. of oil to skillet and fry the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the stock, ale, bay leaf, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and browned beef.  Bring mixture to a boil, scraping up any brown pieces from the bottom.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 1 ½ hours, or until the meat is tender.

In a baking sprayed pie plate, lay the puff pastry in two pieces, allowing dough to drape over pie plate edges.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the meat and vegetables to the pie dish.  Reserve 2/3 cup of the gravy from the skillet, and pour the rest over the meat mixture.  Allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Roll our remaining pieces of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface.  Cut strips of dough, roughly 5/8 inch wide, and weave in a lattice pattern over the top of the cooled filling, the strip edges falling over the edge of the pie plate.  Trim pastry around the edge of the pie plate, and roll crust edge towards middle of the pie, sealing the edges.

Bake for 25 minutes until puffed and golden.  Serve hot pie with any remaining re-heated gravy.