A pie with chunky Hereford beef cooked to a chef’s favourite casserole recipe and wrapped in golden shortcrust pastry had the crowds at the 2023 Sydney Royal Easter Show wanting more.
Branded with a H, the Hereford pies were sponsored by Hereford Australia, PILOT and Manildra Group, and prepared by the Baking Association of Australia. They were sold through the Royal Easter Show Pie shop in the AG Discovery Pavilion.
Baking Association of Australia executive officer Tony Smith said the casserole style Hereford pies had been in hot demand from the show visitors and were now set to become an annual fixture at Sydney Royal.
Baking Association of Australia director and Maitland baker Stewart Latter worked with the Association’s butcher, Paterson Butchery, Paterson, NSW, to source the Hereford beef in conjunction with Herefords Australia for the recipe.
Mr Latter, of the Bread Basket at Kurri Kurri, supplies the Hereford pies each year for Herefords Northern NSW Group’s barbecue shed at AgQuip.
“Normally the baker puts a small cleat in the top of the pastry but this time they are branded with a H on top to set them apart from the other breed pies,” Mr Smith said.
He said the Sydney Royal Agricultural Society had followed the lead of the Devon Court Hereford pie produced by Tom Nixon, Queensland.
“The Baking Association of Australia produced a Hereford pie a few years ago as the show pie for the year at Sydney Royal.
“This time around the public were getting the idea and making the link between the cattle in the ring and the beef in the pie.”
Mr Smith said the branded pie concept would also be available at the 2023 Royal Perth Show.
The pies are assembled on-site at the show by a team of apprentice and qualified bakers and pastry cooks from as far away as Tasmania.
Almost two tonnes of cooked Hereford beef and three tonnes of flour was used to make the pies across the two weeks of the show.
Mr Smith said the location of the pie stalls near the breed ring had been a successful recipe with 2023 being the biggest pie trading year yet.
“The Hereford pie is a casserole recipe designed a few years ago by the head chef at the Convention Centre at Darling Harbour.
“Stewart Latter modified the recipe to give it a casserole flavour with gravy, vegetables and tomato paste with a savoury shortcrust bottom and buttery puff pastry on top.”
He said the secret to the perfect pie was having the pastry not too thick and the filling not too runny but full of flavour.
The pie stall is complemented with Herefords Australia pop-up banners to reinforce the breed’s connection with the product.
“Going forward, we will continue with the Hereford pies. Herefords Australia have always been very good to us over the years with support when we needed it at the show. We appreciate the support, and it is a win-win situation for all,” Mr Smith.
