Gwatkin Red Cow restaurant wins silver award for beef pie

Gwatkin Red Cow, a restaurant and venue based in the Golden Valley, won the silver award in the beef and ale category of the British Pie Awards.

Chef Dave Langford entered the Red Cow Pie in the awards, with the dish consisting of beef chuck steak, diced gammon and Butty Bach ale, all encased in handmade all-butter shortcrust pastry.

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The 23-year-old recipe is well-guarded and has had a bit of a journey around Herefordshire before finding its home and its name in late spring last year at Gwatkin Red Cow Tavern.

The pie's original recipe was shared with Mr Langford by his stepfather Paul Chicken.

The recipe, although similar to today, very much depended on how Mr Chicken was feeling and what was on hand at the time.

Mr Langford refined the delicious but random pie with weights and measures and the recipe remains unchanged.

The recipe only known by Mr Langford and his two brothers has never been divulged. He will start work an hour early to get the cooking underway. All that can be seen on arrival is the pan bubbling away; not even the amazing aroma shares any secrets.

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On discussion, restaurant owner Denis Gwatkin and Mr Langford both agreed that the best accompaniment to the pie was the award-winning Yarlington Mill Cider, also produced on the farm.

"It truly is a taste of all things Herefordshire so what better to name it after than the county's Hereford cattle," the firm said.

Almost 1,000 pies were judged in the magnificent St Mary’s Church in Britain’s "Pie Capital" Melton Mowbray, the awards said.