Forfar Bridies (Scottish Hand Pies)

you guys, I’m obsessed with these Scottish meat pies I discovered when I was scrolling TikToks at like 2am and fell down a rabbit hole of British food videos.

so apparently Forfar Bridies are this traditional Scottish[1] thing from a town called Forfar and they’re basically hand pies filled with beef and onions. no potatoes like Cornish pasties which confused me at first because I kept wanting to add potatoes and my Scottish friend was like “no that’s completely wrong.”

first time I made these I used puff pastry because I thought I was being smart and efficient. they tasted fine but my friend took one bite and said “these aren’t bridies these are just beef puffs” which was kind of rude but also accurate lol. second attempt I actually made proper shortcrust pastry and burnt the bottoms because my oven is terrible and runs hot in weird spots.

third time I finally got it right and now I make a batch every few weeks and freeze them for easy lunches. way better than the sad sandwiches I used to pack and my coworkers are always jealous when I heat these up in the break room.

Why these are worth making

they’re super portable so you can eat them with your hands without making a mess everywhere

use cheap cuts of beef that you just chop up so no fancy equipment needed

the dough is easy once you get the hang of it and honestly kind of therapeutic to make

they freeze amazing and reheat perfectly which is huge for meal prep

taste way more impressive than the actual effort required like people think you’re a legit cook

What you need

here’s what I use but I’m terrible at exact measurements:

How to make them

Mix your flour with like half a teaspoon of salt in a big bowl. I just use my hands for this whole thing because I hate washing the food processor.

Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs. takes maybe 5 minutes and your hands get cold but whatever it’s fine.

Drizzle in cold water a little at a time and bring the dough together. I usually need about 4-5 tablespoons but it depends on your flour. stop when it just comes together and isn’t crumbly anymore.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for like 30 minutes. I always forget this step and try to use it right away and then it’s too sticky and annoying to work with.

okay so while that’s chilling—chop your beef into really small pieces, like smaller than you think. maybe half inch chunks or something. this is important because big chunks make the bridies hard to seal.

Mix the chopped beef with your chopped onion, the suet or butter in little pieces, salt, pepper, and mustard powder if you’re using it. I’m pretty generous with the pepper because I like them peppery.

Take your dough out of the fridge and divide it into maybe 6 pieces. mine are never equal sizes and that’s fine nobody cares.

Roll each piece into an oval shape on a floured surface. should be maybe like 8 inches long? I don’t measure I just eyeball it until it looks right.

Put a bunch of the beef mixture on one half of the oval, leaving space around the edges. I always overfill mine and then they leak but I can’t help myself.

Fold the other half over the filling and press the edges together. then crimp them with a fork or just pinch them with your fingers. mine never look perfect but they hold together.

Cut a little slit in the top for steam to escape. I forgot this once and one of them exploded in the oven which was dramatic.

Brush the tops with beaten egg. this makes them shiny and golden which looks way better than if you skip it.

Put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper because I learned the hard way they stick otherwise.

Bake at like 375 degrees for about 40-45 minutes until they’re golden brown and the filling is cooked. I usually check them at 40 minutes and then decide if they need more time.

Let them cool for a few minutes before eating because the filling is literally lava temperature right out of the oven. burnt my mouth so many times not waiting.

Tips and whatever

• If you can’t find beef suet just use extra butter mixed into the filling. it won’t be quite as traditional but it still tastes good and honestly most people can’t tell the difference.
• Make the pastry the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight. it’s actually easier to work with the next day and saves time if you’re making them for lunch or whatever.
• Add a tiny bit of Worcester sauce to the filling for extra flavor. my dad does this and swears by it but I usually forget and they’re still fine without it.
• Freeze them unbaked and then bake from frozen when you want them. just add like 10 extra minutes to the baking time. I have a whole batch in my freezer right now.

Storage notes

these keep in the fridge for maybe 3-4 days in a container. reheat in the oven at 350 for like 15 minutes or microwave for 2 minutes if you’re in a hurry.

freeze really well for up to 3 months either baked or unbaked. I wrap them individually in plastic wrap and throw them all in a freezer bag.

found a mystery package in my freezer last month that I thought was these but turned out to be some kind of vegetarian samosa thing I made in like September and forgot about. they were fine after reheating but definitely not as good as these.

I should really label things better but I keep buying these cute labels and then never using them because I’m always in a rush when I’m putting stuff away.

Nutrition per bridie

this is for 6 bridies total:

these are rough numbers from some calculator website so don’t quote me on them. depends a lot on how much butter you use in the pastry and how much filling you stuff in each one.

Questions people ask

Can I use store-bought pastry?

yeah you can use shortcrust pastry from the store if you want to save time. won’t taste quite the same as homemade but if you’re busy then it’s still gonna be good. just don’t use puff pastry because that’s not what these are supposed to be.

What’s the difference between bridies and pasties?

bridies don’t have potato and they’re shaped differently, more like a half moon. pasties have potato and turnip and are crimped on the side. also bridies are Scottish and pasties are Cornish so different regions entirely. people get really passionate about this apparently.

Can I make these vegetarian?

probably but I’ve never tried it. maybe use mushrooms and lentils or something instead of the beef? but then it wouldn’t really be a bridie anymore it would just be a vegetarian hand pie which is fine but not traditional.

Why is my pastry tough?

either you overworked the dough or used water that wasn’t cold enough or both. the butter needs to stay cold so it creates layers when it bakes. next time handle the dough less and make sure everything is cold. also don’t add too much water or it gets tough.