The Dead Rabbit's Steak and Stout Pie (NYC's World's Best Bar, Made at Home)

Guinness Draught (the 14.9 oz can with the floating nitrogen widget) is the right choice for braising because it has a noticeably smoother, creamier malt character and less pronounced hop bitterness than Guinness Extra Stout. In a long braise, that bitterness from Extra Stout amplifies and can make the gravy taste medicinal rather than malty and rich. Draught's roasted-coffee character comes through in the finished sauce without overpowering. Other dry Irish stouts like Murphy's or Beamish behave similarly to Draught and work well. If you only have Extra Stout, reduce it to about 10 oz and compensate with an extra half-cup of beef stock — the dilution tames the bitterness.

Browning the beef in batches, with space between the pieces. This is not optional. Crowded beef drops the pan temperature and steams instead of searing — you get gray, boiled-looking chunks rather than properly caramelized pieces. The Maillard reaction on each cube's surface contributes enormous flavor to the braising liquid that becomes your gravy. Work in two or three batches, pat the beef very dry before adding it to the pan, and don't move it for the first 2 to 3 minutes per side. Deep brown, not just beige.

Individual crocks are ideal (they replicate The Dead Rabbit's presentation and ensure crisp pastry per serving) but not required. A single deep 9x13-inch baking dish works: pour all the filling in, lay a single sheet of puff pastry over the top, trim to fit with a 1-inch overhang, and press the edges against the dish rim. Bake time is similar — 22 to 27 minutes at 400°F. The trade-off: the bottom of the pastry on a large dish can soften faster than individual crocks, especially if there's a lot of steam. Let the filling cool for the full 20 minutes before assembling the large pie to minimize this.

Yes — the filling actually improves overnight. Make the braised beef filling up to 2 days ahead, cool completely, and refrigerate. The fat will solidify on top; skim it before reheating. Rewarm the filling on the stovetop until bubbling, then let it cool 20 minutes before filling the crocks and adding the pastry. Do not add the puff pastry until right before baking — pre-assembled pies with pastry sitting on warm filling will get soggy on the bottom. The finished baked pies do not hold well; serve immediately once the pastry comes out of the oven.

Properly braised chuck should fall apart when you press it with a spoon — not just be tender, but actively collapsing. If the beef still feels chewy or springs back when pressed, it needs more time. Chuck has a lot of collagen, which requires sustained heat to convert to gelatin; that conversion is what makes the meat tender and gives the gravy its body and gloss. Depending on how hot your stovetop lowest setting runs, braising time can range from 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes. Check every 30 minutes after the 1-hour mark. The braising liquid should be barely simmering — if it's rolling, turn it down further.

The Dead Rabbit won World's Best Bar at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards in both 2015 and 2016 — back-to-back, an achievement no other bar had managed at that time. It has also won multiple James Beard Award nominations, eight Spirited Awards across different categories, and been consistently ranked among the top five bars in the world by Drinks International. The name comes from the Dead Rabbits, a real 19th-century Irish-American street gang that dominated the Five Points neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in the 1840s and 1850s — they were Irish immigrants who wielded significant political and street influence before the Civil War. Founders Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry, both from Belfast, chose the name as a nod to Irish immigrant history in New York.

After removing the beef, simmer the braising liquid uncovered over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it reduces by roughly a third and coats the back of a spoon. This usually takes 8 to 10 minutes. If it still seems thin after reducing, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir the slurry into the simmering liquid — the sauce will thicken within 1 to 2 minutes. Don't over-reduce before the pies bake; the pastry sits on top rather than fully submerged, so a somewhat loose gravy is fine and will continue to thicken as it bakes and cools.

At The Dead Rabbit the pie arrives as a complete dish in its cast-iron crock — no sides required. At home, a simple green salad with a sharp mustard-vinaigrette, or quick-sautéed greens (kale or cabbage with butter and a splash of apple cider vinegar), cuts through the richness. A pint of Guinness is the obvious drink pairing. For a Halloween dinner party, setting the crocks on a wooden board with a sprinkle of fresh thyme around them and a small candle nearby is the full presentation — dark, dramatic, and unmistakably appropriate for the occasion.