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What to eat in the United Kingdom? Top 10 British Beef Dishes

Last update: Fri Feb 14 2025
Top 10 British Beef Dishes
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01

Beef Cut

UNITED KINGDOM and  one more country
4.4
Porterhouse
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MAIN INGREDIENTS

A porterhouse steak is a large, thick cut of beef taken from the rear end of the short loin.


Although it is not linked to a specific country of origin, it is most commonly associated with British and American cuisines. It is named "porterhouse" because it was traditionally served in 18th-century porterhouses, which were inns or restaurants that served porter beer. 
02
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Beef Wellington is a dish consisting of a whole filet of beef that is coated with a pâté and duxelles, a combination of minced mushrooms, herbs, and shallots. The concoction is then wrapped in puff pastry and baked in the oven.


Traditionally, slices of beef Wellington are accompanied by madeira sauce. It is believed that the dish was named after Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo. However, the dish was not known in Wellesley's lifetime, so the origins of beef Wellington still remain murky, and some believe that the dish got its name because it resembles a Wellington boot. 

MOST ICONIC Beef Wellington

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03
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Roast beef is a traditional meal and a part of Sunday roast. Beef is the most traditional option for Sunday roast, but the dish can also be made with duck, lamb, pork, turkey, and goose. The beef is most commonly coated with oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.


It’s sometimes flavored with herbs such as rosemary. Once the beef has been roasted, it’s usually carved into thin slices and accompanied by roasted potatoes, seasonal vegetables, a rich gravy, and Yorkshire puddings. Condiments such as English mustard and sauces based on horseradish are common accompaniments to a roast beef dinner.

04
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This classic British dish is a staple of pub food, consisting of a pastry shell filled with chunks of tender braised beef, vegetables such as onions and carrots, stock, dark brown ale, freshly chopped herbs, and Worcestershire sauce. The whole concoction is topped with a layer of flaky pie crust and baked until golden brown.


It is recommended to serve this comforting dish with chips and peas on the side.

MOST ICONIC Steak and ale pie

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05

Savory Pie

LONDON, England
3.8
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Pie and mash is a traditional dish consisting of a pie filled with either chunks of beef or ground beef, and a side of mashed potatoes. Although the pies are nowadays filled with ground beef, in the past they were filled with eels from the Thames, which is the reason behind numerous Pie, Mash, and Eel shops in London.


Inexpensive, yet filling, pie and mash is still a staple dish of London's working class.

MOST ICONIC Pie and mash

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06
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This classic British dish consists of a suet pastry filled with diced beef, gravy, and chunks of beef kidneys. The pudding is traditionally steamed for a long time before serving. It can be accompanied by mashed potatoes and a variety of vegetables on the side.


The first recipe for this traditional dish comes from 1861, so it has surely passed the test of time.

MOST ICONIC Steak and kidney pudding

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07
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A true Scottish classic and the country's national dish, mince and tatties are regularly eaten throughout the year in Scotland. Although there are many variations, the dish is traditionally made with ground beef (mince) and potatoes (tatties). Ground beef was usually made from low-quality cuts of beef, allowing the hard meat to soften through grinding, masking its inferior quality in the process.


The beef is stewed with a variety of vegetables such as carrots and celery in a thick gravy, while the potatoes are usually mashed with the addition of cream and butter. Even though it is an inexpensive comfort food, mince and tatties have beaten gourmet dishes such as sirloin steak, haggis, and smoked salmon in a poll of the country's favorite dishes.

MOST ICONIC Mince and Tatties

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08

Beef Dish

WEST SUSSEX, England
3.6
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The satisfying and comforting steak and kidney pie is a classic British dish which incorporates beef steak and kidneys that are cooked inside a flaky, buttery pastry shell. This dish first appeared in written form in 1861, when it was added to Isabella Beeton’s The Book of Household Management by an unknown Sussex local.


Originally prepared with a suet pastry, today it is usually made with butter and employs beef, lamb, or pork kidneys. The combination of tender beef meat, earthy-flavored kidneys, and flavorful gravy inside the pastry make this pie one of the favorite traditional British delicacies that is still found in numerous pubs throughout the country.

MOST ICONIC Steak and kidney pie

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09

Beef Dish

OLDHAM, England
n/a
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Rag pudding or rag pie is a traditional delicacy made by cooking a combination of ground beef and onions in a suet pastry. The whole concoction is cooked in cotton or muslin rags, hence the name. It is believed that rag pudding was invented in the 19th century in Oldham, as an easy way of making a small amount of meat go a long way, satiating the hungry mill worker's appetites with plenty of calories.

MOST ICONIC Rag pudding

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10

Beef Dish

CAYMAN ISLANDS, United Kingdom
n/a
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Cayman-style beef is a traditional dish from the Cayman Islands consisting of extremely tender shreds of beef combined with onions, garlic, Scotch Bonnet peppers, salt, and pepper. The beef should ideally be freshly slaughtered, and before the preparation it's recommended to allow it to sit covered in the refrigerator.


The beef is slowly-cooked for a few hours in order to soak up the flavorful juices. Also known as stewed beef, the dish is especially popular during holidays such as Christmas.

MOST ICONIC Cayman-Style Beef

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TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

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British Beef Dishes