It's Pieday FRYday... on a Friday!

Friday 29 May 2015

It's Pieday FRYday... on a Friday!

Fry’s Vegetarian and Vegan Pepper Steak Style Pie Review

Fry’s Vegetarian Vegan Pepper Steak Style Pie Review

Fry’s Pepper Steak Style Pie Review

For some reason I had a massive pie craving at the end of last week. I was in Leatherhead, which you may or may not know is a fairly diddy town. I went into Sainsbury’s, but their vegetarian pie selection was fairly limited. They had the Linda McCartney Country pie, but given SJL’s review of it, I wasn’t that tempted. I picked up some Pukka pies for GHH, then set off to Holland and Barrett, who have a fairly nice selection of fridge and frozen foods for specialist diets. I had been in there at the start of my shop for some flax seed, and had glanced in their freezer. Though I eyed up their pies due to the slightly higher price point, I thought I would look in Sainsbury’s first. Then I couldn’t choose between Fry’s Pepper Steak Style (£3.85) and Clive’s Three Bean Chilli (£4.99). So I got both.

At home, once dinner time rolled around, I opted for the Fry’s pie. I had previously had Fry’s sausages and burgers and I have to say that I wasn’t too impressed. The benefit (or problem) of Fry’s products is that they are vegan which will result in a pasty that is not quite the same as most pies.

Did you know?!

This is the first EVER vegan pie review on the Pierate Ship, which automatically makes it our current number 1 Vegan Pie!

Doesn't really look like the pie image on the box

The first thing that told me this pie was only going to be so-so was that when I read the instructions; it needed to be defrosted first. Given the metal case, that ruled out the microwave (or risk it collapsing). I had it sitting on the side for around an hour before I put it in the over; I couldn’t wait any longer.

I didn’t time the cook time for the pie, given that it was still very frozen, but I took it out of the oven once was hot through and the gravy was leaking out of the top. On hindsight, it probably should have been cooked for longer; it was still fairly pale on top and the bottom of the pastry was underdone and chewy. Also, look at the box- just where is that lovely crimped edge?

As for the ‘meat’ chunks, they were nice. They were tender and moist and the thick gravy was flavourful. However as someone who shares a lot of meals with GHH, who is addicted to pepper, even for me it was too peppery. Also, the pie itself was fairly flat which meant the quantity of filling felt rather lacking.

Maybe I should have defrosted it first, but I don’t really think that would have helped the content. At least I can try again given there were too pies in the packet. Overall, I would probably go for the Quorn steak style one if I could choose. Though as I said, the Fry’s pie is vegan whereas the Quorn one is not. I do disagree with SJL, generally I do like fake meats.

Colour - 3

Capacity - 2

Content - 3

Chewiness - 3

Cost - 3

Condition - 2

Consistency – 4

Fry’s Pepper Steak Style Pies (Vegetarian and Vegan)

Score: 2.8/7
ARL

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Friday 29 May 2015