Non-VegetarianNorth East English cuisine Main Course

Leek Pudding

Name: Leek Pudding
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North East English
Ingredients: 250 g self-raising flour; 125 g shredded beef suet; 400 g leeks; 25 g Unsalted butter; 1 tsp Fine sea salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 0.25 tsp ground white pepper; 150 ml cold water

A hearty County Durham pit-village classic featuring tender sliced leeks rolled inside rich, light suet pastry and steamed until soft.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North East England

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 90 min
Total: 115 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 460 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

250 g self-raising flour — plus extra for dusting
125 g shredded beef suet — chilled
400 g leeks — trimmed, washed thoroughly, and thinly sliced
25 g Unsalted butter — for softening leeks
1 tsp Fine sea salt — divided
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper — to taste
¼ tsp ground white pepper — for authentic warmth
150 ml cold water — or enough to bind dough

Equipment

•Large saucepan with steamer insert
•Frying pan
•Rolling pin
•Kitchen string
•Greaseproof paper
•Aluminium foil

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 460 kcal
fat: 27 g
carbs: 48 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 8 g
calories: 460 kcal

Instructions

1
Melt the butter in a frying pan over low heat on the hob.
2
Add the sliced leeks, white pepper, and half the salt.
3
Cook gently for 8 minutes until softened but not coloured, then leave to cool completely.
4
Combine flour, suet, black pepper, and remaining salt in a mixing bowl.
5
Stir in cold water gradually with a knife until a soft, pliable dough forms.
6
Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a 20x30 cm rectangle roughly 1 cm thick.
7
Spread cooled leeks evenly over pastry, leaving a 2 cm border around edges.
8
Roll up firmly from the short end like a Swiss roll, pressing ends together to seal.
9
Wrap loosely in buttered greaseproof paper and foil with a centre pleat for expansion.
10
Tie securely with kitchen string and place in a steamer basket over simmering water.
11
Steam with the lid on for 1 hour and 30 minutes, topping up boiling water as needed.
12
Carefully unwrap, slice into thick rounds, and serve hot with rich gravy.

Chef's tips

Always cool the leeks before rolling them into the dough, otherwise the steam will melt the suet prematurely. A pleat (an accordion fold in the paper and foil) is essential to give the suet pastry space to rise.

Ingredient substitutions

shredded beef suet → shredded vegetable suet
unsalted butter → vegetable oil

Storage

Store leftover wrapped pudding in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat thick slices by steaming in a covered colander over simmering water for 10 minutes until piping hot.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Wrapping the pudding too tightly, which prevents the suet crust from expanding and becoming light.
•Letting the steamer boil dry during the long steaming time.
•Adding hot leeks straight onto raw pastry, which turns the suet greasy.

Serving suggestions

Serve thick slices topped with savoury minced beef and boiled potatoes.Drizzle generously with thick, dark brown onion gravy.Pair with pickled red cabbage or mushy peas.