The steak and ale pie has been voted the UK's fave - which is no surprise.
Delicious slivers of tender steak in gravy encased in flaky pastry - it makes you proud to be British.
As a nation, we're firmly on board with the idea that a comforting filling can be improved by sticking a pastry lid on top.
And as it's British Pie Week, there seemed to be no better time to check out what supermarket version is the best.
Pies are some of the best comfort food around - but there's a wide range on offer, and prices can rack up quickly.
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To test a variety, I bought two supermarket-brand steak and ale pies, followed by a version from Pukka Pies, Pieminster and Charlie Bigham.
Pukka Steak pie
I had high hopes for this version - but they were sadly dashed very quickly. Cheese and onion Pukka Pies made a regular appearance in my childhood, and remain a firm favourite.
But this...I knew it was a mistake when I plunged my fork into a half-empty pie, while the pastry surrounding the scant filling collapsed immediately.
There wasn't much meat but that didn't seem a problem after a few mouthfuls, which confirmed it was fairly flavourless and gristly. Very flat and watery gravy, and it's sadly not very nice at all.
Sainsbury's Steak and Ale pie
The pastry is flaky, and there's slightly more meat than the offering from Pukka. It is still fairly flavourless, and the mushy offering cloys on the roof of my mouth.
The meat has been minced to a pulp and tastes fairly unmeaty. A shame as I expected more from Sainsbury's.
Pieminster Steak and Ale pie
This is generously filled to the brim and very flavourful. It's possibly a bit too aromatic but who's complaining after the previous tasteless offerings. The brand says it's their best selling pie and has been awarded multiple Great Taste Awards.
It has some crispy onions on top but these are impossible to taste. The upper crust is very thick, which means it doesn't immediately collapse and holds its shape well. It looks homemade but in an impressive 'made an effort' way. A good comfort food offering.
The downside is that it verges on being a bit too sweet and I can't really taste the ale.
Tesco Steak and Ale pie
This looks lovely and is full of lovely tender steak, although the consistency verges on being a bit mushy. It's VERY peppery, as if someone accidentally knocked over a grinder and cooked the filling anyway. Not a problem for me but others may prefer something less pepper-heavy. It tastes exactly like a Greggs Steak Bake which in my eyes, is a compliment.
Charlie Bigham Steak and Ale pie
This is delicious. The steak actually tastes like steak and this even contains some vegetables. You can really taste the ale and the pie cuts well and holds its shape well. The pastry is lovely and flaky.
The overall mix of filling is lovely, and it tastes properly seasoned.
Winner: Pieminster
I suspected this would be the case, but had hoped there might be a surprise supermarket hit in the mix. If you were looking for a cheaper non-branded offering, the Tesco one still scored well.
