Why steak pie is New Year tradition in Scotland - and why it won't die out anytime soon
Scotland is known the world over for being one of the best countries to usher in the new year. There are plenty of customs and traditions surrounding Hogmanay making Scotland an attractive place for tourists to flock to for the bells.
From the cannon being fired atop Edinburgh Castle at midnight, to the capital's infamous street party - which has sadly been cancelled this year due to wild weather thrashing the region - Scotland has made its mark on the holiday.
Where food is concerned, one staple of New Year in Scotland is steak pie. The dish is one many Scots tuck into on January 1. But what is the history behind the hearty meal, and why is it our go-to?
READ MORE: Reason Scots must clean today and then put feet up until January 2
READ MORE: 10 New Year's Eve superstitions to bring luck in 2025 - from eating grapes to avoiding this one dish
Speaking previously to The Herald, Bruce McColl, the member services manager for the Scottish Craft Butchers Association, gave his thoughts.
He revealed: “One theory holds that steak pie became the national dish at New Years because January 1 wasn’t generally taken as a holiday so families were too busy to cook.
“They would buy steak pies to feed their families instead, this continues to this day as people want a delicious meal after the previous night’s celebrations. So it was essentially one of the first ready meals.”
Shedding more light on the quirk, Mr McColl went on: "The other train of thought is that people would have it as their main meal on Hogmanay before they started to drink. It’s a good meal to be made in advance so a lot of people have it as their main meal before the bells."
Suggesting a third possibility, Mr McColl added: "Another theory is that because it is a big meal you can keep warm and serve to visitors throughout the day, as people come to the house.”
As the Record touched upon recently, many assume eating steak pie on January 1 began as a way to help with the Hogmanay hangover.
While this may be true in some cases, similar to Mr McColl's assertion, it's more likely that it stemmed from New Year's Day only having been a public holiday in Scotland for a few decades.
Before this, Scots did not have time to prepare an elaborate meal to celebrate the first day of the year, and so would simply purchase a large pie from their local butcher.
Regardless, steak pie fits Scotland's New Year's celebrations perfectly. Whether it's soaking up the booze, lining your stomach, or having a meal quick, easy, and big enough to appease first footers, we don't see the practice dying out any time soon.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our newsletter here .
