It might be the most Scottish pie ever created – a haggis, neeps and tatties filling, spiced with brown sauce, encased in an Ayrshire salted crust, given the name ‘Outlander’ and served in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle.
For the Signature Group, it has certainly proven to be a winner, having just taken gold at the 2026 British Pie Awards against fierce national competition.
Signature will now head into Edinburgh’s spring season with what is officially the UK’s best meat and potato pie on the menu of three of its capital venues.
From this weekend, the ‘Outlander Pie’ will be the star bake at McLarens on the Corner in Morningside, Element on Rose Street in the New Town, and The Fountain on Dundee Street in Fountainbridge, for as long as stocks last.
The proud creator of the award-winning pie is Signature Group food development manager Emma Clark-Szabo, who incorporated haggis mixed with an HP gravy, neep purée, smoked swede skirlie, buttery mash, smoked butter and toasted oats.
To bring everything together, Clark-Szabo topped Outlander’s pastry case with cracked black pepper and Blackthorn Salt from Ayrshire, then has it served with a homemade peppercorn sauce.
Clark-Szabo, who has over 22 years’ experience as a chef, said: “It’s a real honour to have done Scotland proud by taking home the top prize for the UK’s ultimate meat and potato pie.
“We wanted to take a classic Scottish dish and turn it into something really special – what isn’t better when it’s encased in pastry?
“This four-layer showstopper is brimming with traditional Scottish flavours, but we’ve enhanced the recipe to make it richer, tastier, more indulgent and refined.
“It was important to me that each bite had the right balance, so the eating experience is consistent and enjoyable.”
The British Pie Awards were held in the UK’s pie capital, Melton Mowbray, earlier this month, with more than 1000 pies entered into this year’s competition.
A panel of the UK’s ‘top pie aficionados’ judged each of them for pastry quality and bake, filling, taste and flavour.
As well as crowning Signature as UK champion in the ‘meat and potato’ pie category, the judges also highly commended the group for its steak and ale pie.
Signature’s food development team is now busy freshly baking over 400 of the gold award-winning pies ready to reach its three selected Edinburgh venues from tomorrow, Friday 20th March.
