SCOTS love a steak pie to celebrate the New Year and cannot get enough of them, according to an industry expert.

But there’s a surprising reason as to why it’s become an annual tradition across the country.

Bruce McColl, the member services manager for the Scottish Craft Butchers Association, was able to provide some insight into our January 1 delight.

He said: “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,” said Mr McColl.

“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.”

The Gazette:

Steak pie then could be the nation’s hangover cure on what is often the roughest morning of the year for many, after a night of celebratory drinking.

Mr McColl added: “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.

“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.”

Steak pie, it seems, fits Scotland’s New Years celebrations perfectly - whether as a meal which can feed a number of visitors popping in throughout the day, soak up the booze from the night before or to line one’s stomach for a big night ahead.

Do you enjoy a steak pie on January 1? Let us know in the comments.