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Tourtière (A Christmas Meat Pie)

Photo Credit
martiapunts/shutterstock
Jane Doerfer
Yield
1 meat pie, acout 10 servings
Category
Pies and Pastries
Course
Main Dish
Preparation Method
Bake
Sources
Yankee Magazine's Best New England Recipes

Tourtière is a popular meat-filled pie enjoyed at Christmas. A French-Canadian staple, this double-crusted savory pie has many family-style variations; our recipe is made with ground pork, warm spices, mashed potatoes, and a rich pastry crust that melts in your mouth. Try something different!

Note: Wild game can also be used to enhance the taste of this flavorful pie. One popular variation is 50% venison and 50% pork. (If you really want to go all out, grind your own pork butt!)

Pork pie tastes great with sides such as: cranberry sauce, cornichons, pickled beets, sharp cheese, crusty bread, light salad, and pea soup. 

Eat tourtière piping hot from the oven or cold from the refrigerator the next day.

Ingredients
2 pounds ground pork
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves (or more to taste)
1-1/2 cups mashed potatoes
Penny's Piecrust (see below for recipe)
1 tablespoon milk
Instructions

In a pan over medium-low heat, combine pork, onions, salt, and 2 cups of water. Simmer gently, stirring often, until all liquid evaporates, about 4 hours.

Preheat oven 400ºF.

Stir in cinnamon and cloves. Add potatoes and beat well to combine thoroughly.

Line a pie tin with 1 crust. Spoon in pork/potato mixture. Add top crust and flute edges. Brush top with milk and prick with a fork. Bake for 30 minutes.

Penny's Piecrust

Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1-3/4 cups shortening
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 cup ice water
Instructions

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut shortening in, until pieces are about the size of a pea. Add egg, vinegar, and ice water. Work into a cohesive dough ball.

Divide in half. Cut one dough mass in half. On a work surface dusted with flour, roll out 2 crusts. (If you’re making only one pie, freeze the second dough mass.)

Yield: 4 piecrusts

About The Author

Jane Doerfer

A former food columnist for Horticulture magazine and food editor for New England Living magazine, Doerfer taught cooking for more than twenty years. Read More from Jane Doerfer
 

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Comments

Bonnie (not verified)

1 year 11 months ago

My family mixes beef and pork. 50/50 mix. So good with brown gravy and mashed potatoes.

PJ Leclair (not verified)

4 years 11 months ago

This is almost the same exact recipe that my mother-in-law gave me over 30 years ago.... she was from Montreal & it was a recipe from her Mother. They ate it with a relish made from vegetables, & apples... kind of like an end of summer relish.

Bob (not verified)

4 years 11 months ago

Can I use almond flour instead of all purpose flour?

Pam (not verified)

4 years 11 months ago

Stephen Burkett, you can use butter, lard, or solid coconut oil instead of the shortening.

Stephen Burkett (not verified)

4 years 11 months ago

Can i substitute something for the shortening

Nancy C. (not verified)

1 year 11 months ago

I normally make my pie crust with 2 cups of flour to 1 1/2 sticks of very cold butter cubed. You could double that butter ratio for this recipe given it calls for 4 cups of flour. So three sticks.