Tourtiere is commonly made in Canada around the Christmas holidays. Often people make several pies at once to be ready for company, as they freeze well. This is a very savory pie, with spices not often found with meat but rather in desserts, however that is what makes the pie so special. It tastes like no other meat pie! There are many variations of Tourtiere, using pork, beef and veal and also some recipes include potatoes in the pie. My favorite recipe, shown below, is all pork and uses no potatoes. I think a mixture of pork and ground beef would also work, but tastes a bit less authentic to me.
TIPS: It is a great time saver to make several pies at once. You can double or triple the pork and cook it all in one big pot, then divide among the pie plates. These can be assembled (minus the egg wash) and frozen, unbaked, for 2 months. To cook, partially thaw in refrigerator about 6 hours until crust softens and gives to gentle pressure, then bake at 375 degrees for about an hour.
Tourtiere (French-Canadian Meat Pie)
Ingredients
- 1 C water
- 1 lb lean ground pork
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 C plain dry bread crumbs
- 2 pie crusts (homemade or a 15-oz package uncooked rolled pie crusts)
- 1 large egg beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring water to a boil in large skillet over medium heat. Add pork and 1/4 tsp salt and cook, stiring occassionally, breaking pork up into small pieces, until pork is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid in a seperate container (do not clean skillet).
- Place reserved cooking liquid in freezer for 15 minutes until fat rises to the surface, and skim off fat. (If pork was lean, there may be very little fat).
- Meanwhile, heat oil in reserved skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cooked pork, remaining 3/4 tsp salt and the rest of the spices. Stir until combined. Off heat, gently stir in the reserved cooking liquid and the bread crumbs. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temerature.
- Roll out 1 pie crust into an 11-inch round and fit into a 9 inch pie plate, leaving about a 1 inch overhang.
- Spoon pork mixture into crust and smooth the top.
- Roll remaining pie crust into a 12 inch circle and lay over the pie. Tuck overhang under bottom crust, pressing tigether top and bottom crusts to seal, crimping with your fingers. Brush egg wash over top of crust and cut 3-4 small steam vents in the top.
- Bake until crust is golden brown and crisp, 50-60 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!