FRENCH-CANADIAN MEAT PIE | Tourtières

ground pork

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground beef

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground beef is often less expensive.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil provides healthy fats, and margarine is often cheaper.

potato

🥗Healthier: sweet potato

💰Cheaper: mashed cauliflower

Sweet potatoes add nutrients, while mashed cauliflower is lower in carbs.

pie crust

🥗Healthier: whole wheat crust

💰Cheaper: store-bought crust

Whole wheat crust adds fiber, while store-bought saves time.

Begin by preparing the pie dough. In a glass measuring cup, combine 1/2 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and 1 egg. Whisk together and add ice cubes to chill the mixture.

In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.

Add 8 tablespoons of butter and 8 tablespoons of lard (or vegetable shortening) to the flour mixture. Use your hands to rub the fats into the flour until you achieve pea-sized flecks.

Add 4 tablespoons of the chilled liquid to the mixture, stir with a fork, then add another 4 tablespoons and stir again.

Bring the dough together with your hands, being careful not to overwork it. Divide the dough into two discs, wrap them separately, and refrigerate for about an hour.

Finely dice 1 medium-sized onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 medium-sized potato (about 1 cup each).

Chop 6 rashers of bacon into small pieces.

Create a bouquet garni by placing 1 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns and 1 teaspoon of whole cloves in a square of cheesecloth and tying it up.

In a large high-sided sauté pan over moderate heat, add the chopped bacon and cook until the fat renders, about 5 minutes.

Add 2 pounds of ground pork to the pan, breaking it up as it cooks. Then add the diced onion and garlic, stirring everything together.

While the pork is still slightly pink, add 1 teaspoon of dried savory, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves, and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Stir to combine.

Add the diced potato to the mixture, stir everything together, and place the bouquet garni in the center. Pour 1/3 cup of water over it and cover the pan, cooking for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, remove the cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes, then take out the bouquet garni and stir in any flavoring.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon of water and 1 egg yolk to make an egg wash.

Flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll out the first disc of dough to a 12-inch round, about 1/4 inch thick, and place it into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming the excess dough from the rim.

Repeat with the second disc of dough for the top crust.

Fill both pie plates with the cooled meat filling, leveling it off gently.

Roll out the top crusts, transfer them onto the filled pies, and trim the dough, allowing for a slight overhang to tuck under the bottom crust.

Crimp the edges of the pies with your fingers and thumbs to seal them.

Use leftover dough to cut out shapes for air vents on top of the pies.

Brush the top and edges of the pies with the egg wash, and place the cutouts on top.

Bake the pies in the preheated oven for 1 hour, rotating them halfway through if necessary.

Once baked, let the pies cool for about 30 minutes before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens