Tourtière (Québécois Meat Pie)
In short: A double-crust pie of spiced ground pork and beef with potato, onion and warm spices, baked until golden for the Christmas Eve table in Québec. It takes about 2 h 25 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 1 h 35 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 2 h 25 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 590 kcal
Tourtière is the meat pie of Québec, traditionally eaten after midnight mass on Christmas Eve and again on New Year's Day. The filling is ground pork, often with some beef, simmered with onion, a little potato, cinnamon, cloves and allspice until it is moist and fragrant, never spicy. Families guard their own versions closely. Serve it hot with fruit ketchup or chutney and pickled beets.
Instructions
- Rub the butter into the flour and salt until crumbly. Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. Divide into two discs, one slightly larger, wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- In a large pot, combine the pork, beef, onion, garlic, potato, water, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, savory and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, breaking up the meat with a spoon.
- Simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 35 minutes, until the meat is cooked through (71°C / 160°F), the potato is soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Mash lightly with a potato masher.
- Stir in the breadcrumbs, remove the bay leaf and cool the filling completely, about 30 minutes. Warm filling would melt the pastry.
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) with a baking sheet on the lower rack. Roll the larger disc into a 30 cm (12 in) circle and fit it into a 23 cm (9 in) pie plate. Fill, mounding the meat slightly.
- Roll the second disc into a 28 cm (11 in) circle and lay it over the filling. Trim, crimp the edge, cut 4 steam vents and brush with the beaten egg.
- Bake on the hot sheet for 20 minutes, then lower the oven to 175°C (350°F) and bake 30 to 35 minutes more, until deep golden. Rest for 15 minutes before cutting.
Tips
- Setting the pie plate on a preheated baking sheet helps the bottom crust crisp. A cool filling matters just as much.
- Use all pork if you prefer. Some cooks add finely grated celery root or a spoonful of mashed potato to bind the filling.
Questions and answers
What do you serve with tourtière?
Fruit ketchup or chutney, pickled beets and a green salad are the traditional partners. At Christmas it often comes with mashed potatoes.
Can I freeze tourtière?
Yes. Freeze it baked or unbaked, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. Bake an unbaked pie from frozen at 175°C (350°F) for 60 to 70 minutes.
What spices go in tourtière?
Cinnamon, cloves and allspice are the usual warm spices, along with savory or thyme. They are used lightly, to scent the meat rather than make it taste sweet.
How long does it take to make Tourtière (Québécois Meat Pie)?
About 2 h 25 min in total: 50 min of preparation and 1 h 35 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Tourtière (Québécois Meat Pie)?
About 590 kcal per serving, with 22 g of protein, 40 g of carbohydrates and 38 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 590 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Fat | 38 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 640 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
