Name: Tourtiere – French Canadian Meat Pie Recipe
Prep time: 120 min
Ingredients: 2 pound 900g Ground beef/pork/veal or combination of 2-3 kinds; 2 medium potatoes (mashed); 1 large Onion (chopped); 2 Celery stalks (chopped); 2 Garlic cloves (minced); Salt; Pepper; 1 teaspoon Thyme; 1/2 teaspoon Ground ginger; 1/4 teaspoon Ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon Mustard powder; 1/4 teaspoon Ground cloves; 1¼ cups 300ml Water/beef broth; 2-3 tablespoon Olive oil; 3 cups 375g All-purpose flour; 1 cup 230g Cold butter, cubed or lard; 1/2 teaspoon Salt; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 5-7 tablespoons Cold Water; 1 egg for brushing

Tourtiere – French Canadian Meat Pie Recipe

By David | Nov 20, 2019August 19, 2024

4 from 27 votes

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Tourtiere is a traditional French-Canadian pie that usually served on the holiday season. This meat pie can be made with ground beef, ground pork, ground veal or a combination of them. The meat mixture is cooked with onions, potatoes and spice mix and has a super delicious pie crust that melts in your mouth.

A slice of meat pie on a white plate. In the background, the rest of the pie with a golden-brown crust sits in a clear glass pie dish on a wooden surface. The meat filling is visible, and the crust appears flaky and well-baked.

Tourtiere – French Canadian Meat Pie Recipe

4 from 27 votes

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Prep Time 2

WORK TIME 1

DIFFICULTY Medium

Cuisine French

Servings yields

Ingredients

For the crust:

2 pound 900g Ground beef/pork/veal or combination of 2-3 kinds
2 medium potatoes mashed
1 large Onion chopped
2 Celery stalks chopped
2 Garlic cloves minced
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon Thyme
½ teaspoon Ground ginger
¼ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon Mustard powder
¼ teaspoon Ground cloves
1¼ cups 300ml Water/beef broth
2-3 tablespoon Olive oil

For the filling:

3 cups 375g All-purpose flour
1 cup 230g Cold butter, cubed or lard
½ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
5-7 tablespoons Cold Water
1 egg for brushing

Instructions

DIRECTIONS
1. Make the pastry: In a food processor process flour, salt and cold cubed butter. Process until crumbs are formed. Add cold water, process until dough is formed. Do not over mix.
2. Transfer the dough to a work surface, pat into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Prepare spice mix: in a small bowl mix all the spices.
4. Make the filling: In a large pan or skillet heat olive oil and sauté chopped onion, celery and garlic for 4-5 minutes, until translucent. Add the meat and cook, for 4-5 minutes, until no longer pink. Season with the spice mix and stir.
5. Add the stock and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickness. Add the mashed potatoes to the meat mixture, stirring until thoroughly combined, cook for 3-4 minutes. remove from heat and let cool.
6. Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C
7. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough to two parts (40/60). Roll out the bigger part to about 11-12 inch (30cm) in diameter. Lay in a 8-9 inch (20-23cm) pan. Fill with cooled meat mixture. Brush around the outer edge of the pastry with the beaten egg. Roll out the second part of the pastry to about 10-11 inches (25-28cm), cut a hole in the center and place on top of the filling. Trim and then pinch the edges of the crust together and brush with the egg wash.
8. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until golden brown. After 30 minutes add a pie crust shield or aluminum foil on top of the pie if the crust
9. Let cool for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes:
- In this recipe I used only beef, but you can also you use ground pork or veal. Or combine 2-3 kind of meats.
- You can omit or add any spices that you like.