Growing up, we usually had this for dinner on Christmas Eve, or for brunch on Christmas Day. I came up with this recipe on the first Christmas I had to spend away from my family, and it really helped make it Christmas for me.
But even though it’s a Christmas tradition, you can use this meat pie recipe any time of the year – it’s especially good on a cold fall or winter day.
If you want to know more about this French meat pie, check out our article on making tourtiere.
Here it is!
Tourtiere
Preparation Time: 10m Cooking Time: 1h50m Total Time: 2h0m
Servings
Yields 1 9″ deep dish pie. Serves about 6.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs ground pork or beef, or a combination of both
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1 large potato
1 recipe for a 2-crust deep dish pie crust
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for a few minutes, until the onion starts to soften.
- Add the meat, stock, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, and stir until it’s all well blended.
- Let the mixture simmer uncovered over medium low heat for about an hour, or until the mixture gets thick and there’s very little liquid left.
- Meanwhile, bake the potato. Mash it, discarding the skin.
- You can bake the potato in the oven at 400F for 45 minutes or so, or in the microwave for 6 to 8 minutes. It doesn’t really make a difference for this meat pie recipe.
- Be sure to prick the potato a few times before baking it to let steam out.
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Stir the mashed potato into the meat mixture. It’ll absorb most of the leftover liquid and help the meat be less crumbly.
- Line a deep dish pie plate with one of the crusts, and spoon in the meat mixture. Cover with the other pie crust, crimp the edges, and cut a few slits in the top crust to vent steam.
- Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the crust is a nice, golden brown.
- Let the tourtiere sit for 10 minutes or so before serving.
Tips
- If you wet the edges of the bottom crust before placing the top crust on it, you’ll get a better seal when you crimp the edges.
- To help the crust brown, you can brush it with an egg wash or with a bit of milk.
- If you don’t want a soggy bottom crust, baking the pie on the bottom rack of the oven can help.
- Traditionally, you’d have this pie with ketchup – either the commercial kind or a salsa-like homemade one. My dad and I always liked it with gravy, and so we were considered heathens! But the best way to eat it is the way you like it.