Tourtière (French Canadian Meat Pie)

Serve this tourtière recipe on holidays for an incredibly impressive, simple, homemade meat pie with savory, spiced pork, beef, and potato filling.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr
• Total Time: 2 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 768 Calories

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, sliced, frozen
• 1 large russet potato, peeled, quartered
• 1 cup potato cooking water, plus more as needed
• 7 tablespoons ice-cold water, or as needed
• 0.25 teaspoon ground mustard
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.25 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
• 0.125 teaspoon ground cloves
• 0.25 teaspoon ground allspice
• 0.5 teaspoon dried sage
• 0.5 cup finely diced celery

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2

Add flour, butter, and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until butter is pea-sized, about 30 seconds. Stir water and vinegar together in a small bowl; drizzle over flour mixture. Pulse until mixture is crumbly, but holds together when pinched, about 10 seconds. Drizzle in more cold water a little at a time if dough is too dry.

Step 3

Transfer mixture to a work surface; form a ball, then flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 4

Mix salt, black pepper, thyme, sage, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, mustard, clove, and cayenne together in a small bowl for the spice blend; set aside.

Step 5

Add potato and 1 teaspoon salt to a medium saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer potato to a large bowl with a slotted spoon; mash until smooth (reserve cooking water); set aside.

Step 6

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until onions are golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add celery, garlic, and spice blend to the skillet; stir until well combined, about 30 seconds.

Step 7

Add pork, beef, and about 3/4 cup of reserved cooking water to the skillet for filling. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is brown, and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 45 minutes. Stir in potato, turn off the heat, and let cool.

Step 8

Divide dough into 2 pieces, 1 slightly larger than the other. Roll larger piece into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured work surface. Place in a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Roll remaining dough into an 11-inch circle; set aside.

Step 9

Fill bottom crust evenly with meat mixture; whisk egg and water together in a small bowl for egg wash. Brush egg wash over edges of crust. Cover with top crust; press lightly around edges to seal. Trim excess dough; crimp edges. Cut small slits in top crust for steam to escape. Brush surface of pie with egg wash.

Step 10

Bake in the preheated oven until crust is deep golden, about 1 hour. Let cool to almost room temperature before serving.