Canadian Tourtière Meat Pie
Tourtière is a deeply savory meat pie from French Canadian cooking, often served during the winter holidays but sturdy enough for any cold-weather meal. This version uses a balanced mix of ground pork and beef, giving the filling both richness and structure.
The flavor comes from a restrained blend of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, thyme, and black pepper. The spices should warm the meat rather than make the pie taste sweet, and a little grated potato helps bind the filling so each slice holds together.
Cooking the filling before it goes into the crust is essential. It gives the onion time to soften, lets the meat absorb the broth and spices, and prevents the pastry from steaming itself soggy in the oven.
Serve the pie warm after a short rest, when the crust is crisp and the filling can be cut cleanly. Pickles, cranberry sauce, mustard, or a simple green salad all make sharp, bright companions to the rich pie.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
-
1
Heat the oven to 400°F and place a rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack to catch drips.
-
2
Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork, beef, onion, and garlic, then cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the meat until no pink remains and the onion is soft.
-
3
Stir in the grated potato, broth, salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and thyme. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the potato has thickened the filling.
-
4
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs. Let the filling cool for 15 minutes so it is warm, not hot, when it meets the pastry.
-
5
Roll half of the pie dough into a 12-inch round and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate, letting the excess hang over the edge.
-
6
Spoon the cooled meat filling into the crust and smooth it into an even layer without packing it down hard.
-
7
Roll out the second dough round, place it over the filling, trim the edges, and crimp the top and bottom crusts together. Cut several small vents in the top.
-
8
Brush the top crust lightly with beaten egg, then bake on the hot baking sheet for 20 minutes.
-
9
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden and the filling is bubbling through the vents.
-
10
Let the tourtière rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing so the filling sets and the pastry stays crisp.
Ingredients
- Double-crust pie dough:1 9-inch portion
- Ground pork:1 lb
- Ground beef:1/2 lb
- Yellow onion, finely chopped:1 large
- Garlic cloves, minced:2
- Russet potato, peeled and grated:1 medium
- Low-sodium beef broth:3/4 cup
- Fine salt:1 1/4 tsp
- Black pepper:1 tsp
- Ground cinnamon:1/2 tsp
- Ground allspice:1/4 tsp
- Ground cloves:1/8 tsp
- Dried thyme:1/2 tsp
- Plain breadcrumbs:1/4 cup
- Large egg, beaten:1
Tips & Notes
- Use cold pastry and warm, not hot, filling for the flakiest crust.
- If the filling seems loose after simmering, cook it a few minutes longer before adding the breadcrumbs.
- Tourtière reheats well in a 325°F oven until the crust is crisp again.
- For a more traditional holiday plate, serve with pickled beets, mustard, or cranberry sauce.
