Tourtière: A French-Canadian Meat Pie Recipe

Tourtière, also known as pork pie or meat pie, is a traditional French-Canadian pie enjoyed throughout Canada and New England. It is made from a combination of ground meat, onions, savory seasonings, and baked in a traditional piecrust.

Growing up in a Northern New England paper town provided an eclectic upbringing of various nationalities and traditions. Like most mill towns, employment opportunities summoned immigrants from all over the world including Russia, Scandinavia, and Ireland. However, the largest immigrant group by far was French-speaking Canadians.

Employment opportunities at the many saw mills and logging camps drew numerous French Canadians south in several waves during the 19th century. Eventually, many French Canadians seeking work and preservation of their customs, language, and way of life relocated to New England towns.

They settled, established Franco-American communities, and maintained their culture, language, and religion. My family is mostly of French-Canadian descent, and I grew up in a bilingual French and English speaking small town.

Among the customs passed down from generation to generation is the tradition of serving tourtière for special occasions such as Christmas Eve. This celebration meal was an adaptation of réveillon de Noël of rural Québec.

The Family Tradition of Tourtière (French Canadian Meat Pie)

As our family Christmas traditions continue to evolve over the years, I often think about the old-fashioned customs and foods from my youth. I remember attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, then returning home to feast on meat pies smothered with a generous amount of ketchup before we were ushered to bed so Santa could deliver presents.

As the years went by, and family members got older, the tradition of Midnight Mass gave way to Christmas Eve Mass at an earlier hour but the ritual of serving tourtière after Mass continued for many years.

Tourtière, also known as pork pie or meat pie, is a combination of ground meat, onions, spices, and herbs baked in a traditional piecrust. There are many variations of tourtière throughout different regions of Franco-American communities and Canada and even among members of the same family.

Most recipes include a combination of ground pork and beef, but it is not unusual to include venison or other game meats in the pie. Almost every family had a Ma Tante or Mémère (aunt or grandmother) who had a meat pie recipe with a secret ingredient or two.

Some versions of tourtière are made from only ground or chopped pork, but we have always made it with a mix of pork and beef. Several accounts suggested that using potatoes was frowned upon because that meant you could not afford meat. In this recipe, I feel the potatoes are essential to help bind the ingredients together.

The poultry seasoning that is historically used by many families in New England is Bell’s Poultry Seasoning and is still made today.

If you can’t find Bell’s, go ahead and substitute your favorite poultry seasoning. Bell’s contains a combination of rosemary, oregano, sage, ginger, marjoram, thyme, and pepper. Other poultry seasoning blends may vary.

Tips for Making the Best Tourtière

Tourtière is a simple, comforting meat pie, but a few small tips can help you get the best flavor and texture.

• Keep the pastry cold: For a tender, flaky crust, use chilled butter or lard and ice-cold water when making the dough. Handle the pastry gently and refrigerate it before rolling.
• Don’t skip the potatoes: Mashed potatoes help bind the ground pork and beef together, giving the filling a hearty texture that holds together when sliced.
• Adjust the seasonings to taste: Every family has its own version of tourtière. Once the meat filling is fully cooked, taste it and adjust the salt, pepper, or spices to suit your preference.
• Let the filling cool slightly: Allow the cooked meat mixture to cool before assembling the pie. This helps prevent the warm filling from softening the bottom pastry before baking.

Steps for Making Tourtière

The full and printable recipe can be found at the bottom of this article, but here are the illustrated steps for making tourtière:

Step 1: Make the Pie Pastry

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the chilled butter or lard until the mixture has a rough, crumbly texture. Add the ice water a little at a time, mixing just until the dough comes together.

Shape the pie dough into a disc, wrap, and chill in the refrigerator. While the pastry is chilling, prepare the filling.

Step 2: Cook the Potatoes

Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks, then cook in a pot of boiling water until tender. Scoop out and reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy potato water before draining the potatoes. Mash the potatoes and set aside.

Step 3: Make the Tourtière Filling

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté until softened.

Add the ground beef and pork, and cook until the meat is no longer pink, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat.

Add the poultry seasoning, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and reserved 1/2 cup of water. Mix well and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the filling is still moist.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the mashed potatoes. Let the filling cool slightly while you prepare the pie pastry.

Step 4: Assemble the Meat Pie

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Remove the pie pastry from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes if it is too firm to roll.

Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll one half into a circle large enough to fit your 9-inch pie plate.

Place the bottom pastry into the pie plate and add the meat filling. Brush the outer edge of the pastry with beaten egg.

Roll out the top pastry and place it over the filling. Crimp the edges to seal, brush the top with egg wash, and cut a few vent holes to allow steam to escape.

Step 5: Bake the Pie

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is hot.

Let the tourtière rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Refrigerate leftovers promptly.

What to Serve with Meat Pie

Tourtière is rich and savory, so I like to serve it with something tart to balance the flavors.

Our family always enjoyed meat pie with ketchup, but I suspect that was a more modern version of the homemade chutneys and catsups served by earlier generations. I also vaguely remember green tomato chow chow or piccalilli on the table. Here are a few other sides that go well with meat pie:

• Pickled Foods: Sweet and tangy Bread and Butter Pickles, pickled green beans, pickled beets, or relish add a delicious contrast to the rich meat filling.
• Cranberry Sauce: The sweet and tart flavor of cranberries pairs especially well with tourtière during the holidays. Try this recipe for homemade cranberry sauce.
• Salads: A simple leafy green salad tossed with a tangy vinaigrette makes a refreshing side dish.
• Roasted Vegetables: Roasted carrots, parsnips, or other root vegetables drizzled with a little apple cider vinegar help balance the richness of the pie.

Make Ahead Tips

Meat pies can be made ahead and frozen. In fact, it is common for families to gather and make multiple meat pies at once, then freeze the extras for later. After visiting my family on Thanksgiving, I would often bring home a frozen tourtière along with dinner leftovers.

You can freeze tourtière before or after baking, or prepare and freeze just the meat filling to use later. Here are three ways to make tourtière ahead of time:

How to Freeze Unbaked Meat Pies

Make the pie crust and chill. Prepare the meat filling and refrigerate it in a shallow container until cooled.

Assemble the meat pies in freezer-to-oven safe metal pie plates or disposable aluminum pie plates.

Place the pies on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Once frozen, wrap the pies well, slip them into freezer bags, label, date, and freeze for up to 4 months.

To bake from frozen: Preheat the oven temperature to 400°F (205°C). Remove the pie from the freezer, unwrap, and brush the top crust with beaten egg wash. Bake the frozen meat pie for approximately 50 to 60 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the center of the filling reaches 165°F (74°C). If the crust begins to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking until the filling is heated through.

How to Freeze Baked Pies

Make and assemble the meat pies in freezer-to-oven safe metal pie plates or disposable aluminum pie plates. Bake completely as directed.

After baking, let the pies cool briefly, then refrigerate promptly until completely chilled.

Place the pies on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Once frozen, wrap the pies well, slip them into freezer bags, label, date, and freeze for up to 4 months.

To reheat: Remove the pie from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator overnight or until completely thawed. Unwrap and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (205°C) for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, or until the center reaches 165°F (74°C). Cover the crust loosely with aluminum foil if it begins to brown too much.

How to Freeze Meat Pie Filling

Prepare the meat pie filling as directed. Transfer it to a shallow container and refrigerate promptly until cooled.

Divide the cooled filling into freezer bags or airtight freezer containers. Label, date, and freeze for up to 4 months.

To use: Remove the filling from the freezer and thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or until completely thawed. Assemble the pie with freshly prepared pastry and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (205°C) for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling reaches 165°F (74°C).

 

This family recipe was originally published on December 14, 2015. It has been updated with additional information, new photos, and new video.

More French-Canadian Family Recipes

Tourtière is just one of the traditional French-Canadian dishes that reminds me of family gatherings and holiday celebrations. If you grew up in a French-Canadian community, you may also remember French-Canadian Salmon Pie, another savory pie often served on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve.

For an everyday comfort food, try Pâté Chinois, a French-Canadian version of shepherd’s pie made with layers of ground beef, corn, and mashed potatoes. Growing up, we simply called it shepherd’s pie.

Does your family have special foods that you prepare for holidays or family gatherings? I’d love to hear about the traditions you continue to celebrate!

More New England Recipes:

• New England Hot Dog Buns
• Old Fashioned Ginger Snaps
• Creamy Fish Chowder
• Pumpkin Pie
• Slow Cooker Baked Beans