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Toutiere Meat Pie Plated
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Tourtiere (Meat Pie)

This traditional French-Canadian meat pie, called tourtiere, is hearty, comforting, and simple to make. That means it's an excellent choice for the holidays.
Course dinner, Entree
Cuisine Canadian, French
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 525kcal
Author Imma

Ingredients

Meat Filling

  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice (or more)
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard powder (or more)
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (or more)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (or more)
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 tablespoon butter or oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • clove garlic, chopped
  • ½ cup celery, diced
  • 3 teaspoons thyme, minced
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 2 teaspoon beef bouillon powder

Instructions

Meat Pie Filling

  • Peel the potatoes, removing any bad spots, such as bruising and discoloration. Cut into big even-sized chunks. Place cut potatoes in water as you peel to prevent discoloration.
  • Wash the potatoes and rinse until the water runs clear. Place them in a large pot with a teaspoon or two of salt and enough water to cover them.
  • Bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain the water from the potatoes, reserving about a cup of water.
  • Return the potatoes to the stove and simmer for about a minute to remove excess moisture.
  • Transfer potatoes into a large bowl and mash with a potato masher. Season with pepper, and let cool.
  • Combine spices in a small plate or bowl—allspice, mustard, nutmeg, cloves, and sage—in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Melt butter or oil in a large skillet over medium heat. As soon as the butter melts, add diced onions, garlic, celery, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in the spice mixture and continue cooking for about a minute.
  • Add ground pork and beef, followed by one cup of reserved potato water.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat and continue simmering on low until meat is tender with a paste-like texture (this helps the pie filling hold its shape) and very little liquid is left in the skillet. Stir in beef bouillon powder.
  • Then stir in mashed potatoes, and cook for about a minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the meat mixture cool to room temperature before proceeding to the next step.

Assembling the Pie

  • Make homemade meat pie crust dough or use store-bought pie dough.
  • Remove one pie crust dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 8-10 minutes.
  • Place it on a clean, floured board or surface. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin into a 12-inch circle, about ⅛ of an inch thick.
  • Gently settle it into the 9-inch pan (1-2 inches deep), being careful not to pull or stretch it. Gently fit it in, and trim any excess dough hanging over the edges.
  • Add meat pie filling to the pie pan.
  • Roll out the other pie dough into a 10-inch circle, and place it over the meat filling. Tuck in any excess hanging bottom crust over the edge of the top crust, pinch, and seal the dough.
  • Crimp the edges of the crust and decorate, if desired, with extra dough.
  • Cut small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush with egg wash for a nice golden brown finish.
  • Bake at 375℉/190℃ for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Let cool to almost room temperature before serving.

Notes

  • For the best pie crust, keep your dough cold and work quickly. This means the filling needs to cool completely before assembling it.
  • You can put the meat pies in the freezer for a few minutes or up to half an hour if you think it's too warm. Then put it directly in the preheated oven.
  • The filling can be prepared beforehand (even a day or two before) and refrigerated. That way, it has time to flavor and chill.
  • Saving some of the water from the potato helps keeps the mixture from drying out in the oven.
  • This recipe is extremely flexible. I mean, just about anything goes with meat and potatoes, right? Adjust the seasonings to your tastes, and it also goes well with the gravy.
  • Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 530mg | Potassium: 378mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1.5g