There’s nothing quite like the mouth-watering smell of tourtière or meat pie wafting through the house to get your guests excited for dinner. We’ve put together this list of tips to help you make the best possible version of this traditional dish. Its crispy crust, tender meat and flavourful filling will warm the co*ckles of your heart!
The base
Meat pie, like any pie, starts with dough! And really, when it comes to crusts, it’s no contest—homemade beats store‑bought every time. To make your own crust, you only need four things: flour, butter (or shortening), salt and cold water. That’s it! Once your dough is ready, the only thing left is the meat filling (or you can try a vegetarian option).
If you’re looking for a filling recipe that will have your guests raving, take a look at these ones featuring our meat pie seasoning: El-Ma-Mia Meat Pie and Traditional Tourtière from Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. For a new spin on an old classic, how about our Meat Pie Fried Raviolis? A little birdie told us they make for show‑stopping holiday appies or sides.
The secret to good crust
Perfect pastry dough might seem like magic, but you can easily conjure it up using simple ingredients. Step one is making sure your butter is cold—you can’t get the right texture without it. The butter should be in small, pea-sized chunks and remain solid until you put it in the oven. You don’t want it to melt beforehand, which is why you should always use very cold water.
You also don’t want to overwork the dough. Before you bake it, let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. You can even prepare it the night before, wrap it in a damp towel and let it rest in the fridge until you’re ready to roll it out.
The perfect cook
You don’t have to blind bake your pie shell without the filling, but it does help give you a crispier crust. Another option is to place the pie on the lowest rack in the oven. The bottom will cook faster, the filling won’t soak into the crust, and the top can bake more slowly so it doesn’t burn.
If you want perfect, golden‑brown crust, brush the top of the crust with a beaten egg yolk before baking. Avoid the edges, though: brushing them with the yolk may cause them to burn.
Tourtière or meat pie?
There is a great deal of confusion surrounding these two terms because in some parts of Quebec, tourtière is very similar to meat pie. Meat pie is primarily made of ground meat (pork, beef or veal) and aromatics (onion, garlic, spices, etc.).
In Saguenay–Lac‑Saint‑Jean and Charlevoix, however, “real” tourtière is a lot heartier than meat pie and contains other meats (such as game) and potatoes that have been simmered in stock.
Flavour is king!
Seasoning is crucial for lending tourtière and meat pie their characteristic taste. You can rely on the classics, of course (nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and so on), but another good option is ready‑to‑use spice blends like El‑Ma‑Mia’s meat pie seasoning. Just add 15 ml (1 tbsp) to your meat pie to kick it up a notch!
For a real trip to flavour town, add some seasoning to the dough when you mix the butter into the flour. Use spices, parmesan, minced garlic, fresh herbs, anything you can think of. Get creative!
The lighter side of sides
We can all agree that meat pie and tourtière are rich enough on their own. Balance your meal out a little with some grilled vegetables or a light salad, enhanced with our seasonings for salads or potatoes. And don’t forget the fruit ketchup and pickled beets—it wouldn’t be Christmas without them!
Now that you know how to make the perfect homemade meat pie or tourtière, you can get started right away. No need to worry though, it’s as easy as pie!
