Tourtiere (French-Canadian meat pie)

[Hoser]

This one is for the aardvark.

If you have trouble finding Bell's seasoning Alex, it is available online. It's a mixture of powdered poultry spices that is a bit heavy on sage.

We make a bunch of these every Christmas and serve with piccalily, but our version of piccalily is a green tomato and pepper relish, not the cauliflower-mustard you are probably used to.


Tourtière

Traditional French Canadian meat pie, from my mother-in-law Terry.
Serve this with a nice chilled piccalilli.
Makes three 9 inch pies.



***2 lb ground beef
***2 lb ground pork
***1 large onion , minced
***3 tsp kosher salt
***1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
***2 tsp Bell's seasoning
***2 cups Crushed Ritz crackers
***1 cup bread crumbs
***3 packages ready-made pie crust


Heat oven to 375°

Place meats and onion in a large pot and add water to cover.
Bring to a boil, Add Bell's seasoning, salt and pepper and reduce heat to simmer and cook for two hours, breaking the meat up to a fine consistency.
Add Ritz cracker and bread crumbs.
Divide mixture between the pie shells and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

[HawgHeaven]

Looks great Hoser... gotta try that!

[lynsey123]

That looks just great, have to make a few now.

[Kyote]

looks great. I would have to add some chopped green chili to panamian it up a bit.

[curious aardvark]

ah ha - we'd just call that a meat pie
and if it's not mustard and cauliflower it's not pccalilly - sounds like aspiced chutney to me - also good

So you don't make your own pastry ?

made it for the first time in afood processor friday. the previous 40 years I've always made the crumb section by hand.
But had to make 4lb pastry for mince pies (thread later) and decided to use the food processor.
Damn that is easy and makes better pastry too !!

[TasunkaWitko]

looks great, dave!

[Hoser]

If anyone is still interested, here is the meat pie "by the numbers"

Took my ground pork and beef and tossed it into the Dutch oven with a large minced onion, the salt and Bell's seasoning.



Then added enough water to just barely cover the meat and brought the whole thing to a boil, stirring often and breaking the meat down to a fine texture.



Before too long, the meat will lose it's pinkness, and you can lower the heat and just simmer till it's done.



While that's cooking, you can get your bottom crusts ready and fill them up and top them off when your filling is ready



When the meat is cooked, remove it from the heat and stir in the cracker crumbs and bread crumbs, then you are ready to go.

Fill them up, crimp the top, and cut a few vents in it, then make yourself a nice egg wash with 1 yolk and a little cream or milk.



Washed and ready



Then into the oven for 45 minutes or so...I like to rotate the baking sheet end for end in the oven after 20 minutes.



And voila..ready for Christmas dinner! thanks for looking.



As soon as I sample one, I'll show some served pictures.

[Scarbelly]

Man that sure looks tasty from here

[Mark R]

Man that sure looks tasty from here

That's it!