Indulge in a delightful culinary journey with our Christmas Eve Meat Pie, a cherished tradition passed down through generations. This exquisite dish, also known as Pithivier, originates from France and captivates taste buds with its flaky, golden-brown crust encasing a symphony of savory fillings. From the classic beef and mushroom filling to the vegetarian delight of spinach and cheese, each bite promises a burst of flavors that will transport you to a world of culinary enchantment. Discover the secrets behind this timeless recipe, including expert tips on creating the perfect pastry, achieving a rich and flavorful filling, and mastering the art of intricate pie decoration. Let your kitchen be filled with the tantalizing aromas of Christmas Eve Meat Pie, a dish that will undoubtedly become a beloved family tradition.
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
TOURTIERE (FRENCH CANADIAN MEAT PIE)
This French Canadian meat pie is hearty, satisfying, and easy to make so it's a great choice for a holiday main course. Visually impressive, relatively affordable, and best served at room temperature, so a tourtiere doesn't require any kind of precise timing.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork Ground Pork Recipes
Time 2h15m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 28
Steps:
- Place flour, salt, and frozen butter slices into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse on and off until butter is about the size of peas, about 30 seconds. Stir vinegar into cold water; drizzle water/vinegar into the flour mixture. Pulse on and off until mixture is crumbly and holds together when you pinch a piece off, about 10 seconds. If dough isn't pressing together, drizzle in another teaspoon of water.
- Transfer mixture to a work surface. Press it together until it becomes a lump of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
- Mix salt, pepper, thyme, sage, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, mustard, clove, and cayenne together in a small bowl.
- Place potato quarters in a saucepan; cover with cold water. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat. Simmer until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Scoop out potatoes and transfer to a bowl; save cooking liquid. Mash potatoes with a potato masher.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook and stir until onions turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir garlic, celery, and spice blend into the skillet with onions. Stir until onion mixture is evenly coated with the spices, about 30 seconds. Add ground beef and ground pork. Ladle about 3/4 cup of the potato cooking liquid into the skillet.
- Cook and stir until meat is browned and has a very fine, almost pastelike texture. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 45 minutes. Stir in mashed potatoes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Divide chilled dough into 2 pieces, one just slightly larger than the other. Roll the larger piece out into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured work surface. Place in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Roll top crust out into a circle about 11 inches in diameter. Cut small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- Fill bottom crust with the meat mixture; smooth out the surface. Whisk egg and water together to make egg wash. Brush edges of the bottom crust with egg wash. Place top crust on the pie and press lightly around the edges to seal. Trim excess dough from the crust. Crimp the edges of the crust. Brush entire surface of the pie with egg wash.
- Place in preheated oven. Bake until well browned, about 1 hour. Let cool to almost room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 663 calories, Carbohydrate 47.3 g, Cholesterol 159.2 mg, Fat 40.5 g, Fiber 2.6 g, Protein 26.9 g, SaturatedFat 21.4 g, Sodium 1074 mg, Sugar 1.5 g
TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS MEAT PIE
This is an old family recipie that has been passed down through the generations. In our home it is considered a special Christmas treat. Serve with mashed potatoes and choice of vegetables. We like to top ours with a little ketchup.
Provided by Poppa Doug
Categories Savory Pies
Time 30m
Yield 6 pies, 36 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Cut boil and mash potatoes with a bit of milk and set aside.
- In a very large pot combine meat with salt, pepper, onion, celery flakes and all seasonings and simmer on med to low heat for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
- Once cooked drain liquid from meat mixture and replace with water and add potatoes.
- Mix well and refrigerate over night.
- Prepare pastry and divide dough for 6 double crust pies.
- Refrigerate pastry over night.
- Next morning roll pastry, line pie plates and fill with meat mixture and top with pastry. Cut a few slits in top crust and brush with egg wash. (To make egg wash.
- beat 1 egg with a tbsp of milk.).
- Bake at 425* for 25-30 minute.
- Cool and freeze in freezer bags up to 6 months.
- Reheat from frozen at 350* for 45-50 minute.
CANADIAN MEAT PIE
This hearty meat pie has a filling seasoned with a tasty combination of herbs and spices and is topped with a flaky golden crust. Called tourtiere, it's a dish traditionally served by French Canadians following mid-night Mass on Christmas Eve.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and water; toss lightly with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half; wrap in plastic and refrigerate. , In a large skillet, cook beef, pork, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in seasonings; heat through. , On a floured surface, roll out one portion of dough. Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom pastry. Spoon filling into crust. Roll out remaining dough to fit top of pie. Place over filling. Seal and flute edges. Brush pastry with milk; cut slits in top. , Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown, covering edges loosely with foil if necessary. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 480 calories, Fat 32g fat (9g saturated fat), Cholesterol 83mg cholesterol, Sodium 643mg sodium, Carbohydrate 26g carbohydrate (2g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 21g protein.
FAVORITE FRENCH CANADIAN MEAT PIE
I'm a seventh-generation French Canadian, and my ancestors started the tradition of serving this meat pie on Christmas Eve. One year I didn't make it, and my daughter and I felt something was missing. The savory pie goes well with salad and fresh rolls for a lighter meal, and it's good served in small portions with turkey and all the trimmings, too.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h25m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the pork, beef, veal, potatoes and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the garlic, seasonings and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently., Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature. Stir in bread crumbs. Combine egg and remaining water; stir into meat mixture. , Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Fill with meat mixture. Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle. Place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. Cut slits in top. Cover edges loosely with foil., Bake 15 minutes. Remove foil. Reduce heat to 375°; bake 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 501 calories, Fat 29g fat (12g saturated fat), Cholesterol 110mg cholesterol, Sodium 737mg sodium, Carbohydrate 34g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 24g protein.
CHRISTMAS EVE MEAT PIE
When this pie is baking, my daughter says that the house smells like Christmas. This recipe evolved over the years and is served as part of our family's Christmas Eve celebration. It's a soul-satisfying dinner on a cold winter day.-Michele Bouchard, Kansas City, Missouri
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h35m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°. In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add beef and pork; cook 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking up meat into crumbles. Drain., Stir tomato sauce and seasonings into meat mixture. Stir in spinach and potatoes. Remove from heat., Unroll one pastry sheet into a 9-in. pie plate; trim even with rim. Add filling. Unroll remaining pastry; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. Cut slits in top. Bake 10 minutes., Reduce oven setting to 350°. Bake 45-55 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Cover edge loosely with foil during the last 15 minutes if needed to prevent overbrowning.
Nutrition Facts :
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the pie will taste. Look for fresh, organic meat, vegetables, and spices.
- Don't overwork the dough: Overworking the dough will make it tough. Mix it just until it comes together, then wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out.
- Blind-bake the pie crust: This will help to prevent it from becoming soggy. To blind-bake the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the pie plate with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
- Don't overfill the pie: If you overfill the pie, it will be difficult to seal and the filling may spill out. Leave about 1 inch of space around the edge of the pie crust.
- Bake the pie until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown: The baking time will vary depending on the type of pie you are making. Check the pie frequently towards the end of the baking time to make sure it doesn't overcook.
Conclusion:
A Christmas Eve meat pie is a delicious and festive dish that is sure to please everyone at your table. With a little planning and effort, you can make a pie that is both beautiful and delicious. So get creative and experiment with different flavors and ingredients. With so many delicious variations to choose from, you're sure to find a Christmas Eve meat pie recipe that you'll love.
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