Best 8 Classic Tourtière Or Québec Pork Pie Recipes

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Tourtière, a classic Québécois meat pie, is a staple dish in French-Canadian cuisine. This hearty pie is a symbol of Quebec's rich culinary heritage and is often served during special occasions and holidays, particularly during Christmas and New Year's Eve. The traditional recipe features a savory filling made from ground pork, beef, or a combination of both, along with a blend of spices, onions, and potatoes. The mixture is encased in a flaky, golden-brown pastry crust that adds a delightful textural contrast to the tender filling. While the classic tourtière remains a beloved dish, variations have emerged over time, including vegetarian and vegan versions that cater to different dietary preferences. This article presents two recipes: the traditional tourtière and a modern plant-based tourtière, both offering unique culinary experiences.

Let's cook with our recipes!

CLASSIC TOURTIèRE



Classic Tourtière image

Classic French-Canadian ground meat pie, traditionally served at Christmas.

Provided by Jennifer

Categories     Main Course

Time 2h35m

Number Of Ingredients 19

2 lb ground pork
1 medium onion (finely diced)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
1/4 tsp savoury
1 cup water
Crust from 4 or 5 slices of bread (crumbled)
1 lb lard
5 1/2 cups cake and pastry flour
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 Tbsp vinegar
Water (as needed)
1 large egg
1 Tbsp water

Steps:

  • Prepare the filling: Mix all of the filling ingredients together in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the meat is no longer pink. Do not brown the meat. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Crumble bread crusts into mixture and stir until absorbed into the mixture. Remove mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until chilled before using.
  • Make the pastry: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Cut in the lard with a pastry blender or two knives until the lard is incorporated. In a one cup measuring cup, beat together the egg and vinegar, then add enough water to the measuring cup until it measures 1 cup. Add this mixture to the flour mixture, adding about 2/3 of it at first, stirring, then adding just as much more as is needed to make a moist dough. Divide dough into 4 pieces, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 400F.
  • Take out 1 piece of dough and place onto a well-floured work surface. Roll dough into a circle large enough for a 9-inch pie plate. *Note: You will have plenty of dough. Roll to the desired thickness and trim off the excess. Place in bottom of pie plate. Add 1/2 of the meat filling. Roll another piece of dough large enough to cover. Pinch or use a fork to seal the edges together around the outside. Repeat with two more pieces of dough and the rest of the meat filling to make 2 pies. *Your excess dough can be refrigerated or frozen for another time and purpose, if you like.
  • Mix an egg with 1 Tbsp of water and generously brush the tops of the pies. Cut a few slits in the middle to allow the steam to escape.
  • Place in preheated oven (*If using glass pie plates, reduce the oven to 375F once the pies are placed in the oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes), otherwise, bake at 400F for 35-40 minutes, or until golden. If at any time you think your pastry may over-brown, simply lay a sheet of aluminum foil over-top for the last part of baking.
  • Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 450 kcal, Carbohydrate 26 g, Protein 14 g, Fat 32 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, Cholesterol 67 mg, Sodium 515 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 3 g, ServingSize 1 serving

CLASSIC TOURTIèRE OR QUéBEC PORK PIE RECIPE - (4.6/5)



Classic Tourtière or Québec Pork Pie Recipe - (4.6/5) image

Provided by MaryA.

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 1/2 pounds ground pork, ideally organic & local
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 bay leafs
1 teaspoon dried savory
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats.
(optional: 2 TBSP all purpose flour enough water to make the meat a bit sloppier.)
Pastry for two double-crust, 9-inch pies
1 egg, beaten, for glaze

Steps:

  • In a large, heavy frying pan, combine pork with cold water and heat to boiling point. It should be slightly soupy. Add onion, celery, pepper, bay leaf, savory, rosemary, nutmeg and cinnamon. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 1 1/4 hours; stir often. Add more water if mixture dries out. Halfway through cooking time, season with salt to taste. Stir in rolled oats and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. If you're adding the flour, at this point sprinkle the TBSP's over the meat and saute for a couple of minutes then add the extra water to make the mixture sloppier and continue to cook until it thickens again. Remove bay leaf and allow to cool. Setting the entire pot in the snow bank speeds up this process! Meanwhile, line two 9-inch pie plates with pastry. When meat mixture is lukewarm, divide it between two pie shells and spread it out evenly. Brush around outer edge of pastry with the beaten egg. Place top crust on the tart and press gently around the edge to seal. Trim pastry, crimp edges and cut steam vents in top crust. Decorate as desired. Bake in preheated 425°F oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375°F and bake another 25 minutes or until crust is golden.

TRADITIONAL FRENCH CANADIAN TOURTIERE



Traditional French Canadian Tourtiere image

Originally from my grandma's recipe box, the secret of this delectable Christmas treasure is found in the ground cloves and chicken seasoning. We've always made our tourtieres en grand (in large quantity), as they freeze great making them a terrific quick fix throughout the busy holiday season!

Provided by kathleen

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Pork     Ground Pork Recipes

Time 1h45m

Yield 64

Number Of Ingredients 11

8 pounds ground pork
8 pounds ground beef
4 cups finely chopped onion
6 cups water
2 ½ tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons allspice
1 ¾ teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup liquid chicken seasoning
8 (15 ounce) packages pastry for double-crust pie

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  • In a large pot, mix the pork, beef, onion, and water. Season with salt, pepper, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and chicken seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes.
  • Drain liquid from pot into a bowl. Transfer remaining meat mixture to a separate bowl and chill until ready to use. Place bowl with liquid in the refrigerator and chill 1 hour, or until fat has congealed on the surface.
  • Scrape and discard fat from the chilled liquid. Spoon the meat mixture into pie crusts. Add 1 tablespoon of reserved liquid to each pie. (This prevents them from becoming to dry.) Place top crust on top of each pie and pinch edges to seal. Cut slits in top crust so steam can escape.
  • Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 50 minutes. Serve immediately or freeze until ready to use.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 467.6 calories, Carbohydrate 23.1 g, Cholesterol 71.3 mg, Fat 31 g, Fiber 2.1 g, Protein 22.7 g, SaturatedFat 9.7 g, Sodium 588.2 mg, Sugar 0.4 g

TOURTIERE (FRENCH PORK PIE)



Tourtiere (French Pork Pie) image

This is the recipe my grandmother used to make. It only uses pork for the pie and is delicious. I make one for my father every Christmas Eve and he loves it!

Provided by tldesjar

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     French

Time 4h15m

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 ½ pounds lean ground pork
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 cups water
4 baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 (15 ounce) packages refrigerated pie crusts

Steps:

  • In a large saucepan, mix together the ground pork, cloves, cinnamon, onion, salt, celery, bay leaf and water. The water will help break up the raw pork. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 3 hours, or until the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.
  • Towards the end of the pork cooking time, place the potatoes into a separate saucepan and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and mash potatoes. When the pork is done, stir the mashed potatoes into that pan until evenly blended.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line two 9 inch pie plates with bottom crusts. Spoon equal amounts of the pork filling into each crust. Cover with top crusts and flute the edges to seal.
  • Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crust is golden brown.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 437.3 calories, Carbohydrate 32.6 g, Cholesterol 46 mg, Fat 26.4 g, Fiber 3.2 g, Protein 16.8 g, SaturatedFat 7.8 g, Sodium 441 mg, Sugar 1 g

MEAT PIE (TOURTIERE)



Meat Pie (Tourtiere) image

French Canadian Tourtiere. Contains pork, potatoes, onions and spices.

Provided by Maggie Rogers

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Pork     Ground Pork Recipes

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 ½ pounds ground pork
1 large baking potato
1 large onion, minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 dash ground allspice
½ cup water
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust deep dish pie
1 egg
¼ teaspoon paprika

Steps:

  • Bake the potato until done, 30 - 45 minutes in a preheated 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) oven. Peel and mash the potato.
  • Place the potato, ground pork, onion, spices and water in a large frying pan and simmer until very thick, for about one hour.
  • Meanwhile, prepare your pastry.
  • Line a deep-dish pie plate with pastry. Spoon in filling, spreading evenly. Cover with top crust.
  • Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Cut steam vent. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). If edges brown too fast, cover with a strip of foil. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 485.4 calories, Carbohydrate 30.5 g, Cholesterol 84.5 mg, Fat 32 g, Fiber 1.7 g, Protein 17.9 g, SaturatedFat 8.9 g, Sodium 565 mg, Sugar 2.9 g

TOURTIERE (FRENCH CANADIAN MEAT PIE)



Tourtiere (French Canadian Meat Pie) image

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

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, sliced, frozen
7 tablespoons ice cold water
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 large russet potato, peeled, quartered
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 pinch salt
4 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup finely diced celery
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup potato cooking water, plus more as needed
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water

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

TOURTIERE DE QUEBEC (QUEBEC PORK PIE)



Tourtiere De Quebec (Quebec Pork Pie) image

This is considered Quebec style, using rolled oats instead of potatoes to thicken the filling shows a Scottish influence. Source: A Taste of Quebec by Julian Armstrong

Provided by Chef Shadows

Categories     Savory Pies

Time 4h

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 1/4 lbs ground pork
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2-3/4 cup cold water
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried savory

Steps:

  • In a large, heavy frying pan, combine pork with cold water and heat to boiling point.
  • Add onion, celery, pepper, bay leaf, savoury, rosemary, nutmeg and cinnamon.
  • Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 1 1/2 hours, adding more water if mixture dries out.
  • Halfway through cooking time, season with salt to taste.
  • Stir in rolled oats and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Remove bay leaf.
  • Meanwhile, line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry.
  • When meat mixture is lukewarm, spoon into pie shell and cover with remaining pastry.
  • Trim pastry, seal edges and cut steam vents in top crust.
  • Decorate with pastry cutouts as desired.
  • Bake in preheated 425 deg F oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 deg F and bake another 25 minutes or until crust is golden.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 301.5, Fat 19.9, SaturatedFat 7.4, Cholesterol 88.9, Sodium 73.5, Carbohydrate 4, Fiber 0.7, Sugar 0.7, Protein 25

FRENCH CANADIAN TOURTIERE



French Canadian Tourtiere image

Traditional French Canadian Tourtiere (meat pie), served on Reveillon (Christmas Eve).

Provided by Rayna Jordan

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Pork     Ground Pork Recipes

Time 2h

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 pound lean ground pork
½ pound lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup water
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
¼ teaspoon ground sage
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

Steps:

  • In a saucepan, combine pork, beef, onion, garlic, water, salt, thyme, sage, black pepper and cloves. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils; stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer until meat is cooked, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
  • Spoon the meat mixture into the pie crust. Place top crust on top of pie and pinch edges to seal. Cut slits in top crust so steam can escape. Cover edges of pie with strips of aluminum foil.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes; remove foil and return to oven. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 404.6 calories, Carbohydrate 22.1 g, Cholesterol 55.3 mg, Fat 26.6 g, Fiber 1.9 g, Protein 18.4 g, SaturatedFat 8.1 g, Sodium 748.9 mg, Sugar 0.7 g

Tips:

  • To make sure the tourtière is cooked through, insert a meat thermometer into the center of the pie. It should read 165°F (74°C).
  • If you don't have a meat thermometer, you can check if the tourtière is done by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, the pie is done.
  • Let the tourtière cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. This will allow the filling to set and make it easier to slice.
  • Serve the tourtière with your favorite sides, such as mashed potatoes, gravy, and vegetables.
  • For a vegetarian version of tourtière, replace the pork with a mixture of lentils, beans, and vegetables.

Conclusion:

Tourtière is a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for a winter meal. It is easy to make and can be customized to your liking. Whether you are making it for a special occasion or just a weeknight dinner, tourtière is sure to be a hit.

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