Living in Montreal was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The food, among many things, was extraordinary, and the traditions of Quebec was something I cherished. I first learned of Tourtiére during the holiday season there. It’s been a Christmas and New Year’s tradition forever. Hell, you can buy frozen Tourtiére in grocery stores year round. It’s so yummy.
There was no way I was leaving Montreal without learning how to make one. This recipe, although a combination of a few I learned, has become my go to for the holidays. It stays moist, even after freezing for later, and has an incredibly rich and savory flavor. There is really no wrong way to make this dish… throw in some meat and vegetables, wrap it in a pie crust, bake, and eat. And, of course, serve it with some Ketchup because that’s the way it was meant to be served. I hope you enjoy.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2lbs Ground Pork
- 1 1/2 Cups Water
- 1 Diced Onion
- 3 Stalks Diced Celery
- 1 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Salt (to taste)
- 2 Bay Leafs
- 1 Tsp Savory
- 1 Tsp Dried Rosemary
- 1 Tsp Nutmeg
- 1 Tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 Cup Quaker Oats
- 2 9-Inch Double-Crust, Pie Crusts
- 2 Eggs
Instructions
- In a stock pot, add the Pork and Water. Cook the pork until it has good color. It's ok if it is a little runny- we want it to stay moist.
- Add the Onion, Pepper, Bay Leaf, Savory, Rosemary, Nutmeg and Cinnamon. Mix well.
- Cover and let it cook on low-medium heat for 1 1/2 hours. You'll want to stir ever so often.
- Remove the Bay Leafs. Trust me, you don't want to bite into one of those.
- Add the Quaker Oats and Salt. Mix well and let cook, covered again, for about 2-3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let it cool down.
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
- Using some Flour on your work service will make life a little easier. Roll out the first Crust. I like to use a small cookie cutter to cut a design out of the center. Do not throw it away but cut it out and set aside. You can skip this step, as adding slits later will be sufficient, but it just makes for a better presentation.
- Using the second Crust, line a 9-inch Pie Pan and make sure it's nice and fit. Fill the crust with the Pork filling and pack it nice and snug with a spoon.
- Using the beaten Eggs as an Egg Wash, brush around the edges of the pie crust. This will act as an adhesive for the top.
- Place the top Crust over the Pie and press down gently on the edges to make sure it sticks to the bottom crust. Use a small knife to trim the excess dough from around the edge of the Pie Pan. For presentation purposes, use a Fork to press down around the edge of the dough to form small ripples.
- If you have cut a design out of the center, place the cut out back into place. It will shrink during baking and allow the Pie to breath. You can also cut small additional slits into the top Crust if you'd like.
- Finally, brush the entire top of the Pie with Egg Wash.
- This recipe should produce enough for two pies. Place them in the Oven at 425 degrees and cook for about 15 minutes so that you get a nice golden brown on the top crust. Then, turn the Oven down to 375 degrees and cook for another 30 minutes.
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