Canadian Tourtiere

Tourtiere, or the French Canadian meat pie recipe that Aunt Ginny never learned to make

This traditional pork pie is common over much of eastern Canada and is a little different from the version popularized by Aunt Ginny. It varies from region to region.

This Tourtiere is all pork, no beef, and has potatoes in it as well. I have been careful over the years to keep this recipe from Aunt Ginny so she doesn’t steal it from me and serve it as her own.

While the Aunt Ginny version is our family’s meat pie, this version is very good as well. If you make this, please don’t give Aunt Ginny any information on how you made it. Let her try to figure it out for herself.

Olive oil
1-1/2 lb. ground pork
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped with leaves
1 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
Cajun seasoning
2 medium potatoes - baked, or microwaved
Home made pie crust (top and bottom), or Pillsbury ready made crust

Preparation

Heat a large cast iron skillet. Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Gently cook the pork until the meat looses most of its pink color and then add onions and celery and stir until they have softened. Add in the allspice, cloves, white pepper, poultry seasoning and then give the meat a good sprinkling of Cajun seasoning.

While the pork is cooking, peel the cooked potatoes. Cube one potato and mash the other. When the pork and onions are ready, add them to a large bowl and stir the potatoes into the meat until they are blended.

Line your pie plate with the pie crust. Fill the pie with the meat and potato mixture. Add the top crust and crimp the pie. Pierce the top crust with a knife to create five vents for steam. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake at 350o for around 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Serving

Serve large wedges of Tourtiere with perfectly steamed baby broccoli and fresh baked bread still warm from the oven. Now add a crisp tossed salad and then open a bottle of Meritage from California. 

I don’t know about you, but I go back for two or three helpings. If I don’t challenge my cholesterol medicine every now and then, it will get lazy. Remember, not a word to Aunt Ginny about this recipe otherwise she’ll be serving it to everyone at the Moose Lodge.