French-Canadian Tourtière (Spiced Pork and Potato Meat Pie)

Why you’ll love it

• Cozy holiday flavor: savory pork with a whisper of cinnamon and cloves tastes like a New England Christmas.
• Slices cleanly: the mashed potato binds the filling so it never falls apart on the plate.
• Make-ahead friendly: freeze it baked or unbaked and pull it out whenever company comes.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the flaky butter crust

• 2 1/2 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 cup (226 g) very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) cubes
• 6 to 8 tbsp (90 to 120 ml) ice water
• (Or 2 refrigerated 9-inch pie crusts)

For the filling

• 1 large russet potato (about 12 oz / 340 g), peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
• 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) ground pork
• 8 oz (225 g) ground beef (85% lean)
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried savory or rubbed sage
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) low-sodium beef or chicken broth
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

For the egg wash

• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk or water

For serving

• Green salad, pickled beets, ketchup, chili sauce or cranberry sauce

Step-by-step method

1. Make the crust. In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt. Add the cold butter and cut it in with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the pieces are the size of peas. Drizzle in 6 tablespoons of ice water and toss with a fork until the dough holds together when squeezed, adding more water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed. Divide the dough into two discs, one slightly larger than the other, wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

2. Cook the potato. Put the potato chunks in a small saucepan, cover with cold salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until very tender. Drain well and mash until smooth.

3. Brown the meat. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork, beef, onion and celery and cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking the meat into very small crumbles with a spoon, until no pink remains and the onion is soft. Spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat.

4. Season and simmer. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, thyme and savory and cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Pour in the broth, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 15 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed.

5. Bind and cool the filling. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the mashed potato and parsley until evenly combined. Taste and adjust the salt. Spread the filling on a sheet pan or in a wide bowl and let it cool completely, about 30 minutes (or refrigerate it).

6. Heat the oven. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 425°F (220°C).

7. Assemble the pie. On a floured surface, roll the larger disc into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle and fit it into a 9-inch (23 cm) deep-dish pie plate. Spoon in the cooled filling and smooth the top. Roll the second disc into an 11-inch (28 cm) circle and lay it over the filling. Trim the overhang to 1/2 inch (1.3 cm), fold the edges under and crimp them. Cut 4 or 5 small vents in the top.

8. Brush with egg wash. Whisk the egg with the milk and brush it evenly over the top crust.

9. Bake. Bake 20 minutes at 425°F (220°C), then reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake 30 to 35 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden brown. If the edges brown too fast, cover them with strips of foil.

10. Rest and serve. Let the tourtière rest on a rack 15 to 20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with salad and your favorite relish or sauce.

How to know it is done

The tourtière is ready when the top and edges are an even, deep golden brown, the filling is gently bubbling or steaming through the vents and, if you use a glass pie plate, the bottom crust looks golden rather than pale. An instant-read thermometer pushed through a vent into the center should read at least 165°F (74°C). After resting, a slice should hold its shape with a firm, moist filling.

Tips for the best result

• Cool the filling completely before filling the crust; warm filling melts the butter and makes the bottom soggy.
• Break the meat into very fine crumbles; a fine texture is the hallmark of a classic tourtière.
• Simmer until the broth is almost gone; a wet filling leads to a soft bottom crust.
• Bake on the lower rack so the bottom crust browns well.
• Keep the spices gentle; they should warm the meat, not make it taste like dessert.

Variations and substitutions

• All pork: use 2 lb (900 g) ground pork and skip the beef, as many Quebec families do.
• Lighter version: replace the beef with ground turkey and use lean ground pork.
• Store-bought crust: use 2 refrigerated pie crusts to save about 20 minutes of work.
• Hand pies: cut the dough into 5-inch (13 cm) circles, fill, fold, crimp and bake 22 to 25 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
• Different herbs: use poultry seasoning instead of the thyme and savory for a Thanksgiving-style flavor.

Make ahead

Make the crust dough up to 3 days ahead and keep it refrigerated, and cook the filling up to 2 days ahead. You can also assemble the whole pie, wrap it well and freeze it unbaked for up to 3 months. Bake it straight from the freezer (do not thaw): brush with egg wash and bake 30 minutes at 400°F (200°C), then 45 to 50 minutes at 375°F (190°C), until golden and 165°F (74°C) in the center.

Storage and reheating

Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat slices on a baking sheet in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes, loosely covered with foil, until hot in the center; the microwave works too, but the crust softens. A baked, cooled tourtière can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) for 30 to 35 minutes.