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!
MY Grandmother, (my "meme") made a similar mix of pork and mashed potatoes, but used a bit of sage for flavor and used it to stuff ducks or geese. Magnifique!
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I wouldn't say it's the best Tourtiere recipe I've ever tried, but it's not bad. I think I'd prefer a few more ingredients to make it a bit more flavourful A Quebecois collegue at work thought it smelled great though!
Read MoreMY Grandmother, (my "meme") made a similar mix of pork and mashed potatoes, but used a bit of sage for flavor and used it to stuff ducks or geese. Magnifique!
This is delicious! And easy to make, too. It does take a long time to cook but the results are worth it... we got a fluffy, well-flavored meat pie. This one's definitely a keeper!
I did substitute half ground beef and half pork. Only made one pie for 3 of us. Definitely a keeper for a winter night meal!
Our family makes Tourtiere pie every year, too, but our recipe uses 1/2-2/3 hamburg, and the rest pork. And we cook it up with a chopped onion instead of celery, which I think tastes even better. All in all, this is a great and easy recipe, and is delicious hot out of the oven, or cold out of the fridge the next day! Yum!
I made this recipe over the holidays and my entire family loved it. I halved the recipe and only made one pie but have been asked to make more!
I am so glad I found this recipe! My parents and my meme before them make this every year for Christmas Eve! Now I can surprise my father (a pepe himself now) with one! This pie is the best and oh so good! Everyone should give this recipe a try, you'll surely love it!
I found this recipe to be delicious and highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an authentic French pork pie recipe. Everyone in my family loved it and it is definitely one that I will be making again and again...for those of you who have never tried French pork pie, it can be somewhat of an aquired taste with the strange combination of spices. I have found that most people either love it or hate it. I would also like to add that I am always surprised when people leave ratings of 1 or 2 stars for a recipe when it is a food that they never tried before and do not care for the taste...their rating has more to do with personal likes/dislikes and not the actual success of the recipe...let's face it. If you don't like the taste of tourtiers, regardless of which recipe you try, you are not going to like tourtiers. I take a lot of stock in the amount of stars a recipe has and almost overlooked this recipe because of negative reviews from people who didn't know how tourtiers were supposed to taste.
My grandmothers used to make this for the holidays too; I didn't care if there was another dish served or not...as long as I had my own pie! Like my grandmothers, I use a fresh ham and boil it until well cooked and falling from the bone. It may be hard to find a fresh ham, so substituting the ground pork works too. I then grind the ham, and put the potatoes through the grinder/strainer as well. The rest of the recipe is basically the same, except we didn't/don't use celery or bay leaf. And the pastry dough is made fresh...preferably with lard. Glad to see someone else knows what this wonderful dish is! :)
I'm from Quebec so I know my tourtieres. This is the most delicious one I have ever had. I used a 2 to 1 pork and veal blend (my preference) though. I'm sure my guests will be asking for this recipe tonight! Thanks for sharing.....
I halved the recipe to make 1 pie for the 2 of us. Only change I made was a minor one, I left the potatoes cubed and didn't mash them. We loved it. The whole kitchen smells heavenly!
This was fantastic. I made only one pie since that was the amt of pork I had. Baked it in 8" glass pie pan (saw that in one of the pics) it was thicker that way. I brushed the bottom crust with beaten egg and baked the crust for 5 min. before filling it. Then brushed the top crust with egg and baked according to recipe. My husband is from Quebec and has had many a tourtiere. He raved that this was the best he ever had. He even told his family and friends about it! I'm making 3 more today for the holidays :)
I wouldn't say it's the best Tourtiere recipe I've ever tried, but it's not bad. I think I'd prefer a few more ingredients to make it a bit more flavourful A Quebecois collegue at work thought it smelled great though!
I thought I rated this years ago but I guess not. I make this at least 2 times a year. Fall and Winter. I share the other pie with my sister. We have a Pork Pie Company that my Mother used to go to when I was very young. They sell it in the stores also but this is by far 10 times better! I usually forget to add the 1 stalk of celery but if I do remember I just add some celery salt! Your Grandmother nailed it! Thank you for sharing!
Ii only gave this 4 stars because I think the celery is a little out of place. My grandfather from Quebec used to make these for the holidays and every year we think of him while making it (it is a labor of love as it does take a long time). As for the naysayers here, I think it's just an aquired taste. If you didn't grow up with these unique flavors filling your kitchen you may not like it. Thank you for sharing this recipe, we just love it!
I thought this was going to be sooo dry, but it was REALLY good!! And definately not dry! I will definately make this again, and maybe even experiment with adding veggies to it. Don't be afraid of the cinnamon...it adds a really nice flavor! :) PS: I used the Basic Flaky Pie Crust recipe from this site, I just can't buy pre-made when it's so easy to make!
I made 1 pie and used 1 1/2 lbs of ground pork, almost a 1/4t of ground cloves & ground cinnamon each, 1/2 large chopped onion, 1t salt, 1/2 bay leaf & 4c of water. I also used 4 white potatoes & mashed them with a little milk & butter. Mom & Dad said it was the best pork pie they've ever had! Definitely a keeper of a recipe!!!!
This is very similar to what my dad used to make but he mixed pork and veal together. The french name is "tourtière" and it is very very good!
This was amazing! It was the first time I made it and also tasted it. It is very popular here in Maine. Now I know why.
I found this after searching recipes for ground pork. Having never heard of a tourtière, or tasted anything like it, I decided to make this as the ingredients caught my attention. One user described tourtières as an acquired taste, which made me nervous, but I dived in anyway. WOW this was DELICIOUS! Each bite was better than the previous. I don't know how anyone could not love it. I only had about a pound of ground pork, so I halved the recipe. I only had whole cloves, so I ended up grating them on a zester until I had what I thought looked like 1/8 tsp, and I used a small bay leaf. It took about 2 1/2 hours of simmering on low for all the water to cook out. I used 3 medium-to-small potatoes, as I had slightly less meat than called for, and it turned well. I also made my own crusts using the Butter Flaky Crust recipe from this site and those turned out great as well. (BTW, my crusts were perfect due to the suggestion of grating frozen butter. Genius.) I ended up having to freeze this and the crust dough for a week before actually baking. It was no big deal, I let both thaw in the fridge overnight then let the meat-potato filling thaw further on the counter. I rolled out half the dough, lined a pie pan, gave it an egg wash to seal it, (so it wouldn't get soggy) and partially baked it at the above temp for 5-7 minutes. Then I filled the pie, rolled out and placed the top crust, cut vents and egg washed that. Baked for the time allotted. Perfect. I will be making this agai
every year I search for this recipe. It is excellent, moist vs dry as many pork pies are.
The spicing was perfect. I was concerned it would not be enough, but it was just right. The only liberty I took was adding a little cayenne. I really like how the pie holds together well. And it tastes even better the next day!
Lovely recipe! I made these for a dinner party appetizer course and they were a hit. I made them in a muffin pan to have small individual pies for cleaner plating. I have been asked for this recipe several times now.
This was awesome...just like I remember. I actually love the idea of simmering for three hours...it makes the whole house smell wonderful!
I really don't like to give bad reviews but my husband wouldn't even eat this after 2 bites.
This was pretty good. I thought that the cinnamon was a little overpowering, more for the aroma than the taste. I have been wanting to make this for some time so I appreciate you posting the recipe. Thanks
Very similar to Nana's meat pies except for the celery. Celery sort of stales the custom, so to speak. When I tinker with Tourtiere, what I usually do is up the cinnamon. My sister uses frozen pie crusts. I like the tender flaky DIY crust made with lard. This recipe is very close to original. Not busy . that's the way passed down recipes are supposed to be.
I halved the recipe because I wanted only one pie. The directions are easy to follow. I was nervous about the cinnamon and cloves but they are really wonderful with the pork. I am guilty of eating a couple of spoonfuls of the filling right out of the pot! I think this pie would be good even cold with some cranberry chutney!
I made this for dinner tonight. I made a few adjustments, first I used 1.25 pounds ground pork and 1.25 pounds ground veal. I used 2 cups of water and 1 cup of red wine. I put everything in the crock pot and let it cook all day. Tonight, I made the potatoes but added 1/2 stick of butter to mashed potatoes and some additional salt and pepper. (it was a little bland without). When I mixed it all together, I added 1cup frozen peas, then divided the mixture into their respective pie crusts and followed directions as written. I did make a brown gravy to top it (not listed here but was a suggestion by another maker). Bottom line, Delish and very easy!! Hubby said, " This one is a keeper".
the texture of this pie is nice, however, i find the amount of clove to be a bit much. i modified this recipe upon first try, adding sage, thyme, onion powder, parsley and dried celery and celery salt. scrumptious-- next time, i would approximately halve the clove- thank you for this recipe 3.75-4.0!
This is exactly what i was looking for. Didn't really time the meat, just cooked until most of the water was gone and didn't measure seasoning. Added to taste what I thought it needed.
My father made tourtiere (Tooque in my family))every year for Christmas Eve. Our version may be the Nashua French Hill style. It became a cook fest for the grandkids with Papa as he got older. We make about 20 pies every year after Thanksgiving, freeze and rebake for Christmas eve as we are spread far and wide. We simmer pork, white wine, onions, savory, pepper, sage and bay leaves for about 4 hours. Potatoes are added to the cooled mixture to bind and thicken. The boys have become the pie crust kings and we spoon the mixture (1 1/2 pounds per pie) into the parbaked bottom crust, cover with the top crust, cut snowmen and christmas trees to vent and bake for about 40 minutes. The cooled pies are put into gallon sized ziplock bags and frozen. On Christmas Eve we serve with cornichons, beets and cranberry sauce. It still makes me think about how much I miss my father.
This was an amazing dish! It smelled wonderful all afternoon and the taste was incredible. It is easy to make, even though it takes half a day to make (most of the time you don't need to tend to the dish). I followed the instructions exactly and wouldn't change a thing!
I went out on a limb with this one, looking for something new to try with pork, but unfortunately, we just didn't care for it. The aroma of the cinnamon and cloves mixed with the pork seemed a little odd, but then, I guess it's all in what you're used to and this one is probably an acquired taste. Had I known what a tourtier was supposed to taste like, I probably wouldn't have tried this recipe in the first place. That said though, I can't give anything more than one star to a recipe that 0 out of 6 people in my family liked, even if it is supposed to be a really good tortier. I guess reviews mean different things to different people.
Sounds like the recipe my Dad uses except he uses very thinly sliced potatoes and does alternate layers of potato and pork in a dutch oven so this pie is about 8 inches deep. Don't remember him using celery but this pie with a top and bottom crust is to die for:) His Grandmothers recipe and probably her's as well.
I guess it's one of those foods that you had to grow up with. I didn't care for it.
It was a strange taste. My husband had to add a lot of ketchup to even eat. Won't be making this again. Thanks anyways.............happy eating!!! :)
Followed the recipe exactly. Didn't like - maybe I'm just not a fan of tourtiers....
This is as close to my grandmothers recipe that I have found. I do not remember her having a written recipe, so I had to rely on my memory and tastebuds. I knew that she used only pork and no other meat, and that she also used summer savory, or sariette in Canada. I used about a 1/2 teaspoon per pie. It came out great, and I was instantly brought back to my childhood! We enjoyed on Christmas eve. Oh, and I used a full butter crust.
This is the taste and smell of Christmas that I grew up with! Excellent recipe. I like to make the pies as hand-held turnovers, about 4-5” long. They freeze and reheat very well, make an easy dinner. But to be honest, this is what the gods eat for breakfast!
Nice, easy recipe to follow. It just takes some time to make. I cut the recipe in half to just make one pie. It calls for onion and celery (2/3 of a mirepoix), so I just went ahead and added a carrot in there. Also, added butter to make the potatoes a little fluffier, and it turned out pretty darn good!
Loved it and will definitely make this again. The aroma, while still in the oven, filled the house with a delightful redolence, cozy in a late fall afternoon in New England. I paired the tourtiere with a crisp chardonnay and stuffed my belly until my heart was content. Next time I will follow directions and reject temptation to "add just a liiiiiitle bit more..." of the clove. Possibly add more celery.
Delicious and easy to make. I didn't have cloves and replaced with allspice was still really yummy!
My grandmother used to make these around under holidays, as a kid I thought they where gross but as an adult I love them! Good recipe, don't forget the ground clove!
Delish! Great recipe. Just like grandma's. I didn't change the recipe at all. Haven't had this in 50 years. ??
I made 1/2 of the recipe so that I ended up with only one pie, which is fine for having a home with only two adults. The end result was WONDERFUL!!! It tasted EXACTLY as my mémère (grandmother) used to make it. It brought back so many wonderful memories. My grandparents always served this dish with sweet pickles, so that's how I had it. My mouth is watering now as I type this evaluation. The only change to this recipe was that I made my dough from scratch, which enabled me to make a little thicker and larger crust. I love crust! Thanks for this delicious trip down memory lane.
As a French Canadian from Quebec, I grew up eating tourtiere and was looking for a recipe that reminded me of home. This one really fit the bill! However, it turned out a bit more potatoey than I liked. I wish the recipe had included not only the number, but what size potatos to use. I read the reviews to see what others used but didn't see any comments. Can anyone help me out?
I was told we had this every year when I was young. I remember my grandmother making it once. This smelled just like hers. It looks, smells and tastes amazing! Thank you for the great recipe!! It tastes like a hug... from the inside.
Inspired to add a bit more seasoning after reading reviews, I added 1/2 tsp. of Bells Seasoning. The sage in Bells Seasoning worked perfectly. Other than that I followed the recipe as written and it was delicious.
Don’t care for celery in the pie, much to much potato and I just cannot choke down refrigerated pre-made crusts.
I have no experience with this kind of pie whatsoever, so I followed the recipe exactly. It turned out quite good, my toddlers even loved it, however for the amount of time it took to make, I was expecting a bit more flavour. I will add it to the list of keepers though.
This recipe turned out wonderfully! The long, slow simmer created a moist and flavourful filling. The mashed potatoes added more body and the result was a perfect pie, not too wet or too dry. I learned too, that what my dad made every Reveillon was Pates a la Viande, not tourtiere, as his pie was in a big baking dish with just a top crust and no potatoes. I just love this version! I cut up a pork loin and added 1/2 tsp savoury, and it all baked just fine in a gluten free frozen pie crust. Thank you for sharing this recipe, Joyeux Noel!
At first, it seemed more fragrant than tasty, but after a few bites the spices came out. The flavor is pretty mild, I might double the spice amounts next time I make. But it was nice change from a pot pie.
The BEST tortiere ever! I increased the clove and cinnamon to 1/2 tsp each. My friends all loved it!
I think this recipe is good. I'm just not a fan of warm spices with meat. I've made tourtiere before & this was better than the other one, but the spices have me not attempting another. 'Glad I tried. I'm sure this is four or five stars for tourtiere fans.
It is the fourth Christmas when is "mandatory" for me to have this. Each year there is a bit of trim on the receipt either with a mix of pork with beef or some changing in the spices choice. Each time I start with this receipt but I never know where I might be heading. I have success each time. One more thing, each time I make the crust using only butter.
I come from a VERY French Canadian heritage and this was delicious, the flavor was fantastic. Felt the need to go out on my own instead of getting the recipe from my mom, who makes a great pork pie. Followed the directions to the T. I might have dried out my pork and potato's a bit too much while delaying for the turkey, so it just kind of falls apart, but that's my fault. I suspect if the pork had more moisture when I made it into a pie, it would have stayed together better. Over, I loved it, even after over cooking it a bit. Will certainly make again.
Wow, just like my mother used to make...actually better! My husband loved it! I will definitely make this recipe again.
This recipe is amazing, thank you for sharing... it's the best and your the best
Absolutely love this. Next time I will add a few more potatoes. Reminds me of my father in-laws recipe.
My husband really liked this! The only thing I added was ground ginger, my mother always did this, and I added the spices after cooking the meat, So moist and fluffy. Will make again
