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This is the Best Tourtiere Recipe, also know as Tourtiere de Maman. Which is a French Canadian meat pie that is spiced to perfection. This recipe has been passed down from several generations within my family and is Christmas tradition in our home. 

Looking for another festive dish? Then your gonna want to try my Baked Holiday Ham dish or my Beef Mushroom Wellington or even my Recette Sheppard’s Pie.

Gather your friends and family to enjoy a stress-free comfort meal.

I have updated my pictures of this pie recently here. But my Tourtiere Meat Pie Recipe is still the same inside. The only change is the addition of whole cloves added to the top of the pie crust prior to cooking. And let me tell you the smell is even more divine as the extra whole cloves bring so much festive fragrances to the kitchen! 

My Grandmother used to make this recipe for my mother and siblings growing up. She learned it from her Mother who was my great grandmother whom was French Canadian and her ancestors are all from Newfoundland and Labrador territories. 

One fond memory I do have is that of my great grandma and grandma both in the kitchen together making Tourtière right before Christmas.

I must have been somewhere around 5 years old. And I never knew how precious that memory would be for me as my great grandmother past shortly after.  I also remember enjoying this dish during many other Christmas dinners over the years as my aunts always carried the tradition of making it for everyone. And now so do I. 

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST TOURTIERE RECIPE

• You can make your pie crust from scratch with your hands easily or pulse it in a food processor. Totally up to you!
• The trick is to allow the meat to cool down to room temperature before placing into the pie shell. This ensures that the pie shell remains crisp after baking and not soggy on the bottom.
• You can also make the crust more thick around the edges or thin as you’d like. Both methods are delicious and make for a good pie crust, do not be afraid to experiment. 
• When spicing you can add as much of one spice or less as desired, taste the meat once cooked prior to stuffing the pie crust then you can season accordingly to your taste.

IS TOURTIERE FRENCH

Yes, French Canadian.

WHERE DID TOURTIERE ORIGINATE

Tourtiere originated from Quebec from as early as 1600.

And is traditional served during the Christmas holidays. 

WHEN IS TOURTIERE EATEN

Nothing beats this pie on the table on Thanksgiving or Christmas day, well next to some mashed potatoes and gravy of course. Or my popular Shredded Brussel Sprouts recipe! It all goes so well together and is always eaten up completely in our house. 

Tourtiere spices

• 1 tbsp Savory
• 1 tsp Ground cloves
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Sage
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 1 tsp Celery Salt
• 1 tsp Season with salt and pepper

Note: not everyone likes Cinnamon in there meat pies, so to each there own. 

How To Make Canadian Tourtière 

• Start with a pyrex baking dish that is 9.5 x 1.6 deep.
• Then make the butter / lard crust (see recipe card)
• And the meat pie filling
• Stuff the Tourtière and bake at 375 f for 45 minutes till golden brown.

THE TRICK TO MAKING THE BEST PIE CRUST

Is to chill the lard prior then GRATE it as seen in the picture below!

It folds into the flour very easily and can be blended with your hands to create a delicious pie crust then use a roller to thin out the crust to create the top and bottom pieces of the pie. 

CAN TOURTIERE BE FROZEN

Yes, as long as the meat that was used was fresh not frozen to begin with. 

HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES A TOURTIERE MEAT PIE SERVE

One pie typically serves 8-10.

Over the years this recipe has been changed across the generations and each family does prepare it somewhat differently. In eastern Canada, most people there use pork or even rabbit in this pie. 

Oh and be sure to serve this CANADIAN TOURTIÈRE with a dollop of Ketchup. The kids will love that addition too.

PS: don’t skip on the potatoes they really help to hold the pie together. I hope you give it a try this holidays season and let me know what you think.

Could you serve a traditional French Canadian meat pie this Christmas? Could your family like it more than the more traditional Turkey? I would love to know.

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

WHICH WINE WITH TOURTIERE

Whites, sparkling or reds all go with them a tourtière pie.

Note: You can freeze this ahead of time, and bring it to any gathering to bake fresh.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH TOURTIERE PIE

Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice

Beef and Mushroom Wellington

Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Be sure to try these tasty recipes below!

1. Pork Chops with maple syrup and apples
2. Maple Bourbon Glaze Ham
3. Brussel Sprouts with bacon
4. Butter Herb & Parmesan Mushrooms
5. Turkey Pot Pies
6. Creamy Cheese Mashed Potatoes
7. Honey Mustard Brussel Sprouts
8. Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic
9. Canadian Maple Butter
10. Instant Pot Honey Glazed Carrots
11. CRANBERRY STUFFING RECIPE!

I am so thrilled you are reading one of my recipes, if you made this, I want to see! Follow Canadian Cooking Adventures Instagram, snap a photo, and tag and hashtag it with @canadiancookingadventures and #canadiancookingadventures. 

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Best Tourtiere Recipe

Yield: 8

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour

A Canadian Classic

Print

Ingredients

• PASTRY
• 2 1/2 cups All purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cold water
• 1 cup graded cold butter or lard
• 1 tsp Salt
• SPICES
• 1 tbsp Savory
• 1 tsp Ground cloves
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Sage
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 1 tsp Celery Salt
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 1 tsp Season with salt and pepper
• FILLING
• 1 pd Grass fed Ground Beef
• 1 pd Ground Pork
• 2 medium Potatoes
• 1 Onion
• 1 cup Beef stock
• 1 egg, pie crust glaze

Instructions

Butter Crust - 2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup grated butter or lard, 1/3 cup cold water.

1. Combine everything together in a large bowl. Then add the grated butter or lard until the mixture is crumbly. Pro tip: chill the lard or butter prior and grate it before folding it in with your hands.
2. Add water and blend just until dough comes together nicely.
3. Shape into a ball, wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
4. Once the filling has been made, roll out the dough and place into the baking dish.

NEXT MAKE THE FILLING:

1. In a large pot of boiling water, add 2 medium sized potatoes with the skin on and boil till fork tender, remove from heat and soak in cold water and remove the skin easily that way.
2. Then in a large frying pan place a little bit of cooking oil then your onion, sauté till fragrant.
3. Add in your spices and sauté for a min before adding ground hamburger and pork along sauté till browned.
4. Then add in your beef stock and scrape down the sides to mix all the flavors together. Simmer on medium - low heat till the liquid has evaporated, roughly 30 minutes.
5. Using a potato masher either mash or grate your potatoes into the mixture , remove from heat and set aside to cool down for one hour.
6. Meanwhile prepare your crust according to the above directions. Once it's been chilled for one hour remove the crust and place on a lightly floured surface and divide it in half.
7. Roll each half out to form a large circle shape, one will be for the bottom of the crust the other for the top.
8. Place your bottom half gently over your pie plate and ladle in your filling (be sure the filling has come to room temperature prior) this ensures the pie crust does not become soggy.
9. Then fill to the top of the pie shell and press down with a ladle till compact.
10. Now create your egg wash, simply beat 1 egg in a bowl.
11. With some egg wash, brush the outside of the oval crust to ensure that the lid sticks together during cooking.
12. Next put the pie crust overtop and using kitchen scissors, cut around the outside edges to remove the excess dough and with your fingers pinch all around the crust to ensure its closed. Finish by brushing the entire top of the pie with remaining egg wash and with a knife make two cuts along the top to allow for ventilation while cooking.
13. Bake at 375 f for 45 minutes till golden brown.
14. Serve with Gravy or Ketchup and enjoy!

Notes

• Allow the meat to cool down to room temperature before placing into the pie shell. This ensures that the pie shell remains crisp after baking and not soggy on the bottom.

TO MAKING THE BEST PIE CRUST

• Chill the lard prior then GRATE it as seen in the picture below!
• It folds into the four very easily and can be blended with your hands to create a delicious pie crust using just your hands and a roller to thin out the crust to create the top and bottom pieces of the pie. 

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 461Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 870mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 12g

These calculations are based off Nutritionix

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