Mom's Meat Pie with Pork, Veal & Savory Spices
A traditional French-Canadian tourtiere featuring seasoned ground pork and veal filling wrapped in buttery pie crust. Warm spices of savory, cloves, and celery seed create the distinctive holiday flavor profile. The filling simmers until moist but cooked through, then encased in a double crust and baked until golden. Serve this rustic meat pie at Christmas dinner or family gatherings. This version balances pork and veal with restraint on spicing, letting the quality of the meats shine while maintaining authentic Quebec tradition.
Ingredients
- ⅝ cup ground pork
- ⅓ cup ground vealground beef1:1substitution
maintains tradition but beef is richer
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon savorythyme1:1substitution
herbaceous alternative if savory unavailable
- ¼ teaspoon celery seedcelery saltreduce to 1/8 tspsubstitution
adjust salt down if using celery salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup water
- 1 pie crust, top and bottom
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- 1
Combine ground pork, ground veal, minced onion, minced garlic, salt, savory, celery seed, and ground cloves in a large pan.
- 2
Add water and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- 3
Cook uncovered until filling is cooked but still moist, about 20 minutes.
- 4
Line pie pan with bottom crust.
- 5
Fill with meat mixture.
- 6
Top with second crust and pinch edges to seal.
- 7
Cut slits in top crust for venting. Optionally cut decorative shapes from leftover crust using cookie cutters.
- 8
Brush top crust with beaten egg.
- 9
Place filled pie pan on a cookie sheet.
- 10
Bake until crust is golden, about 30 minutes.
Tips
Keep filling moist by monitoring simmer time; overcooking drives off liquid and dries the pie. Aim for sauce that still clings to meat.
Chill assembled pie for 15-20 minutes before baking to help crust crisp and prevent shrinking.
Brush egg wash evenly over crust for glossy, even browning across top.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Freeze uncooked assembled pie up to 1 month; bake directly from frozen, adding 10-15 minutes to bake time.
Prepare filling 1 day ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate. Assemble pie morning-of and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Serve warm from oven with pickled vegetables, ketchup, or cranberry sauce on the side. Pairs with light salad or coleslaw.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip venting slits to avoid crust bursting from steam pressure.
Do not overbake filling before assembly to avoid dry pie interior.
Do not egg wash crust edge seam to avoid it sliding apart during bake.
Substitutions
adjust salt down if using celery salt
FAQ
Can I make this with all pork or all beef?
Yes. Adjust to all ground pork (full cup) or all ground beef. Beef will taste richer and less delicate; pork alone becomes lighter. Either works in traditional tourtiere recipes.
What if my filling is too dry after cooking?
Add water 1 tablespoon at a time while simmering, stirring well. If already cooked, spread filling in baking dish to cool, then stir in broth or water until moist consistency returns.
How long can I keep baked pie at room temperature?
Up to 2 hours safely. After that, cover and refrigerate. Reheat in 300F oven for 15-20 minutes until warm throughout.