Canadian
Tourtière
Juicy Filling
Tourtière is a beloved tradition in Canadian culture. What distinguishes it is its juicy filling, achieved by not browning the ground meat and onions, but rather simmering them in a small amount of oil and water. The addition of cooked potatoes serves to bind the filling.
Variations
We recommend enhancing the flavor by incorporating additional vegetables. For example, celery and carrots can provide a delightful textural contrast. If you’d like to put a twist on this classic dish, consider to substitute the potatoes with sweet potatoes or parsnips, both of which introduce a touch of sweetness to the mix.
Spice Blend
Traditional spices can vary significantly, often centered around the flavors of black pepper and cinnamon, enhanced by the inclusion of nutmeg, cloves, and an assortment of herbs. Our blend includes:
Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves, marjoram, thyme
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Canadian Tourtière
Tourtière is a traditional Canadian meat pie, highly popular in Quebec and often relished during the holiday season, particularly on Christmas Eve. This dish boasts numerous regional variations, and many families have their closely guarded secret recipes. You can savor its simple instructions with our customized spice blend and explore a multitude of variation in this online recipe.
Ingredients
Protein
- 1 lb ground meat [1]
Fresh Produce
- 1 russet potato (about 1/2 lb), quartered [2]
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery (optional) [3] finely chopped
- 2-4 tbsp fresh parsley (optional) chopped
Packaged Goods/Staples
- 2 tbsp oil or lard
- Salt & pepper
- 2 sheets pastry dough (from frozen) [4]
Tourtière Culinary Spice Kit
- Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves, marjoram, thyme
Suggested Sides
- Fruit chutney [5] or ketchup
- Cooked or roasted vegetables (zucchini, Brussels sprouts, cole, or root vegetables) or mashed peas
- Salad: corn, mixed beans, or beetroot
Instructions
Potatoes
- Boil the potatoes, drain well, and mash them [2].
Filling
- In a large PAN, heat 2 tbsp oil over low to medium heat.
- Add onions and optional celery [3]. Cook until soft but not brown.
- Add meat and Tourtière spices. Season with salt & pepper to taste.Stir to crumble the meat as it cooks.Add 1/8 cup of water [6] to prevent the meat from browning.
- Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook about 10 minutes until the meat is done. Stir occasionally and add a bit of water if necessary. The filling should be moist but not watery.
- Then, add the potatoes and optionally, parsley. Mix well.
Assembly
- Line a 9-inch greased PIE DISH with one pastry sheet.
- Spread the filling on top.
- Place the other pastry sheet over the filling, and seal and crimp the edges of the pie.
- Cut a few slits in the top crust to allow the steam to escape.
- Cover the edges with small strips of ALUMINUM FOIL to prevent it from burning.
Bake
- Preheat the OVEN to 450°F. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Reduce temperature to 350ºF. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the crust turns golden.
Serve
- Let the pie cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve it with your preferred sides.Enjoy!
Notes
[1] Beef, or pork, or veal, or mixed.
Vegetarian: 1 cup cooked black lentils and 8 oz chopped mushrooms.
[2] Optionally:
- Peel the potatoes.
- Cut the potatoes into bite-sized cubes and skip the mashing.
[3] Recommended, but optionally: add the celery, 2 cloves garlic (chopped), and/or 1 cup of other small cut vegetables.
[4] Thaw it according to package instructions.
[5] Recipe here.
[6] Variation: Substitute with dark beer or dry white wine.
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Canadian Tourtière
Tourtière is a traditional Canadian meat pie, highly popular in Quebec and often relished during the holiday season, particularly on Christmas Eve. This dish boasts numerous regional variations, and many families have their closely guarded secret recipes. You can savor its simple instructions with our customized spice blend and explore a multitude of variation in this online recipe.
Ingredients
Protein
- 1 lb ground meat [1]
Fresh Produce
- 1 russet potato (about 1/2 lb), quartered [2]
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery (optional) [3] finely chopped
- 2-4 tbsp fresh parsley (optional) chopped
Packaged Goods/Staples
- 2 tbsp oil or lard
- Salt & pepper
- 2 sheets pastry dough (from frozen) [4]
Tourtière Culinary Spice Kit
- Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves, marjoram, thyme
Suggested Sides
- Fruit chutney [5] or ketchup
- Cooked or roasted vegetables (zucchini, Brussels sprouts, cole, or root vegetables) or mashed peas
- Salad: corn, mixed beans, or beetroot
Instructions
Potatoes
- Boil the potatoes, drain well, and mash them [2].
Filling
- In a large PAN, heat 2 tbsp oil over low to medium heat.
- Add onions and optional celery [3]. Cook until soft but not brown.
- Add meat and Tourtière spices. Season with salt & pepper to taste.Stir to crumble the meat as it cooks.Add 1/8 cup of water [6] to prevent the meat from browning.
- Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook about 10 minutes until the meat is done. Stir occasionally and add a bit of water if necessary. The filling should be moist but not watery.
- Then, add the potatoes and optionally, parsley. Mix well.
Assembly
- Line a 9-inch greased PIE DISH with one pastry sheet.
- Spread the filling on top.
- Place the other pastry sheet over the filling, and seal and crimp the edges of the pie.
- Cut a few slits in the top crust to allow the steam to escape.
- Cover the edges with small strips of ALUMINUM FOIL to prevent it from burning.
Bake
- Preheat the OVEN to 450°F. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Reduce temperature to 350ºF. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the crust turns golden.
Serve
- Let the pie cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve it with your preferred sides.Enjoy!
Notes
[1] Beef, or pork, or veal, or mixed.
Vegetarian: 1 cup cooked black lentils and 8 oz chopped mushrooms.
[2] Optionally:
- Peel the potatoes.
- Cut the potatoes into bite-sized cubes and skip the mashing.
[3] Recommended, but optionally: add the celery, 2 cloves garlic (chopped), and/or 1 cup of other small cut vegetables.
[4] Thaw it according to package instructions.
[5] Recipe here.
[6] Variation: Substitute with dark beer or dry white wine.
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