Tourtiere: Canadian Meat Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between meat pie and tourtière? ›

Meat pie is primarily made of ground meat (pork, beef or veal) and aromatics (onion, garlic, spices, etc.). In Saguenay–Lac‑Saint‑Jean and Charlevoix, however, “real” tourtière is a lot heartier than meat pie and contains other meats (such as game) and potatoes that have been simmered in stock.

It gets its name from the tourte, which is what it was originally made from. Though the name "tourtière" is derived from its filling, the tourte—the French name for the passenger pigeon that is now extinct in North America—was historically used as its filling before the 20th century.

As the breadcrumbs and the broth help add moisture to this recipe, added fat is an unwanted quantity that tends to make the tourtiere fall apart when cutting and also is just not very pleasant.

To warm, place on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350°F. Bake a 9” pie for 45 minutes, a 5” pie for 25-30 minutes, and a hand pie for 15 minutes. If your Tourtiere is frozen, please store in the freezer until you are ready to bake and consume. For best results, the pie should be baked within 3 months of purchase.

Tourtière is a meat pie that can be a combination of beef, pork, or veal, as well as potatoes and other vegetables, and seasoned with spices.

Traditionally, Tourtière is served with roasted vegetables or a light frisseé salad. An assortment of pickled foods is always delicious; pickled beets, spicy carrots, gherkins or pickled onions. Many enjoy a tomato-based chutney but most… just break out the ketchup.

“A 'tourte' was the name of a bird like a pigeon, and they were making pie with these types of birds,” says Ricardo. “So they called it 'tourtière. ' Another other explanation is that it got the name from the dish — a tourtière is also the [pie pan] in which this meat pie was cooked and baked.”

It's a traditional Québecois meat pie that combines ground pork and beef with potatoes, onions, and spices, all enveloped in a buttery pie crust. It's rich and delicious and is traditionally enjoyed on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

Historical records of Quebec tourtière, which was likely named for the copper and tin pans the pies are baked in, date back to the 17th century. But hearty pies of the sort have been around for as long as humans have thought to combine pastry with meat.

You want the pastry golden, but if it starts to get too brown, cover with foil. To freeze, cool the pies completely. Wrap them in plastic wrap tightly, then in foil. The pies will keep for two days in the fridge or up to three months in the freezer.

Can I freeze a tourtière? ›

Cooked tourtière may be frozen for 4 months or so. There is no need for it to be thawed before reheating. To reheat, cover your frozen Tourtière loosely with foil and place in a 350F oven. Bake until a knife inserted in the centre is hot when you test it.

Watery filling

Water can be released from your pie filling while cooking in the oven. To avoid turning your pie into a sloppy mess, add flour to the filling or add some nuts to thicken it up, like in our Chicken and Leek Pie. This will help to absorb any excess water while it's cooking and will keep the pastry crispy.

And the Costco tourtière, made with veal, pork and beef, developed by a Laval-based, French-born chef and launched in the wholesale chain in 1997, is alive and well and still selling in its generous, 12-inch (1.8 kg) size.

Wrap in plastic wrap and foil, then place in freezer. Frozen pies will keep 4-5 months. To reheat from frozen, do not thaw first. Place cooked pie onto a baking sheet directly into 350F degree oven for 40-45 minutes, until centre of pie is hot when tested.

tourtière, a double-crusted meat pie that is likely named for a shallow pie dish still used for cooking and serving tourtes (pies) in France.

The main difference between pie and tart is that a pie is covered on top with the same dough used to make the crust of the pie (mostly some beautiful, intricate designs). Tart and quiche on the other hand, are open from top. A pie has a pastry top/lid. A quiche does not.