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09 March 2007

Just for kicks, a recipe that I am currently making Vegetarians, vegans, you might want to avert your eyes![More:]I can't recall the story of where my anglo Mom came up with this pretty traditional recipe for an all-pork Canadien meat pie, but it's butt simple to make and man-alive it's really tasty. It's a Christmas Eve tradition in my family, but I have some meat cooling right now...I try not to leave it until Christmas!

Tourtiere

3 lbs ground pork (I like to spend a little more and get mine from my favourite local butcher)
2 medium onions, chopped fairly finely
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 TBSP salt (cut this back a bit if you wish...I am not a salt freak, but I do like a bit of saltiness in my tourtiere)
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp allspice

1/4 cup of rolled oats (to be added at the end)

Throw the pork in a pot, add a little water to help it boil instead of brown, maybe 1/2 cup.

Add the rest of the stuff...I usually let the pork, onions and garlic get a good bit going before I add the spices.

Cook the meat...I think it takes about 20 minutes until I am happy it's fully cooked. Take it off the heat, and add the rolled oats, mix it all up...the rolled oats absorb the liquid.

Now, in the past, when I bought grocery store ground pork, this pie gave me some wicked indigestion. Now that I buy a nicer, leaner ground pork from my butcher, it doesn't. If you think it's too fatty, drain a bit of the fat off, but it will mean a drier pie. It still tastes great though.

Once the meat has cooled, you have enough meat for two pies. I am a poor pastry chef, so I buy the ready made pie shells.

Anyway, once you have the meat pie put together (this pie obviously needs a top) bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375 degrees and let it cook for another 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and enjoy my mecha friends, enjoy.
Ohhhh, meat pies, meat pies.
posted by chrismear 09 March | 18:25
nicer, leaner ground pork from my butcher


Interesting. My experience is that supermarket pork tend to be overly lean, to the point where the packer / distributor has found it necessary to inject the meat with water just so it doesn't dry out while you're cooking, whereas good pork from a butcher has a reasonable amount of fat. (i.e. more).

Fat is flavor, after all.
posted by dersins 09 March | 18:28
You know, dersins, I may have drawn the wrong conclusion. I assumed it was leaner, because it didn't cause as much grief. I could be wrong, for sure, maybe it's something else that makes it tastier, and easier to digest. It's wayyyy better, that's for sure!
posted by richat 09 March | 18:33
They're not "meat" pies, they're just "pies"! There is no other kind! (well, there is, you just have to qualify them with their filling. But never the meat pie!)

(likewise, it's hockey and ice hockey, not field hockey and hockey. I demand to be heard!)

mmmm pies.
posted by gaspode 09 March | 18:33
I have a meat filling.
posted by pieisexactlythree 09 March | 18:36
I have a meat filling.


TMI.
posted by dersins 09 March | 18:46
There's Meat Inside.
posted by chrismear 09 March | 19:29
Oh man I haven't had Tourtiere in more than a year. Thanks for the idea.

Oh and catchup or mustard?
posted by arse_hat 09 March | 20:09
So what else would you normally serve with tourtiere? any side dishes standard?
posted by dersins 09 March | 20:18
They're not "meat" pies, they're just "pies"! There is no other kind!

Not really. Like if a restaurant had "pie" listed on their menu and people asked what kind of pie, the waiter would just say "it's pie, there's only one kind!" You need to know what kind of pie it is.
posted by puke & cry 09 March | 20:33
dersins, garlic mashed potatoes and pickled beets work well as does a peppery soup and greens with a nice garlic and pepper vinaigrette.
posted by arse_hat 09 March | 20:48
Sounds delish!

I'm kind of disappointed, though - when you asked vegetarians to avert their eyes, I was drooling in anticipation of some hot foie gras action, or maybe some bone marrow on toast porn. Even a softcore devilled kidney would've done.
posted by jack_mo 09 March | 21:11

OMG, I am so using this recipe for the minced meat pies I make.

okay, not to brag, why would you care anyway, I make killer meat pies^*. I roll my own dough too. Easy: a pound of all purpose flour, add a cup of soda water and as much as real water it takes to become a soft dough that does not stick in hands. Roll it around, like for 5-10mins, I know it is boring, but with music on, it is not as bad. Or a good podcast. Then, pay attention here, this is a secret few know^**, roll the dough out to the thickness you like, preferably less than 1/8th inch. Spread your favorite kind of butter spread (I use olive butter) and fold. Spread more butter and fold again. Then_roll_out_again. Despite appearing as one single layer again, the dough will have layers after it is baked. Magic, I tell you.

^* okay maybe that's bragging a little too much.
^** while getting over myself, I admit, I did not know.
posted by carmina 09 March | 23:27
"It was acceptable in the Eighties" (warning - may contain slightly surreal images) || My new doctor rocks

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