canadiandinner
Tourtière
Quebec's spiced meat pie — a double-crust pastry filled with ground pork and beef seasoned with cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. A holiday staple.
Prep
40 min
Cook
60 min
Servings
6
Difficulty
Medium
★★★★★
4.7(389 ratings)#pie#pork#Canadian#Quebec#festive
About This Recipe
Tourtière is the great pie of Quebec — a deep, spiced meat pie that has been the centrepiece of the réveillon Christmas Eve celebration for centuries. The combination of pork, beef, and warming spices (cinnamon, cloves, allspice) wrapped in a golden pastry crust is one of the most distinctive flavour profiles in Canadian cooking, unmistakably Québécois.
Ingredients
Serves 6
- 500 gground pork
- 250 gground beef
- 1 largeonion(finely diced)
- 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
- 150 mlbeef stock
- 1 tspground cloves
- 1 tspcinnamon
- 1 tspallspice
- 1 tspsalt
- 400 gshortcrust pastry(homemade or store-bought)
- 1egg(for egg wash)
Instructions
- 1
Cook filling
Brown meats with onion and garlic. Add stock and spices. Simmer 20 min until liquid is absorbed. Cool.
- 2
Line pie dish
Roll out half the pastry and line a 23 cm pie dish.
- 3
Fill and top
Spoon in cooled meat filling. Top with second pastry sheet. Crimp edges and cut steam vents.
- 4
Egg wash and bake
Brush with beaten egg. Bake at 190 °C for 35–40 min until deep golden.
Pro Tips
- →
Cool the filling completely before adding to the pastry shell or the bottom will become soggy.
- →
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
- →
Mise en place pays for itself: chop, measure and pre-mix everything before the heat goes on, especially for any step that moves fast.
- →
Read the recipe through once before starting — knowing what's coming prevents the small timing mistakes that compound into bigger ones.
Variations
- •
Add diced potatoes or celery to the filling
- •
Use venison or veal for a richer pie
- •
Make individual small pies
- •
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat at 180 °C until piping hot.
History & Origin
Tourtière's origins are disputed — the name may come from the type of bird (tourte, or passenger pigeon) originally used as filling, or from the dish it was cooked in. The réveillon tradition of serving tourtière after midnight Mass has been documented in Quebec since the 17th century.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze tourtière?
Yes — freeze baked or unbaked. Reheat baked from frozen at 180 °C for 30 min.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
What can I substitute if I don't have all the ingredients?
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
How do I know it's authentic?
Authenticity sits on a spectrum — what matters more is honoring the technique and balance of flavors. If the dish tastes harmonious and respects how cooks in its home region would build it, you're on solid ground.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving · 6 servings total
Calories510kcal
Protein30g
Carbohydrates36g
Fat28g
Fiber2g
Protein30g
Carbs36g
Fat28g
Time Summary
Prep time40 min
Cook time60 min
Total time100 min
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