Tourtière is the heart of Quebec's Christmas Eve réveillon feast — a double-crusted pie filled with a fragrant mixture of ground pork, beef (or game), and a distinctive blend of warming spices including cloves, cinnamon, and allspice that sets it apart from any other meat pie in the world. Every Quebec family has its own recipe, carefully guarded and passed down through generations. The spice blend gives tourtière a unique flavour that is simultaneously savoury and warmly spiced.
Serves 8
Rub cold lard into flour and salt until coarse crumbs. Add ice water and mix until just combined. Divide in two, wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Brown onion, celery and garlic in a pot. Add ground pork and beef. Cook until browned. Add cloves, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper. Add stock.
Simmer filling covered for 20 minutes until cooked through and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Cool completely — this is essential.
Roll one pastry portion to line a 23cm pie dish. Add cooled filling. Roll second portion for lid. Lay over filling, crimp edges firmly. Cut steam vents. Brush with egg wash.
Bake at 200°C for 35–40 minutes until pastry is deep golden. Rest 15 minutes before cutting.
Lard gives the most authentic flaky pastry; butter is an excellent substitute.
The filling must be cold before adding to the pastry — hot filling will melt the fat and make the pastry soggy.
The three spices (cloves, cinnamon, allspice) are what make tourtière distinctive — do not substitute.
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
Replace half the meat with diced potato for the Lac-Saint-Jean version (cipaille).
Use wild game (venison, moose) for a traditional Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean tourtière.
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.
Refrigerate for 4 days. Freezes unbaked or baked for 3 months.
Tourtière's origin is disputed — the name may derive from the bird tourte (passenger pigeon) once used as filling, or from the tourtière (pie dish) it was baked in. Quebec's réveillon tradition of serving it after midnight Mass dates to the 17th century French settlers.
Quebec is geographically large and each region developed its own tourtière. The urban Montreal version is a single-layer meat pie; the Lac-Saint-Jean version is a deep, multi-layered pie with potato and game. Both claim to be the original.
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.
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.
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.
Per serving · 8 servings total
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