Make this comforting tourtière recipe

This season, we're getting our cozy on with this festive and fresh-baked Ontario harvest pork shoulder tourtière. 

Katie Bridges

by Katie Bridges

Published: Wednesday 6th November 2019

Serves 4-5

Preparation time 30 minutes

Cooking time 2 hours

What is it about cold weather that turns cooking novices into budding bakers, hell-bent on pulling something homemade out of the oven to wow guests? If you're going to bake something this season, it's hard to find a more Canadian dish than tourtière, a meat pie originating from Quebec usually made from pork, beef or veal. 

This recipe originally comes from Bannock which has recently reopened as Sap Restaurant, Toronto's go-to spot for Canadian comfort food. This delicious tourtière combines seasonal vegetables with seasoned ground pork underneath pastry for the ultimate Canuck pie that's perfect for the next big dinner you host. Season's eating!

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs ground pork
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 3 small carrots, finely diced
  • 2 large stalks celery, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 ½ cups chicken stock
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp grated nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground clove
  • 1½ tsp Tabasco sauce
  • 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 Tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
  • ½ navel orange, juice and zest
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Newfoundland sea salt
  • 1–9-inch pastry shell

Method

  1. Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven on medium heat, and add the ground pork.
  2. Once the meat is browned, add the diced vegetables, garlic and chicken stock. Simmer for 10
    minutes.
  3. Add the ground allspice, ground clove, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.
  4. Add breadcrumbs and turn heat to low. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
  5. Once the mixture has been cooked thoroughly, add the fresh thyme and freshly squeezed navel orange juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Turn off heat and set aside to rest for a few minutes before placing the mixture in the fridge to cool.
  7. Once the mixture has cooled completely, preheat the oven to 400 F.
  8. Spoon meat mixture into a 9-inch pie crust and place top crust on top of the pie. Cut slits to allow steam to escape. Brush pie with beaten egg yolk and season with Newfoundland sea salt.
  9. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 F, followed by 10 minutes at 250 F, until the crust is golden brown and the pie has been fully cooked through.
  10. Allow the tourtière to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm and enjoy!
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