French Canadian Tourtière Meat Pie

This Christmas-season favorite wraps a warmly spiced pork-and-beef filling in buttery, flaky pastry. Mashed potato helps bind the filling without making it heavy, while cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper give each slice its signature savory warmth. Serve with tangy tomato or cranberry relish for a bright contrast. Like many treasured holiday dishes, tourtière varies from family to family; this version makes one generous double-crust pie.

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 8 servings; one 9-inch deep-dish pie
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes, including cooling and resting; pastry chilling overlaps with filling preparation

Quick Ingredients

• Pastry: 2 1/2 cups (313 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon fine salt, 1 cup (227 g) cold unsalted butter, and 1/2 cup (120 ml) ice-cold water.
• Meat and vegetables: 1 pound (454 g) ground pork, 1 pound (454 g) 85% lean ground beef, 8 ounces (225 g) peeled russet potato, 1 medium yellow onion (200 g), and 2 garlic cloves (6 g).
• Filling additions: 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, 3/4 cup (180 ml) low-sodium beef broth, and 1 bay leaf.
• Seasonings: 1 teaspoon dried savory, 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
• Finish and serve: 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water; 1/2 cup (120 g) tangy tomato or cranberry relish.

Do This

• 1. Make the pastry with flour, salt, cold butter, and ice water. Divide into two disks, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• 2. Boil the diced potato for 12 minutes until tender, then drain and mash without adding milk or butter.
• 3. Cook the onion in 1 tablespoon butter for 5 minutes. Add garlic for 1 minute, then pork and beef for 8 minutes, breaking the meat into fine crumbles.
• 4. Add broth, bay leaf, and all seasonings. Simmer uncovered for 16 minutes, fold in the potato, remove the bay leaf, and cool for 30 minutes.
• 5. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Roll out the pastry, line a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, add the filling, and cover with the top crust. Seal, crimp, cut vents, and brush with egg wash.
• 6. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 40 minutes more, until deeply golden and the center reaches 165°F (74°C). Rest for 30 minutes before serving with relish.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Comforting holiday flavor: Warm spices complement the meat without making the pie taste sweet.
• A filling that slices neatly: A little mashed potato absorbs the savory juices and holds everything together.
• Buttery pastry from scratch: Simple ingredients and a few cold-butter tricks create a beautifully flaky crust.
• Make-ahead friendly: Prepare the dough and filling in advance, or freeze the finished pie for another cozy meal.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 russet potato large enough to yield 8 ounces (225 g) after peeling, 1 medium yellow onion (200 g), and 2 garlic cloves.
• Meat & Eggs: 1 pound (454 g) ground pork, 1 pound (454 g) 85% lean ground beef, and 1 large egg.
• Dairy: 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (241 g) unsalted butter.
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, fine salt, low-sodium beef broth, dried savory, bay leaf, ground black pepper, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and tangy tomato or cranberry relish.

Full Ingredients

For the Buttery Double Crust

• 2 1/2 cups (313 g) all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons (16 g) for dusting the work surface as needed
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt
• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) ice-cold water, measured without ice cubes

For the Meat and Potato Filling

• 8 ounces (225 g) peeled russet potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion (200 g), finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves (6 g), minced
• 1 pound (454 g) ground pork, approximately 80% lean
• 1 pound (454 g) ground beef, 85% lean
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) low-sodium beef broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried savory
• 3/4 teaspoon (4.5 g) fine salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For Finishing and Serving

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
• 1/2 cup (120 g) tangy tomato or cranberry relish, allowing 1 tablespoon per serving

Equipment: A 9-inch (23 cm) deep-dish pie plate approximately 2 inches (5 cm) deep, rolling pin, large skillet, small saucepan, rimmed metal baking sheet, pastry brush, and instant-read thermometer.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make and chill the pastry

Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and work it into the flour with a pastry blender or your fingertips, leaving a mixture of coarse crumbs and flattened, pea-sized butter pieces. Those visible butter pieces help create flaky layers.

Drizzle in the 1/2 cup (120 ml) ice-cold water while tossing with a fork. Gently press the mixture together until it forms a shaggy dough that holds when squeezed. Avoid kneading it smooth. Divide into two portions, making one slightly larger for the bottom crust, and flatten each into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour while you prepare and cool the filling.

Step 2: Cook and mash the potato

Place the potato cubes in a small saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil. Cook for 12 minutes, or until the cubes are easily pierced with a fork.

Drain thoroughly, return the potatoes to the warm saucepan, and let them stand off the heat for 1 minute so excess moisture can evaporate. Mash until mostly smooth, without adding milk, butter, or cooking water. Set aside. You can begin cooking the meat while the potato boils.

Step 3: Build the savory meat filling

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the ground pork and beef. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking the meat into very fine crumbles with a sturdy spoon. The meat should no longer look pink and should reach at least 160°F (71°C). If fat collects in a deep pool, spoon off the excess rather than draining the mixture completely.

Stir in the broth, bay leaf, savory, salt, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook uncovered for 16 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture should remain moist, but a spoon drawn across the pan should not leave a puddle of broth behind. If necessary, cook a little longer to evaporate excess liquid.

Step 4: Bind and cool the filling

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Fold the mashed potato into the meat until evenly distributed. The filling should look cohesive and spoonable, not wet or pasty.

Spread the filling in a shallow heatproof dish and let it cool for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through. It should no longer feel warm before it goes into the pastry; refrigerate briefly if needed. Warm filling melts the butter in the crust and can make the bottom soggy.

Step 5: Roll out the pastry

Place a rimmed metal baking sheet on a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C). The hot sheet helps the bottom crust bake through.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger pastry disk into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle, approximately 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Ease it into the pie plate without stretching it, leaving the excess pastry hanging over the rim. Roll the second disk into an 11-inch (28 cm) circle. If either disk is too firm to roll without cracking, let it stand at room temperature for 5 minutes first.

Step 6: Fill, seal, and glaze the pie

Spoon the cooled filling into the bottom crust, spreading it evenly and pressing lightly to eliminate large air pockets. Lay the top crust over the filling. Trim the pastry so both layers extend about 3/4 inch beyond the rim, then fold the edges under together and crimp firmly to seal.

Cut four 1-inch slits in the top crust to release steam. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush a thin, even layer over the pastry, keeping the wash out of the vents. Set the pie plate on the preheated baking sheet.

Step 7: Bake until deeply golden

Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes. Without removing the pie, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for 40 minutes. The pastry should be deeply golden, with a little bubbling visible through the vents, and the center of the filling should reach 165°F (74°C).

Check the edges after 30 minutes of total baking time. If they are already well browned, cover the rim loosely with strips of foil. If the pie needs additional time to reach temperature, continue baking at 375°F (190°C), checking every 5 minutes.

Step 8: Rest, slice, and serve

Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it rest for 30 minutes. This gives the filling time to settle and makes the slices easier to lift. Cut into 8 wedges and serve warm with 1 tablespoon of tangy tomato or cranberry relish alongside each slice.

Pro Tips

• Keep the pastry cold: If the dough becomes soft or greasy while you work, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before continuing.
• Use finely crumbled meat: Break up larger pieces as the meat cooks. A fine, even texture gives tourtière its characteristic tender filling.
• Control moisture before assembling: Reduce any loose broth in the skillet rather than hoping the potato will absorb it all.
• Measure the warm spices carefully: Cloves are especially potent. Level measuring spoons keep the flavor balanced and savory.
• Choose the right pie plate: This filling needs a deep-dish plate. Avoid moving a chilled glass or ceramic plate directly onto a hot baking sheet unless the manufacturer explicitly permits it; a metal pie plate is the simplest choice for this method.

Variations

• All-pork tourtière: Replace the beef with an additional 1 pound (454 g) ground pork. Keep the remaining ingredients and cooking temperatures unchanged.
• Thyme instead of savory: Substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme for the dried savory if that is what you have in the pantry.
• Convenient pastry shortcut: Use one package of refrigerated double-crust pastry sized for a 9-inch deep-dish pie. Prepare the filling and bake as directed, checking the package for any handling recommendations.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Prepare ahead: Refrigerate the wrapped pastry disks and the cooked filling separately for up to 2 days. Cool the filling promptly in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Assemble with cold filling; let the dough soften at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before rolling. A pie assembled with refrigerated filling may need additional baking time to reach 165°F (74°C).

Refrigerate leftovers: Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours of baking. Keep for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Once cooled, wrap the baked pie or individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before reheating.

Reheat: Cover loosely with foil and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven, allowing about 25 minutes for refrigerated slices or 40 minutes for a refrigerated whole pie. Uncover for the final 10 minutes to refresh the crust. Check that the center reaches 165°F (74°C), extending the time if needed.

Nutrition (per serving)

Estimated for one-eighth of the pie, including pastry and egg wash, without relish. Values vary with the meat, broth, and amount of fat removed during cooking.

Calories: 650 kcal | Carbs: 38g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Sodium: 620mg | Cholesterol: 165mg