My grandmother used to prepare food using this recipe. It is tasty and made entirely of pork. Every Christmas Eve, I make one for my father, and he adores it!
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 4 hrs |
| Total Time: | 4 hrs 15 mins |
| Servings: | 16 |
| Yield: | 2 to 9 – inch pies |
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds lean ground pork
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cups water
- 4 baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 (15 ounce) packages refrigerated pie crusts
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, mix together the ground pork, cloves, cinnamon, onion, salt, celery, bay leaf and water. The water will help break up the raw pork. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 3 hours, or until the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.
- Towards the end of the pork cooking time, place the potatoes into a separate saucepan and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and mash potatoes. When the pork is done, stir the mashed potatoes into that pan until evenly blended.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line two 9 inch pie plates with bottom crusts. Spoon equal amounts of the pork filling into each crust. Cover with top crusts and flute the edges to seal.
- Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crust is golden brown.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 437 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 33 g |
| Cholesterol | 46 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Protein | 17 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Sodium | 441 mg |
| Sugars | 1 g |
| Fat | 26 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
tasted exactly like my Canadian french great grandmother’s – my brother agreed it was as she, my grandmother and mother also made each Christmas. So glad to have found a recipe that duplicated the wonderful flavor – as mine that was handed down was damaged in a hurricane and I knew I was missing an ingredient (or two).
I have always loved this recipe. It’s just like my grandmother/mother’s. I’m glad I found it because the original recipe was lost thank you so much.
Awesome
This recipe is amazing, thank you for sharing… it’s the best and your the best
It is the fourth Christmas when is “mandatory” for me to have this. Each year there is a bit of trim on the receipt either with a mix of pork with beef or some changing in the spices choice. Each time I start with this receipt but I never know where I might be heading. I have success each time. One more thing, each time I make the crust using only butter.
This recipe turned out wonderfully! The long, slow simmer created a moist and flavourful filling. The mashed potatoes added more body and the result was a perfect pie, not too wet or too dry. I learned too, that what my dad made every Reveillon was Pates a la Viande, not tourtiere, as his pie was in a big baking dish with just a top crust and no potatoes. I just love this version! I cut up a pork loin and added 1/2 tsp savoury, and it all baked just fine in a gluten free frozen pie crust. Thank you for sharing this recipe, Joyeux Noel!
I was told we had this every year when I was young. I remember my grandmother making it once. This smelled just like hers. It looks, smells and tastes amazing! Thank you for the great recipe!! It tastes like a hug… from the inside.
This turned out really well and we will definitely make it again.
I thought I rated this years ago but I guess not. I make this at least 2 times a year. Fall and Winter. I share the other pie with my sister. We have a Pork Pie Company that my Mother used to go to when I was very young. They sell it in the stores also but this is by far 10 times better! I usually forget to add the 1 stalk of celery but if I do remember I just add some celery salt! Your Grandmother nailed it! Thank you for sharing!
Inspired to add a bit more seasoning after reading reviews, I added 1/2 tsp. of Bells Seasoning. The sage in Bells Seasoning worked perfectly. Other than that I followed the recipe as written and it was delicious.
Loved it and will definitely make this again. The aroma, while still in the oven, filled the house with a delightful redolence, cozy in a late fall afternoon in New England. I paired the tourtiere with a crisp chardonnay and stuffed my belly until my heart was content. Next time I will follow directions and reject temptation to “add just a liiiiiitle bit more…” of the clove. Possibly add more celery.
Absolutely love this. Next time I will add a few more potatoes. Reminds me of my father in-laws recipe.
My husband really liked this! The only thing I added was ground ginger, my mother always did this, and I added the spices after cooking the meat, So moist and fluffy. Will make again
I made 1/2 of the recipe so that I ended up with only one pie, which is fine for having a home with only two adults. The end result was WONDERFUL!!! It tasted EXACTLY as my mémère (grandmother) used to make it. It brought back so many wonderful memories. My grandparents always served this dish with sweet pickles, so that’s how I had it. My mouth is watering now as I type this evaluation. The only change to this recipe was that I made my dough from scratch, which enabled me to make a little thicker and larger crust. I love crust! Thanks for this delicious trip down memory lane.
This is as close to my grandmothers recipe that I have found. I do not remember her having a written recipe, so I had to rely on my memory and tastebuds. I knew that she used only pork and no other meat, and that she also used summer savory, or sariette in Canada. I used about a 1/2 teaspoon per pie. It came out great, and I was instantly brought back to my childhood! We enjoyed on Christmas eve. Oh, and I used a full butter crust.
My grandmother used to make these around under holidays, as a kid I thought they where gross but as an adult I love them! Good recipe, don’t forget the ground clove!
This is the taste and smell of Christmas that I grew up with! Excellent recipe. I like to make the pies as hand-held turnovers, about 4-5” long. They freeze and reheat very well, make an easy dinner. But to be honest, this is what the gods eat for breakfast!
At first, it seemed more fragrant than tasty, but after a few bites the spices came out. The flavor is pretty mild, I might double the spice amounts next time I make. But it was nice change from a pot pie.
I have no experience with this kind of pie whatsoever, so I followed the recipe exactly. It turned out quite good, my toddlers even loved it, however for the amount of time it took to make, I was expecting a bit more flavour. I will add it to the list of keepers though.
Don’t care for celery in the pie, much to much potato and I just cannot choke down refrigerated pre-made crusts.
The BEST tortiere ever! I increased the clove and cinnamon to 1/2 tsp each. My friends all loved it!