Tourtiere (French Canadian Meat Pie) • Little Nomads Recipes (2024)

Tourtiere is a succulent pie filled with spiced meat and pieces of potatoes simmered in broth to give it more flavor and tenderness—a meal popular in the colder month and around Christmas time in the French part of Canada.

Tourtiere is a beloved meal from Quebec, Canada, where I grew up. It’s a true familial meal everyone loves to eat, kids included, especially around the holiday season. It is usually served with ketchup for the little ones or homemade ketchup (chutney) for the grown-ups. Even if this dish is simple to make, it requires a little time, so usually, they are made by batch and frozen. This version is made with a personal twist of maple syrup and some extra spices to give it an extra festive touch.

Origins

Considered a traditional dish in the Province of Quebec, although nobody agrees on the exact recipe. Some make it with potato cubes; others mash them or no potatoes at all. However, everyone agrees that the original version, called Tourtière du Lac-St-Jean (Center of Quebec region), is made of various wild meats and is cooked slowly for about 8 hours. This original tourtiere is a more complex and labour-heavy recipe, so let’s keep it easy for now.

The Spice Mix

Open to interpretation, some traditionalists would say not to put anything other than salt and pepper. Even the garlic was not part of the first Tourtiere recipes. So I decided to ask Quebecers online what spices they use for theirs, and I’ve got a lot of cinnamon, clove, mustard seeds, celery salt, and allspice. I went ahead and used a bunch of spices I considered Holiday’ish’. They are all optional, but it’s divine if you want this fantastic aromatic meat! I put an extra spicy paprika to kick it up a notch, which I like. Especially with the added maple syrup, this added heat is barely noticeable, just enough to make it special on the tastebuds!

The Meat

Once more, not everyone agrees on this; the original version was made with wild meats (moose, deer, rabbit, partridge, etc.) and usually a piece of salted lard, similar to bacon. Nowadays, most people mix ground pork, veal, beef, and sometimes chicken. For this version, I went with the most common and more accessible mix: the good old ground beef and pork.

A Holiday Meal

The one thing everyone in Quebec agrees with: Tourtière is a Holiday dish! Well, it must be eaten, let’s say, at least once around the holidays. It’s a meal you can make year-round; some even do mini versions for kids, but around Christmas time, it’s mandatory to enjoy one! It usually comes with a homemade tomato chutney or ketchup. Usually served with a lovely green salad and pickled veggies on the side, like pickles, onions, beets, etc.

FAQ

Can I freeze Tourtiere?

Oh, yes, it’s a typical dish to make ahead of time. Cover with aluminum, then plastic until airtight. It lasts for a few weeks in the freezer. Store it with uncooked dough, and cook for ten more minutes; then the recipe indicates to heat it thoroughly!

What are the most used spices?

Cinnamon and clove are the most used. It saw tons of variations, but those two are common ones. For the clove, you can put them whole and pick them up in the end or make powder with it with the help of a mortar.

What type of mold/recipient should I use?

The typical mold is a deep dish pie plate with a smooth-sided (no undulations), an angle of 45°, and a 30 cm (12 inches) large pie recipient. It could be metal, pyrex, silicone, or ceramic as long as it goes in the oven. Unlike sweet pies, this one usually stays in its mold.

Other French Canadian Familial Dishes

• The Best Guedille au Poulet (Chicken Salad Sandwich)
• Pâté Chinois (French Canadian Shepherd’s Pie)
• Bouilli or Pot au Feu Québecois

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