Handraised Pork Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Cover pork bones with water. Add parsley, sprig of thyme and black peppercorns and cook for 1 hour. Strain. Reduce to 1/4 cup. Add cider and gelatin and allow to cool.;
• Make hot water paste: Boil lard with water. Heat flour and salt in a bowl in the oven. Add lard and water to flour and mix until dough leaves sides of bowl. Knead dough and when smooth, and while still hot, roll into a loaf shape Cut off 1/4 of the paste (for the lid) and place in a bowl over hot water to keep warm. Up-end a 2 pound jam jar and dust with flour. Lightly dust dough with flour. Place dough onto jar and mold it carefully around the jar until approximately 1/4-inch thick. Cut a cross in the top. Clip* a piece of double folded paper around the paste and then up-end jar and pour hot water into the jar. The paste will slide off easily. Place the mold onto a greased baking sheet. Do not remove the paper. *Use a bulledog clip. Finely chop the onion and apple. Cut pork into 1/4-inch dice and season highly with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fill the pastry mold with layers of port, onion and apple ending with a layer of pork, do not pack tightly. Trim paper away 1/2 inch below rim of pastry to fit top. Dampen edge of pastry with water and affix lid crimping edges together. Gild with egg and bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Thirty minutes before the end of cooking, remove paper band and brush sides with egg. Remove pie from oven and using a small funnel pour in the slightly warmed stock. Place in the refrigerator. Serve the pie cold with a little hot mustard on the side. Recommended drink: A pint of English wallop;

Steps:

• For the double crust leaf lard pastry: In a bowl, mix the flour and salt together with 2 knives. Cut in the lard until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture, a spoonful at a time, stirring with a fork and adding just enough water so it holds together. Shape into a ball, press into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
• For the pork filling: Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp; remove to a plate. Add the pork and a pinch of salt and brown for 2 minutes; remove to a plate. Add the potatoes, celery, celery leaves, parsley, savory, garlic and onions and sweat for 3 to 5 minutes. Deglaze the skillet with 1 cup of water, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the pork and bacon back to the skillet with the cinnamon, cloves and a large pinch of salt, and simmer until the liquid has evaporated, 20 minutes.
• While the mixture is simmering, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the chilled pastry into two 13-inch rounds for a 10-inch double-crust pie, or into one 14-inch round for a single-crust pie. If using the double-crust method, line a 10-inch pie plate with one of the pastry rounds and fill with the meat mixture; cover with the remaining pastry. Trim and crimp the edges to seal, and cut small steam vents. Brush the top of the pastry with the egg yolk and milk mixture. If using the single-crust method, place the meat mixture in a 10-inch pie plate and cover with the single pastry round. Trim, press the edges into the sides of the pan and cut small steam vents in the center. Brush the top of the pastry with the egg yolk and milk mixture. Bake until the crust is golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes and serve warm.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients for the filling.
• To make the pastry, put the flour in a large bowl, then put the lard and water into a small pan and heat gently until the lard melts. Bring just to the boil and then stir into the flour using a wooden spoon. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, (it should still feel very warm) knead well until smooth.
• Cut off 1/4 of the dough, wrap in cling film and reserve for the lid. Roll out the remaining dough to a circle and then place in the base of a non-stick 20cm springform cake tin. Working quickly while the dough is warm and pliable, press the dough evenly over the base and up the sides of the tin. Make sure there are no holes. Fill with the meat mixture and pack down well. Roll out the dough for the lid. Place on top of the pie. Pinch all around the edge to seal the pie. Make a hole for steam in the centre, using the handle of a wooden spoon.
• Cook in the oven for 30 mins then reduce the heat to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and cook for 90 minutes. Brush the top with beaten egg and return to the oven for a further 20 mins. Leave until cold.
• Soak the gelatine in cold water for about 5 mins, then remove and squeeze out the excess water. Heat the stock until almost boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatine. Leave to cool to room temperature.
• Use a small funnel to pour the stock into the pie through the hole in the top. Pour in a little at a time allowing a few seconds before each addition. Place in the fridge to set overnight.Watch our pork pie video for techniques and tips.