The Ultimate Tourtiere Recipes

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine pork, beef, onion, garlic, water, salt, thyme, sage, black pepper and cloves. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils; stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer until meat is cooked, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Spoon the meat mixture into the pie crust. Place top crust on top of pie and pinch edges to seal. Cut slits in top crust so steam can escape. Cover edges of pie with strips of aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes; remove foil and return to oven. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Steps:

• In large heavy saucepan, combine pork, water, onions, celery & garlic.
• Cook over medium-high heat until bubbling, stirring to break up the meat.
• Add salt, savoury, thyme, pepper, cloves and bay leaf.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf.
• Stir in mashed potato, mixing well.
• Taste and add more salt & pepper if needed.
• Let cool, stirring occasionally(mixture will thicken as it cools.).
• Line pie plate with pastry.
• Fill with meat mixture.
• Cover with remaining pastry; seal and crimp edges; cut a few steam vents.
• Brush top crust with glaze.
• Bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 375 and bake for 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Steps:

• In large glass bowl, toss together rabbit, vermouth, brandy, one-third each of the carrots and onions, the peppercorns, juniper berries, and small PINE and CEDAR branches. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, tossing occasionally.
• In Dutch oven, cook salt pork over medium high heat until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes; using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl. Drain off pork fat in pan, reserving 2 tablespoons for pastry.
• Discarding pine and cedar branches and reserving marinade, add rabbit to pan and brown on all sides; transfer to plate. Add half each of the remaining carrots and onions, celery, thyme, savory, salt and bay leaves; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 10 minutes.
• Pour in half of the reserved marinade and bring to boil, stirring to scrape up any brown bits on bottom of pan. Return rabbit and any accumulated juices and half of the salt pork to pan. Reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer until rabbit is tender and juices run clear when rabbit is pierced, about 40 minutes. Let cool; discard bay leaves. (Make ahead: Refrigerate until cold. Remove meat from bones, discarding bones. Cover meat and pan liquid separately; refrigerate for up to 1 day.).
• Meanwhile, trim fat from duck; remove and discard wings. Cut into quarters. In Dutch oven, brown duck over medium high heat; transfer to plate. Drain off fat.
• Add remaining carrots, onions, celery, thyme, savory, salt and bay leaves; cook, stirring, until onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Pour in remaining marinade and bring to boil, stirring to scrape up any brown bits on bottom of pan.
• Return duck and any accumulated juices and remaining salt pork to pan. Reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer until duck is tender, about 1 hour. Let cool; discard bay leaves. (Make ahead: refrigerate until cold. Remove meat from bones; discard skin and bones. Cover meat and pan liquid separately; refrigerate for up to 1 day.).
• PASTRY: Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk flour with salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs with some large pieces. Whisk together 1 of the eggs, water and reserved pork fat; pour over flour mixture, stirring with fork until dough clumps together. Press into disc; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. (Make ahead: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.).
• Cut rabbit and duck meat into bite size pieces; set aside. Skim off fat from pan liquid: set liquid aside.
• FILLING: In bowl, mix together beef, pork, veal, potatoes, onions, shallots, garlic, brandy, salt, thyme, savory and pepper.
• On floured surface, roll out pastry to 28 x 21 inch rectangle; fold in half twice lengthwise. Place in 1 end of 14 x 10 x 4 inch roasting pan; unfold pastry, fitting into corners and up sides of pan (there will be some overhang).
• Spoon half of the filling into pastry, pressing lightly to pack. Arrange rabbit and duck meat over top. Top with remaining filling. Pour reserved pan liquid over top, adding up to 3 cups water to come to top of filling. Fold overhang over filling, leaving opening in centre. Lightly beat remaining egg; brush over pastry.
• Bake in 350°F oven for 1 hour. Cover with foil; reduce heat to 250°F and cook for 5 hours. Remove foil; bake until golden and crusty and potatoes are tender, 30 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Makes 15 to 18 servings.
• Canadian Living Holiday Best.

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the meat in batches until browned. Tip into a large bowl and set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil in the same pan, then add the onions, carrot, celery and garlic. Fry for 8-10 mins until softened. Add this to the meat.
• Simmer the wine in the pan for 10 mins to reduce. Tip in the meat and veg, then the spices, thyme, bay and stock. Cook for 30 mins, uncovered. Stir in the oats and simmer for 15 mins. Discard the bay, then season. Cool completely.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a 20cm loose-bottom tin with the shortcrust pastry, pushing it into the sides of the tin. Leave 2cm of pastry overhanging and trim away the excess. Prick the bottom with a fork, cover with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins. Remove the parchment and beans, and bake for another 15 mins until golden.
• Trim the edges with a serrated knife and pack in the meat filling. Brush some of the egg around the edge of the pastry, then drape the puff pastry over the top, trim the edges and crimp all the way round with a fork. Use the puff pastry offcuts to make decorations for the pie, if you like (or see tip, below). Brush with more egg and make 4-5 holes in the top. Can be frozen for up to six weeks at this stage. Defrost thoroughly before baking. Bake at 190C/170C fan/gas 5 for 40-50 mins. Leave to rest for 10 mins before serving.