Get the App

Recipes

Find a Recipe Blue Ribbon Recipes Pinch It!™ Feed Browse All Recipes

Editorial

Food Bites & Articles Videos What is a Blue Ribbon? Meet the Test Kitchen

Community

Member Recipes Groups Sweepstakes Contests Shopping

elaine's christmas eve tourtiere

(1 rating)
BreadandSoupLady avatar
Recipe by
Elaine Douglas
@BreadandSoupLady
Vancouver, BC

This is the tourtiere that I have traditionally served to my family on Christmas Eve. A Quebecois friend told me this is a Tourtiere from the St. John region of Quebec because it uses mashed potato as a thickener. Best potato for this is a mealy potato (russet or netted gems). I usually triple the recipe because it isn’t much more work than making a smaller amount. I sometimes change the meat to a mix of ground pork, ground turkey, ground chicken thighs, ground lean beef or ground veal. This makes the recipe a bit leaner. Pork is always the main ingredient.

(1 rating)
yield 6 serving(s)
prep time 45 Min
cook time 35 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For elaine's christmas eve tourtiere

  • 1 md
    potato, mashed
  • 1/2 c
    potato water
  • 1 lb
    minced pork
  • 1 sm
    onion chapped finely
  • 1 clove
    minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 tsp
    salt
  • 1/2 tsp
    thyme, dried
  • 1/2 tsp
    sage, dried
  • 1/4 tsp
    dried mustard
  • 1/8 tsp
    ground cloves
  • double crust pastry

How To Make elaine's christmas eve tourtiere

  • 1
    Boil potato in slightly salted water. Drain and reserve 1/2 c. water. Mash potato.
  • 2
    Combine pork, reserved potato water (if there is not enough potato water you may add more water or stock), onion, garlic and seasonings in a large saucepan. Break up the minced meat as it cooks so that it combines well with the other ingredients. Bring to the boiling point then lower heat and simmer stirring occasionally for 25 minutes or until surplus liquid is reduced.
  • 3
    Remove from heat and stir in mashed potato. Taste for seasonings and add salt if needed.
  • 4
    Chill mixture.
  • 5
    Prepare double crust pastry for each pie.
  • Make a design of your choosing.
    6
    Fill pastry lined pans with chilled meat mixture. Place top pastry over filling and seal. Cut decorative holes in top of pastry to allow steam to escape.
  • 7
    Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes then reduce temperature to 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until crust is golden.
  • 8
    The pies freeze very well before or after baking. If you freeze them unbaked, let them defrost before baking. If you freeze them baked, defrost and then warm in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes. I often make these pies over a couple of days. I prepare the filling and pastry and chill overnight. The next day I assemble and bake the pies.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
ADVERTISEMENT