Lac-Saint-Jean tourtière traditional recipe (meat pie) (2024)

FAQs

What was the original meat in tourtière? ›

It gets its name from the tourte, which is what it was originally made from. Though the name "tourtière" is derived from its filling, the tourte—the French name for the passenger pigeon that is now extinct in North America—was historically used as its filling before the 20th century.

Meat pie is primarily made of ground meat (pork, beef or veal) and aromatics (onion, garlic, spices, etc.). In Saguenay–Lac‑Saint‑Jean and Charlevoix, however, “real” tourtière is a lot heartier than meat pie and contains other meats (such as game) and potatoes that have been simmered in stock.

This variant originates from the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec. The tourtière du Lac-Saint-Jean differs from a regular tourtière by having thicker crust, cubes of potatoes, meats and broth (instead of only minced meat), as well as being placed in a much larger and deeper container.

Traditionally, Tourtière is served with roasted vegetables or a light frisseé salad. An assortment of pickled foods is always delicious; pickled beets, spicy carrots, gherkins or pickled onions. Many enjoy a tomato-based chutney but most… just break out the ketchup.

History. The origins of the meat pie have been traced back to the Neolithic period, around 6000 BC. Versions of what are now known as pies were featured on ancient Egyptian tomb walls, and in ancient Greek and Roman texts.

Québec cookbook author Julian Armstrong suggests that its roots may be traced to a 5th-century cookbook that includes “a pie called La Patina that was made in a bronze pot with four layers of pastry, the top crust with a hole in the centre.” Meanwhile, the word tourte comes from Latin slang: tortus panis, meaning “a ...

Tourtière is a meat pie that can be a combination of beef, pork, or veal, as well as potatoes and other vegetables, and seasoned with spices.

Though the dish has been around since at least the 17th century, the first appearance of tourtière in a cookbook is in La cuisinière Canadienne which was written and published by Louis Perrault in Montreal in 1840 — it is accepted as the first French language cookbook published in Canada.

As the breadcrumbs and the broth help add moisture to this recipe, added fat is an unwanted quantity that tends to make the tourtiere fall apart when cutting and also is just not very pleasant.

Louisiana recognized the Natchitoches meat pie as the official state meat pie in 2003. The city of Natchitoches in northern Louisiana (named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe, pronounced NAK-uh-tush) offers a regional delicacy popular since the late 1700's – the Natchitoches meat pie.

What is tourtière pie made of? ›

This French Canadian meat pie (tourtière) contains pork, potatoes, onions, and spices.

It's a traditional Québecois meat pie that combines ground pork and beef with potatoes, onions, and spices, all enveloped in a buttery pie crust. It's rich and delicious and is traditionally enjoyed on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

It could be cranberry sauce, pickled beets, something sweet and sour, or "something with a kick to it to pair with the spiced meat and flaky crust." (I like to serve a chili sauce with my tourtiere; you can find Naylor's recipe and my chili sauce recipe below.) All in all, it's a memorable dish.

“A pilsner works well against the grease,” John says. Red wine drinkers should opt for a lighter style like a chianti or any Mediterranean drop with herbal notes. Avoid a bold shiraz or IPA. Raymond Capaldi says a nice gin or whiskey pairs well with meat pies.

What's in tourtiere? The French-influenced pie is often made with pork, veal, beef, or game and sometimes a combination of the two. Mashed potatoes are folded in to help bind the meat, while celery and onion are other common aromatics. The spices give the pie character, such as allspice, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.

Historical records of Quebec tourtière, which was likely named for the copper and tin pans the pies are baked in, date back to the 17th century. But hearty pies of the sort have been around for as long as humans have thought to combine pastry with meat.

With change of time comes change of taste. Even the consistency of the meat has been thoroughly debated. In past times, the cook would chop the meat with a knife, but now most recipes dictate the use of ground pork and beef so the texture of the tourtière is varied. Even the condiments have a new versus old element.