Flipper pie is a Newfoundland and Labrador savoury pie made with tender seal-flipper meat, salt pork, onion and a pastry lid. This version follows an older slow-braised style; other local recipes add root vegetables to the filling, and household formulas vary.
Flipper pie is a long-standing Newfoundland dish associated with springtime meals. Printed recipes pair seal flippers with salt pork and onion, braise them slowly, then finish the dish with pastry. Some versions include root vegetables in the pie; this one keeps them as a side so the tender meat and gravy stay central.
Step 1Use only food-ready seal flippers legally sold for human consumption by a properly controlled supplier. If frozen, thaw covered in the refrigerator. Trim any remaining visible fat, pat dry and check that fur and claws have been removed. Rub the pastry flour and cold butter together to coarse crumbs; add 60 ml cold water, gather into a dough, cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 2Heat the oven to 160°C / 325°F. Put the flippers, salt pork, onion, 500 ml water and pepper in a deep lidded casserole. Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours, until the meat is very tender and the thickest part reaches at least 74°C / 165°F. Add a little boiling water if the pot becomes nearly dry.
Step 3Lift the flippers onto a clean tray and cool until safe to handle, about 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the bones and any remaining fat, and cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Strain the braising liquor. Whisk 20 g flour with 45 ml cold water, then whisk it into 300 ml hot liquor in a saucepan. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until glossy and thickened; fold in the meat and cooked onion.
Step 4Spoon the filling into a 23 cm pie dish. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm thick and large enough to cover the dish. Lay it over the filling, trim and crimp the edge, and cut 3 small steam vents.
Step 5Bake at 200°C / 400°F for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling. Check that the centre of the filling is at least 74°C / 165°F. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with boiled potatoes and turnip, cabbage or carrots. Keep raw seal meat chilled and separate from ready-to-eat foods; wash hands, utensils and work surfaces after handling it. Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Use within 2–3 days or freeze, then reheat to 74°C / 165°F. A baked pie may be assembled and refrigerated for up to 1 day before baking; keep it covered and bake until the centre reaches 74°C.
These rounded values are an ingredient-based estimate for one of 4 portions, not a laboratory analysis. Bone-in meat yield, salt-pork cure and how much rendered fat stays in the gravy affect the result.
Contains wheat and milk; the filling also contains seal and pork. Check flour, butter and salt-pork labels for additional allergens or cross-contact. Thaw seal meat in the refrigerator and keep it separate from ready-to-eat foods. Cook the thickest meat section and the finished pie centre to 74°C / 165°F. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, use within 2–3 days or freeze, and reheat to 74°C / 165°F.
That would make a different meat pie. Flipper pie is identified by its seal-flipper meat, and only food-ready seal meat from a controlled source should be used.
