This deep Québec meat pie has a thick pastry shell and a slow-cooked filling of small pork and beef cubes with potatoes and onion. The version here follows a Charlevoix-style approach; family recipes differ in their meat mix, seasoning and proportions. Serve it hot with fruit ketchup or pickled beets.
The deep tourtière associated with Charlevoix is different from the ground-meat pie called tourtière in Montréal. Here, small cubes of pork and beef cook inside a thick pastry with potatoes, onion and broth. Overnight marinating seasons the meat, while a long, covered bake softens the filling. This is one practical home version, not a single definitive family formula; it also has no alternating pastry layers like cipaille.
Marinate the meatIn a covered non-reactive bowl, combine the pork, beef, onion, salt, pepper, cinnamon and savory. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight; stir once if convenient.
Make the pastryMix the flour and pastry salt. Cut in the cold butter until pea-sized pieces remain. Add the ice water gradually, mixing only until the dough holds together when pressed. Divide it into two pieces, one slightly larger. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Line the casseroleHeat the oven to 200°C. Roll the larger piece of dough to line the bottom and sides of a deep 23 cm ovenproof casserole, leaving an overhang. Keep it cool while you finish the filling.
Fill and sealToss the marinated meat with the potatoes and stock. Spoon the mixture into the pastry shell and level it gently without packing it down. Roll the remaining dough into a lid, lay it over the filling, seal and crimp the edges, then cut two small steam vents. Mix the beaten egg with 15 ml water and brush it over the top.
Bake slowlyTent the casserole with foil so the foil does not touch the pastry. Bake for 30 minutes at 200°C, then reduce the oven to 150°C and bake covered for 3 hours. Remove the foil and bake for about 1 hour more, until the crust is browned and the center reaches at least 74°C. If the crust darkens too quickly, tent it loosely again. Check the meat and potato for tenderness; the time is an estimate, while the thermometer reading is the safety check.
Rest and serveRest the pie for 30 minutes so the filling settles, then slice and serve hot. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours; cut portions for quicker cooling if needed.
Keep raw meat refrigerated during marinating and separate from ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands, utensils and surfaces after handling it. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, keep them at or below 4°C and use within 3 days, or freeze. Reheat leftovers to 74°C. For a game-meat variation, use inspected, legally sourced meat and keep the same chilling and cooking controls; this recipe's nutrition estimate will no longer apply. Fruit ketchup, pickled beets or a crisp salad make useful accompaniments. Check the stock label for additional allergens.
Rounded ingredient-based estimate including all added salt and a low-sodium stock estimate; meat trimming, pastry thickness and stock sodium vary. It is not a laboratory analysis.
Contains wheat (gluten), milk and egg. Check the stock label for additional declared allergens. Keep raw meat chilled and separate from ready-to-eat food. Cook the pie's center to at least 74°C, measured with a clean digital thermometer. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, keep at or below 4°C and use within 3 days or freeze. Reheat leftovers to 74°C.
