My great-grandmother’s tourtière recipe has been passed down through generations, and for good reason! With a warmly spiced pork filling and a buttery homemade crust, this traditional French-Canadian meat pie is a family favorite that deserves a spot on your holiday table.
My great-grandmother’s tourtière is more than a family recipe. It’s a piece of our family’s history, passed down through generations and kept alive in the stories my dad has shared over the years.
Her tourtière was humble food made with so much care, the kind of cooking that turned a handful of simple ingredients into something truly memorable. She would boil a pork loin roast, then run the cooked meat through a grinder to create a remarkably fine, distinctive filling. It’s a texture that sets this tourtière apart from versions made with ordinary ground pork. She would mix the meat with just enough mashed potato to bring everything together, along with a thoughtful blend of warm baking spices that complemented the pork without ever stealing the show. The result was hearty, savory, and wonderfully old-fashioned, tucked inside a homemade crust that baked up golden around the filling.
My dad always ate his tourtière with Dill Pickles on the side, their bright, tangy crunch cutting through the richness of the pork and buttery crust. It’s a simple pairing, but one that has stayed with me because it feels so distinctly ours.
I never had the chance to stand beside my great-grandmother and watch her make this tourtière. I wish I could have seen her hands at work, watched her prepare the filling, and tasted a slice fresh from her oven. But I have her recipe, and I have my dad’s stories, and that feels like a gift. She may never have imagined that something she made so often, would one day mean so much to generations of her family. Now, every time I make her tourtière, a little piece of her kitchen finds its way into mine. And I hope that, years from now, the stories and the recipe will continue to be passed down, so that even those who never knew her can still taste a little of the love she left behind.
Why You’ll Love This Tourtière
- A treasured family recipe: this traditional French-Canadian tourtière has been passed down through generations, bringing a little family history to your table.
- Rich, savory pork filling: boiled pork loin is finely ground for a meaty texture that makes this pie truly special.
- Perfectly balanced spices: warm baking spices complement the pork without overpowering its natural flavor.
- Buttery homemade crust: a golden, flaky crust wraps around every bite of hearty, comforting filling.
- Perfect for the holidays and beyond: serve it for Christmas dinner or whenever you’re craving a taste of old-fashioned comfort food.
Ingredients
Just how my great-grandmother made it, this tourtière recipe is made with a few humble ingredients. While she hand-made her pie crust, feel free to buy a storebought double pie crust, if preferred, to save time. Here’s what you need to make the filling and the pie crust:
The Filling:
- Boneless pork loin roast – my great grandmother used all pork loin for her filling (not a blend of meats). A pork loin roast is essentially a pork chop cut into a larger piece. Look for a lean pork loin roast with little fat for best results!
- Yellow potato – a medium yellow potato that’s boiled and mashed binds the filling together so the pie is easily sliced.
- Yellow onion – a yellow onion is sliced and used to flavor the broth that the pork and potatoes are cooked in.
- Onion powder – onion powder is blended with other spices to enhance the subtle onion flavor that infused the pork and potatoes.
- Ground allspice – ground allspice adds earthy, savory warmth without being too assertive.
- Ground cloves – ground cloves add a sharper, more pungent warmth for that unmistakable holiday-spice flavor. A little goes a long way!
The Pie Crust:
- All-purpose flour – all-purpose flour is the base for homemade pie crust.
- Unsalted butter – this crust is all butter, so get your best butter out!
- Ice water – cold water binds the crust together without melting the butter.
- Salt – salt enhances flavor.
- Milk – a little bit of milk (preferably whole milk) brushed on the top of the pie helps it brown in the oven.
How to Make Tourtière
Here’s how to make the best old-fashioned tourtière! This is an outline with photos to help you along the way; for the full recipe, see the recipe card below.
Start crust: Whisk together flour and salt. Grate 1 stick of cold butter into the flour. Work it in with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Repeat for the second stick.
Form dough: Add 7 tablespoons of cold water and stir with a fork. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with your hands until the dough just holds together when pressed.
Divide dough: Divide the dough into 2 equal balls, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
Cook pork: Place the pork roast and sliced onions in a medium pot. Add enough water to cover the pork by 1 inch and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 15–25 minutes. Discard the onions and transfer the pork to a cutting board.
Cook potato: Peel the potato(es) and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Add them to the pork broth and simmer for 15–20 minutes.
Mince pork: While the potatoes cook, chop the pork into very fine, almost granular pieces, about ⅛ inch.
Mash potato: Remove the cooked potatoes from the broth with a slotted spoon, reserving the broth. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl and mash until smooth.
Season potato: Combine the onion powder, allspice, and cloves. Sprinkle over mashed potatoes and stir until combined.
Add pork: Add the finely minced pork and 3 tablespoons pork broth to the potatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper, then stir until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate.
Roll out bottom crust: Preheat oven to 375°F. Flour a clean work surface, rolling pin, and your hands. Roll out one dough ball into a roughly 13-inch circle. Transfer the dough to an ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Gently press it into the bottom and sides, leaving about 1 inch of overhang.
Add filling: Spoon the filling into the crust. Press it into a firm, even layer.
Roll out top crust: Roll out the second dough ball into an 11-inch circle. Center and lay the dough over the filling, leaving about ½ inch of overhang.
Seal pie: Trim any excess dough. Fold the bottom crust up and over the edge of the top crust. Gently press together to seal. Use your fingers to create a scalloped edge.
Prep for baking: Use a fork to poke a few small holes in the center of the top crust. Brush lightly with milk.
Bake and enjoy: Place the pie on a baking sheet. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the crust is light golden. Let rest for 20–30 minutes before slicing!
My Pro Tips
Pro Tips for the Best Tourtière
- Use pork loin: boiling the pork and finely mincing it creates the meaty filling that makes this family recipe unique.
- Let the filling cool: warm filling can soften the butter in the pastry, making the crust harder to handle and less likely to bake up flaky.
- Cut vents in the top crust: a few small slits or fork holes allow steam to escape and help prevent the crust from becoming soggy.
- Bake on a sheet pan: place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any butter that bubbles over.
- Let the tourtière rest before slicing: resting for 20–30 minutes helps the filling set, making it easier to cut neat slices without the pie falling apart.
Serving Suggestions
Here’s a list of recommended ways to serve tourtière, from condiments to side dishes!
- Regular ketchup, sweet and tangy French-Canadian fruit ketchup, chili sauce, cranberry sauce, or mustard
- Dill Pickles or pickled veggies
- Simple green salad, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or Fried Cabbage
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead: Prepare the pork and potato filling up to 2 days in advance. Let it cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the pie. Or make the pie dough up to 2 days in advance and keep it tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature briefly if it’s too firm to roll.
- Refrigerate leftovers: Store baked tourtière in an airtight container or cover the pie plate tightly after it’s cooled completely. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Let the pie cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil or place it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality.
- Reheat: Warm leftover slices in a 350°F oven until heated through. The oven helps restore the crust’s crispness better than the microwave!
More Family Recipes You’ll Love!
Breakfast
How to Make Crêpes (Dad’s Recipe)
Breakfast
Mary’s Challah French Toast
Snacks & Side Dishes
Dad’s Sausage Stuffing
Desserts
Mom’s Pie Crust Cookies
Breakfast
Dad’s Quiche Recipe
If you’ve tried this Tourtière Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please let me know in the comments below. I love hearing from you. Please consider leaving a 🌟 star rating while you are here!
Tourtière Recipe (French-Canadian Meat Pie)
Equipment
- 9" pie plate
- Box grater
- Rolling Pin (if making crust)
Ingredients
The Filling
- ¾ pound boneless pork loin roast
- ¾ pound yellow potato, roughly 1 medium potato
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
The Pie Crust
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, coarsely grated
- 7-10 tablespoons ice water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ tablespoon milk, for brushing
Instructions
- For the crust, whisk together flour and salt in a medium bowl. Using the coarse side of a box grater, grate 1 stick of cold butter into the flour. Work it in with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Repeat with the second stick of butter.
- Add 7 tablespoons of cold water and stir with a fork. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with your hands until the dough just holds together when pressed. It should not be wet or sticky.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal balls, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate while preparing the filling.
- For the filling, place the pork roast and sliced onions in a medium pot. Add enough water to cover the pork by 1 inch and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 15–25 minutes, or until the thickest part of the pork reaches 145°F.
- Discard the onions and transfer the pork to a cutting board. Pat dry and set aside.
- Peel the potato(es) and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Add them to the pork broth and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until fork-tender.
- While the potatoes cook, use a fork and sharp chef’s knife to chop the pork into very fine, almost granular pieces, about ⅛ inch. This may take several minutes. Set aside.
- Remove the cooked potatoes from the broth with a slotted spoon, reserving the broth. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
- In a small bowl, combine the onion powder, allspice, and cloves. Sprinkle over the mashed potatoes and stir until evenly combined.
- Add the finely minced pork and 3 tablespoons pork broth to the potatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper, then stir and mash until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate, uncovered, while rolling out pie dough.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Flour a clean work surface, rolling pin, and your hands. Roll out one dough ball into a roughly 13-inch circle.
- Transfer the dough to an ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Gently press it into the bottom and sides, leaving about 1 inch of overhang around the rim.
- Spoon the filling into the crust (it shouldn’t be warmer than room temp). Press it into a firm, even layer.
- Roll out the second dough ball into an 11-inch circle. Center and lay the dough over the filling without stretching it, leaving about ½ inch of overhang.
- Use kitchen scissors or a sharp knife to trim any excess dough (you shouldn’t have much excess at all), leaving the top and bottom crusts easy to join.
- Fold the bottom crust up and over the edge of the top crust, working all the way around the pie. Gently press the folded dough together to seal.
- Use your fingers to create a scalloped edge, or press a fork around the rim to seal and decorate it.
- Use a fork to poke a few small holes in the center of the top crust to release steam. Brush the top lightly with milk.
- Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the crust is light golden brown. For a deeper golden finish, bake for another 5–10 minutes. Let rest for 20–30 minutes before slicing and serving!
Video
Notes
- You can buy a store-bought double crust to save time if preferred!
- A pork loin roast is essentially pork chops that are cut into a larger roast. Look for a lean roast with little fat!
- This meat pie is lightly spiced like my great grandmother made it! Prefer more spice? Double the spice amount!
- Make sure to work the butter into the flour mixture to create a fine crumble, and keep your pie dough cold, or else the butter may pool on the top of the pie when baking. If the pie is done baking and this happens, don’t panic! Use paper towels to dab off excess butter and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until golden.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I had tourtiere at a famous Quebec City restaurant. It was reminiscent of shepard’s pie and left me wondering what I was missing. This recipe explains it all. It is sensationally delicious with an luscious texture and haunting flavor. Truly a defining version of this dish.
This pie definitely requires some TLC but it’s so worth it!!!! By far the best tourtiere I’ve tried and I’ve had a lot. Very authentic
Aw thanks for such a big compliment!! Really appreciate your review.
Grace