Make Ahead Tourtiere Recipe
There’s no better way to celebrate the holiday season than with a delicious meat pie! That’s why this classic tourtiere recipe is always served in our house during our Christmas celebration. On top of being delicious, this hearty recipe is also simple to make! Combine a savory filling of meat and potatoes with a flaky pie crust, then store your recipe in the freezer to prep this holiday dish ahead of time.
Growing up, this tourtière was served at our Réveillon which is the traditional French Canadian Christmas celebration where everyone stays awake until morning. The family gathering is centered around food and this traditional holiday meat pie is always present. We also always had a Buche de Noel which is a yule log, usually in chocolate.
Watch us make several of these meat pies for the freezer in the video below.
Tourtiere Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds lean ground pork
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 1 potato, finely diced
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 frozen pie shells
Assembly Instructions:
- Combine the ground beef, ground pork, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, potatoes, and milk in a large skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat browns and the potato softens.
- When the meat and potatoes are cooked through, mash the ingredients until smooth.
- Stir in the cinnamon and cloves.
- Remove the pan from heat and allow the filling to cool slightly.
- Spoon the mixture evenly over the two pie shells, then top each pie with frozen pie dough. Use a sharp knife to add slits to the top for venting.
- Cover each pie with two layers of foil and place in the freezer until ready to bake.
Cooking instructions:
- Transfer the pie to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the thawed pie in to bake. Cook covered for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
- The beef pie can also be cooked from frozen by adding to the cooking time.
What is Tourtiere?
This delicious dish is traditionally served during the Christmas season throughout Canada and New England. This simple recipe has been in my family for years and is made by combining meat, potatoes, onions, savory seasonings inside a traditional pie crust.
How Do You Store Tourtiere?
You can store your meat pies in the freezer until you’re ready to bake them. And after the pies have been cooked, they should be kept in the refrigerator. When you’re finished enjoying your tourtiere, simply cover the pie dish with foil or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. They’ll stay good for up to four days.
To reheat the meal, place the pan in the oven to bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through. Or warm the pie in the microwave.
- 2 lbs lean ground pork
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 onion minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 Tbsp pepper
- 1 potato finely diced
- ½ cup milk
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 2 frozen pie shells
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Combine the ground beef, ground pork, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, potatoes, and milk in a large skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat browns and the potato softens.
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When the meat and potatoes are cooked through, mash the ingredients until smooth.
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Stir in the cinnamon and cloves.
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Remove the pan from heat and allow the filling to cool slightly.
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Spoon the mixture evenly over the two pie shells, then top each pie with frozen pie dough. Use a sharp knife to add slits to the top for venting.
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Cover each pie with two layers of foil and place in the freezer until ready to bake.
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Thaw.
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Preheat the oven to 350°. Cook covered for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
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The beef pie can also be cooked from frozen by adding additional cooking time.
