I cook the tourtière once a year, around the holidays. A satisfying winter dish that lends itself well to family feasting.
Ingredients
– 800g (net of trimmings) of beef. Stewing meat does the trick. Cut-up in cubes of 1 or 1,5 cm.
– 800g (net) of pork. Shoulder meat does the trick. Cut-up also in cubes of 1 or 1,5 cm.
– 240g Salted COV Pork Fat (“lard gras salé”). Cut-up in tiny dices of 1 or 2 mm, since the fat acts as a condiment, and that the intention is to have it melting into the recipe.
– 900g (net) of onions. In cubes of 1 or 1,5 cm.
– 2 kilograms (net) of potatoes. Peeled or not, as you wish. Also in cubes of 1 or 1,5 cm.
– salt and pepper to taste. I personally use 5 teaspoons (5 x 5ml) of each.
– 1 or 1,5 kilograms of pie dough, which I buy ready-made.
– About 300 to 500 ml of broth (beef or chicken).
Cut-up the ingredients (except dough and broth). Mix them by hand in a large container.
Roll a large surface of dough. As thin as practical. Cover the sides of the cast iron casserole with this dough which, while being as thin as possible, must be sufficiently tight to contain the broth and the cooking juices. It can be done in several pieces of dough; this is easier.
Fill the dough-covered casserole with the potato, onion and meat mixture.
Roll a smaller surface of dough. Cover the filled casserole filled with this dough.
Score the edges of the casserole with the flat of a fork to seal the two layers of dough. Cut out openings in the cover paste. Brush this cover with a mixture of egg and milk.
Heat the broth until boiling. Pour it gently and gradually through the openings in the cover. It is easier to use a small funnel.
Place in the oven at a low temperature, 250 degrees F (121 degrees C). Leave in the oven for several hours, at least 4-5 hours, up to 8 hours. It is not necessary to cover, unless the dough is too much colored; in this case, a simple sheet of aluminum foil is sufficient.
The dish tastes better when rewarmed. Allow for shorter cooking, and reheat (at 200 or 225 degrees F, 93 or 107 degrees C) for a very long time (2-3 hours).
It is customary to cook in large casseroles of enamelled cast iron, with a total capacity of 8 litres. Smaller containers, such as Pyrex bread pans (preferably to metal bread pans) can also be used; in this case, adjust to shorter cooking and reheating times.