Directions:

Note: Spice measurements are approximate. I usually wing it and modify to my personal taste!

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix all ingredients except for boiling water and egg yolk in a Dutch oven. Form cavity in center and add boiling water. Stir together until meat is covered. Cook on stovetop on medium heat, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking or burning. Continue until fully cooked.

Give it a taste test. If you want to add any additional spices, salt, pepper, do so now. Let cool slightly.

When cooled, with a slotted spoon, place meat into uncooked 9” pie shell. Cover with additional pastry crust. Pierce top of pastry. Brush egg yolk on top. You may want to cover the edges with tin foil to prevent over cooking.

Cook at 325ºF for 15 minutes then 350ºF for another 30-40 minutes. Check around the 30 minute mark to see if they are golden and crust is fully cooked.

Down memory lane: Every early November, when my mother was still living, I would always go home to Pembroke from wherever I lived at the time to make our tourtières and fruit cake together. Though she is no longer with me, I now make the effort to invite my sons to come and make them with me every year. I have also “trained” two of my brothers who really missed my mom’s tourtière on how to make them. It has become a tradition with their children to gather to make this every November in time for Christmas Réveillon. When it is served with her red tomato chutney ketchup (recipe below) nothing brings back Christmas more than that.