Emilie Meyer
Pork pies are a traditional British dish, typically made with hot water crust pastry and served cold or at room temperature. The pastry is made by combining hot water with melted pork lard and adding it to seasoned flour, which forms a smooth, oily dough. This dough can then be rolled out and used to line muffin moulds or tins, or it can be hand-raised using a mould or jam jar for support. The key to shaping the pastry is to work quickly while it is still warm and pliable, as it will lose its smooth texture and become more brittle as it cools. Once the pastry is shaped, it is filled with a blend of fatty, seasoned pork mince and sealed with additional pastry before baking.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of pastry | Hot water crust pastry |
| Type of dough | Fatty |
| Dough ingredients | Flour, butter, lard, salt, egg, water |
| Dough preparation | Combine boiling water with melted pork lard, add to seasoned flour, mix, knead while still warm |
| Moulds | Small jam jars or Mason jars |
| Mould preparation | Brush the outside and bottom with vegetable oil, dust the base with flour |
| Pastry preparation | Roll out dough, cut out rounds to line moulds, cut out lids, brush pastry rims with beaten egg, place lids on top, crimp edges to seal |
| Filling ingredients | Pork shoulder, belly pork, onion, bacon, parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg, mace |
| Filling preparation | Mix ingredients, fry a small amount and taste, adjust mixture, fill pastry cases, pierce hole in lid for steam release |
| Baking | Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 until temperature in the centre is 176 F, brush with egg wash again |
| Jelly | Savoury jelly added after cooking to keep the pie moist |
Explore related products
Prepare the filling
To prepare the filling for your pork pie, you'll need a combination of pork meat and fat. You can use a mixture of ground pork shoulder and belly pork, or simply use pork mince. If you're using a combination of cuts, you'll need to mince or chop the meat. For 400g of ground pork shoulder, use 100g of belly pork. Season the meat with salt, pepper, ground mace, and nutmeg. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
Some recipes suggest adding onion, bacon, and parsley to the pork mixture. To check the seasoning, fry a small amount of the mixture in a pan and taste it. Adjust the seasoning as necessary.
If you're using a good-quality pork sausage, you may not need to add anything to the meat. Simply prepare the sausage meat to stuff the pies.
Once your filling is prepared, you can start assembling your pork pies. Roll out the larger piece of dough and cut out rounds to line your moulds. Place the pastry into the moulds, shaping it to fit the sides. The pastry should come slightly above the rim of each mould.
Use a heaped tablespoon to add the filling to each pastry case. Leave enough space at the top for the lid. You can use a chopstick or similar implement to make a hole in the middle of each pie. This hole is important for steam release during baking.
The Short Name Mystery: Pan, Greek God
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Make the dough
To make the dough for a pork pie, you will need to create a hot water crust. This is a different kind of crust from the usual pie dough, which is typically made with cold water. For a hot water crust, you will need to boil water and butter together and then knead the mixture while it is still warm. This results in a sturdy dough that can hold wet fillings without leaking.
The specific ingredients you will need are:
- 450 grams of all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 75 grams of unsalted butter
- 75 grams of lard
- 200 milliliters of water
First, put the flour, salt, and beaten egg into a large heatproof bowl and blend together with a knife. Next, put the butter, lard, and water into a small pan and heat gently until the butter and lard melt. Bring the mixture to a low boil and then stir it into the flour mixture using a wooden spoon.
Once the dough is cool enough to handle, tip it onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until it becomes smooth and shiny. You will know it is ready when the dough is smooth and shiny. Now you can start shaping the dough into your desired pie shape.
Mac and Cheese for a Crowd: How Many Pans?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Shape the pastry
Shaping the pastry for a pork pie is a simple process, but it requires speed and precision. Here is a step-by-step guide:
Firstly, ensure your pastry is ready to be shaped. The dough should be warm, pliable, and easy to work with. This is achieved by kneading the dough while it is still warm, creating a smooth, oily texture.
Next, you will need to decide on a mould to shape your pastry. Traditional pork pies are hand-raised, using a small jam jar or Mason jar as a mould. To prepare your mould, brush the outside and bottom of the jar with a thin layer of vegetable oil. You can also use a muffin tin or mould to shape your pastry, which some bakers find easier.
Now, take about two-thirds of your pastry and roll it out to a thickness of approximately 3mm or 1/4-inch. Keep the remaining pastry for the lids. Using an 11-12cm cutter, cut out rounds to line your moulds. Place the pastry into the moulds, shaping it to fit the sides neatly. The pastry should come slightly above the rim of each mould.
Roll out the remaining piece of dough and use a smaller cutter, approximately 6-7cm, to cut out the lids. You may need to re-roll the pastry if you need to cut out more lids, but only do this once as the pastry will toughen as it cools.
Finally, seal your pies. Brush the rims of the pastry cases with beaten egg and place the lids on top. Crimp the edges together securely to seal in the filling. You can use a fork to create a decorative edge, if desired. Pierce the centre of each lid with a small hole to allow steam to escape during baking. Your pies are now ready to be baked!
A DIY Rim for Your Cat's Litter Pan
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Bake the pie
Once you've prepared your pastry dough and filling, it's time to bake your pork pie!
First, preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. While the oven is heating up, you can prepare your pastry moulds. Take small jam jars and brush the outside and bottom with a thin layer of vegetable oil. Then, roll out your pastry dough to an even thickness of about 3mm or 1/4 inch. Using a cutter, cut out rounds for the pie bases and lids. For a standard muffin mould, your base should be about 11-12cm in diameter, and the lid should be 6-7cm in diameter.
Place the bases into your moulds, shaping the pastry to fit the sides. The pastry should come slightly above the rim of each mould. You can use the remaining pastry trimmings to cut out the lids. Remember to work quickly, as the pastry will stiffen as it cools and become more difficult to shape.
Now it's time to fill your pies. Place a heaped tablespoon of your pork filling into each pastry case. Be careful not to overfill, leaving a little space at the top of the mould. Use a chopstick or similar tool to make a hole in the centre of each pie lid, about 5mm in diameter. This hole is crucial for releasing steam while the pie bakes.
Brush the rims of the pastry cases with beaten egg and place the lids on top. Crimp the edges together to seal the pie securely. Brush the entire lid and sides with more beaten egg to give your pie a beautiful sheen.
Your pies are now ready for the oven! Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the centre of the pie reaches 176°F. The pastry should turn a rich golden brown, and the filling should be thoroughly hot.
Once your pies are baked to perfection, remove them from the oven and brush with another layer of egg wash. This will give them a glossy finish. Allow the pies to cool slightly before removing them from the moulds.
Your pork pies are now ready to be enjoyed! Serve them with traditional condiments like beer, pickles, relish, spicy mustard, or chutney.
Pie Pan Prep: Grease or No Grease?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$25.99
Finishing touches
Creating the Pastry Lid
Cut lids to fit your pie from the remaining pastry roll. The lid should be slightly smaller than the top opening of the pie, so the pastry comes slightly above the rim. You can use a cutter to get a neat, circular shape.
Sealing the Pie
Brush the rim of the pastry case with beaten egg and place the lid on top. Crimp the edges together well to seal the pie.
Creating a Steam Hole
Using a skewer, chopstick, or similar thin object, pierce the centre of the lid to create a tiny hole. This is a crucial step to allow steam to escape.
Glazing the Pie
Create an egg wash by beating together 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon of water, and a pinch of salt. Brush the egg wash liberally all over the pie. This will give the pie a beautiful sheen when baked.
Baking the Pie
Bake the pie for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the temperature in the centre reaches 176°F. The pie is ready when the pastry turns golden and crisp, and the filling is thoroughly hot.
Final Touches
Remove the pie from the oven and brush with the egg wash again. Allow the pie to cool and chill, then pour a savoury jelly through the steam hole. This will help keep the pie moist. Place the pie in the fridge to set overnight.
Your pork pie is now ready to serve! Pork pie is traditionally served cold or at room temperature, often with beer, pickles, relish, spicy mustard, or chutney on the side.
Mastering Stainless Steel: Achieving Perfect Char
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
To prepare your pans for a pork pie pastry recipe, you will need to grease your pans with vegetable oil or plastic wrap. You can use small jam jars or Mason jars as moulds.
Roll out the dough to about 3mm thickness. Using a cutter, cut out rounds to line the moulds. Put them into the moulds, shaping them to fit the sides. The pastry should come slightly above the rim of each mould.
Put a heaped tablespoonful of the filling into each pastry case. Use a chopstick or something similar to make a hole in the middle of each pie lid. This hole is crucial for steam release. Brush the pastry case rims with beaten egg and place the lids on top.
