Tourtière is a meat pie that originated in French Quebec but is a traditional dish that has been served for generations in all French Canadian families.  It was originally made with porc and veal and beef and served specifically between Thanksgiving though January of the new Year.

Every year in November, my parents would take a whole day to make 20-25 tourtières to get ready for the festive season. My mother would make the dough and pie crusts while my father had his “secret” recipe for the meat. I have such fond memories of this delicious dish that was served on cold winter nights.

I have adapted this recipe to a healthier version with grass fed beef and organic ground turkey as well as a gluten free pie crust. Serve with a salad or vegetable and you have a complete meal. Enjoy!

This recipe makes enough for 4 tourtières.

You can purchase a gluten free rice pie crust or you can venture to make your own.

Rice crust:                                                                            

If you have never made a crusty with rice flour, I will warn you that it is not stretchy like wheat. It crumbles easily and you cannot really roll it out in the size of a large pie plate. This recipe makes enough for 4 single crusts, so you will have to make 2 batches of this. It dries quickly which is why it is better to make it in 2 batches.

1 cup melted butter or coconut oil

4 large eggs

½ tsp. Himalayan salts

1 tsp. baking soda

3 cups brown rice flour

Whisk the eggs and butter or oil and pour over the mixed dry ingredients. Blend thoroughly and pat into the shell by hand. Or if you want to use a rolling pin, flatten the dough and roll it out, then cut it into quarters and place in the dish.

Meat filling:

This makes more than enough for 4 eight inch pies.

In a big pot add the following and cook for a few minutes until the onion softens:

2 Tbs. coconut or grapeseed oil

4 large cloves of garlic, pressed

2 large onions, finely chopped

3 large carrots, grated

1 cup finely chopped celery

Add 2 lbs. of grass fed ground beef and 2 lbs. of organic ground turkey

The following spices are the key ingredients to the wonderful flavor:

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp ground pepper

2 tsp. sage

2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

3 Tbs. cognac or Grand Marnier

Cook slowly, stirring frequently for about 30 minutes.

Spoon the meat filling into the pie crusts and cover with the top crust.

Bake for 10 minutes at 400 F and reduce to 350 F for about 25 minutes, watching the crust until it turns golden brown.