Special Dough for Tourtieres

A traditional tourtiere pastry made with lard for that flaky, tender crust that French-Canadian meat pies are famous for. This dough is forgiving, rolls out like a dream, and makes enough for several pies.

The technique uses lard two ways. Most of it gets cut into the flour like a standard pie crust, creating those flaky layers. The rest dissolves in hot water and gets mixed into the dough with a beaten egg and lemon juice. This hot-water method makes the dough pliable and easy to work with, unlike a traditional cold-only pie crust that can be tricky and temperamental.

Baking powder in the dough is unusual for pastry but adds a slight lift that makes the crust tender rather than dense. The lemon juice (or vinegar) tenderizes by inhibiting gluten development, keeping the finished crust short and crumbly.

Chef Tips

• Cut the first portion of lard into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Pea-sized chunks are too large for this dough.
• Dissolve the remaining lard completely in the hot water before adding to the flour mixture.
• Knead for just 1 minute. More than that develops gluten and toughens the crust.
• Chill at least 1 hour before rolling. The cold firms the lard and makes the dough easier to handle.

Variations

• Substitute cold butter for half the lard if you prefer a more buttery flavor (though traditional tourtiere uses all lard).
• Use white vinegar instead of lemon juice for the same tenderizing effect.
• This dough freezes well. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.