Reveillon Tourtière (Acadian Meat Pie)

Updated December, 2020

This traditional meat pie originated with 17th century French Acadian settlers of Eastern Canada and New England. On Christmas eve, or Reveillon, the family would attend midnight mass together, then return home to open their presents and feast on the fragrant and savory meat pie. I developed the following recipe for my ex’s family in 2009 when the bakery that made their tourtières closed. His sister still makes this tourtière every Reveillon for her own family.

The thing that sets the Acadian meat pie apart is the texture and flavor of the filling. Its signature texture is like a fine loose hamburger, not dense like meatloaf. This is achieved by cooking the filling first, then quickly pulsing it a few times in the food processor to get a finer grind on the meat and chop the potatoes into smaller bits. The key to the flavor is Bell’s Seasoning, a classic poultry seasoning blend dating back to 1867, comprised of rosemary, oregano, sage, ginger, marjoram, thyme, and black pepper. I prefer adding the spices and adjusting the seasoning as I’m processing the already cooked meat and potatoes. Some recipes I’ve seen direct you to add the spices when the potatoes and water are added, but I found that cooking them twice dulled the flavor and I ended up having to use more. Besides, as the pie bakes, the meat has plenty of time to meld with the spices. Continue reading…