British Mains Lunch Main Dishes Pastries Pork Recipes

How to Make a Traditional Hand-Raised Pork Pie

Written by Elaine Lemm
Updated 05/20/19

The Spruce 

28 RATINGS

Total: 105 mins

Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Yield: 4 small pies (4 servings)

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Looking
To be honest, fornever
I had something else?
actually thought about making a traditional pork pie. Why
would I, I live in the north of England where we have some of the best pork pie
makers going? We even have the Pork Pie Appreciation Society practically on my
makers going? We even have the Pork Pie Appreciation Society practically on my
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doorstep.

After watching the talented and renowned butcher David Lishman making pies, I
decided to give it a go. I have played with his recipe and ultimately created my own,
and am pleased with the results. It is surprisingly easy to do.

A traditional pork pie is made using hot water pastry which is then raised by hand
using a mould or in my case a jam jar for support.

Ingredients
■ For the Hot Water Pastry
■ 200 milliliters water
■ 75 grams butter
■ 75 grams lard
■ 450 grams plain our (sifted)
■ 1 pinch salt
■ 1 egg (beaten)
■ 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (or rapeseed oil)
■ For the Pie Filling
■ 175 grams pork shoulder (minced)
■ 50 grams belly pork (minced)
■ Salt (to taste)
■ Pepper (to taste)
■ 1/4 teaspoon mace
■ 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly ground)
■ Looking for something else?
1 egg
■ 1 pinch salt
■ For the Jelly Ad

■ 3 gelatin leaves

■ 1 cup chicken stock

■ Salt (to taste)
■ White pepper (to taste)

Steps to Make It

Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this pork dish is broken down into
workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and baking.

Make the Hot Water Pastry

01 Gather the ingredients.

Ingredients for hot water pastry

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02 Put the water, butter, and lard into a saucepan and gently heat to melt both
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 the butter and the lard. Then bring to a gentle boil.
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Melt butter

03 Put the flour into a large heatproof bowl and add the salt and the egg. Mix
together with a knife.

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Flour in bowl

04 Add the hot fat and water mixture and combine thoroughly.

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Mix our and fat

05 Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough
becomes smooth and silky.

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Dough on surface

06 Take your small jam jars and cover the outside with a light layer of oil.

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Jam jars and olive oil

07 Take 2/3 of the pastry and roll out to 1/4-inch thick (the remaining 1/3 of
pastry should be wrapped).

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Roll out pastry

08 Cut a 6-inch circle and lay over the jam jar bottom and gently ease up the
side of the jar. Be careful not to stretch the pastry too thin. Your pastry
should be even all over and without any holes or tears. If the pastry does
tear, simply remold using your fingers. Hot water pastry is very forgiving.

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Lay dough over jar

09 Cover the pastry with a strip of greaseproof paper cut to the depth you want
your pie and long enough to wrap around the jar. Tie with string. Trim the top
edge to create a neat edge with a sharp knife.

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Tie strip of paper around jar

10 Place into the refrigerator to harden.

Create the Pork Pie Filling

01 Gather the ingredients.

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Ingredients for lling

02 Pre-heat the oven to 325 F/160 C/Gas 3.

03 Place both meats in a bowl and season with the salt, pepper, mace, and
nutmeg. Mix thoroughly.

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Place meats in a bowl

04 Take your pastry cases from the fridge and pack the meat almost, but not
completely, to the top.

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Fill crust

05 From the remaining pastry roll and cut lids to fit your pie.

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Cut lids

06 Put the lid on top and crimp to create a tight seal.

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Crimp edges

07 Using a skewer or chopstick, pierce the center of the lid to create a tiny air
hole.

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Use skewer to poke a hole

08 Create your egg wash by beating together the egg and the pinch of salt.
Brush liberally, all over, with the egg wash.

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Create egg wash

09 Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the temperature in the centre is 176 F.

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Bake until golden

10 Remove from the oven and egg wash again.

Make the Jelly

01 Gather the ingredients.

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Ingredients for jelly

02 Meanwhile, soak the gelatin leaves in cold water for 15 minutes.

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Soak gelatin in cold water

03 Squeeze the leaves and add to warmed chicken stock.

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Add to warm chicken stock

04 Leave to cool, then season with a little salt and pepper.

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Season

05 Pour the jelly into the center of the pie through the tiny air hole (use a
funnel for accuracy).

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Pour the jelly into the center

06 Leave in a cool place to set.

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Leave them to set

07 Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Tags:

Pork Pork Pie Lunch British

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Pork Pork Pie Lunch British

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