English Pork Pie
By Thyme & Temp
English Pork Pie
By Thyme & Temp
Yield/Serves:
Makes 8 servings
Filling
Pastry
Gelatin:
- 1½ lbs of pork shoulder
- 1 lb of pork belly
- ½ pound of smoked bacon, sliced
- 1½ tbsp of fresh sage, chopped
- 2 tsp of fresh thyme
- 1 tsp of fresh ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp of mace
- 1 tbsp of salt (use more or less to your liking, it’s a lot of meat!)
- 2 tsp of fresh cracked pepper
Pastry
- 4¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup lard
- 1 cup water
- Unsalted butter for lightly coating the pan
- 1 egg for coating
Gelatin:
- 1 (¼-ounce) package of Knox gelatin powder
- 1 cup of cold chicken stock for setting of gelatin powder
- 1 ¼ cup of chicken stock for heating
This recipe takes some time. Total cook time is 2.5 hours but you have to cool the pie to add the gelatin and then you have cool the pie in the fridge once completed overnight. Prep time for the pork mixture is approximately 20-30 minutes, pastry is 15-20 minutes, and gelatin is 15 minutes.
Make the Filling: In a large mixing bowl, add all three pork components, thyme, sage, nutmeg, mace, salt and pepper, and blend thoroughly with a wooden spoon (or your hands.) Refrigerate until it’s time to add to the pan.
Make the Pastry: Preheat oven to 350°F.
Add flour to a large mixing bowl.
Using a sauce pan over low heat, add the water and lard, and heat until melted. Increase heat and bring to boil, then and remove from heat.
Slowly mix water and lard mixture into flour until combined, let it cool enough to touch, and then knead together with your hands.
Remove ¼ of the dough for the top, wrap with plastic, and set aside.
Use the remaining ¾ to line evenly along the sides and bottom of a springform pan. We used one that was 7 inches, lightly buttered.
Add pork mixture and pack rather tightly.
Roll out the dough reserved for the top to about a 5 mm thickness. Stretch it enough to pinch together with the sides already in the pan, then place on top of the meat.
Now cut away a hole or vent for steam. This is also where you will pour the gelatin.
Place in the oven for 30 minutes at 350°F.
After 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for 90 minutes.
At 90 minutes, brush the top with beaten egg and place back in the over for another 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool at room temperature for roughly an hour and a half. You can make the gelatin at this point.
Make the Gelatin: Combine the gelatin with 1 cup cold chicken stock and wait 5 to 10 minutes, until you can see that it’s worked its magic
Heat the remaining chicken stock to almost a boil, remove from heat and stir in the gelatin. Set aside and allow cool at room temperature.
When the pie has cooled, use a funnel (a turkey baster also works) to add the gelatin in batches into the steam vent.
Cover the pie with plastic and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Make the Filling: In a large mixing bowl, add all three pork components, thyme, sage, nutmeg, mace, salt and pepper, and blend thoroughly with a wooden spoon (or your hands.) Refrigerate until it’s time to add to the pan.
Make the Pastry: Preheat oven to 350°F.
Add flour to a large mixing bowl.
Using a sauce pan over low heat, add the water and lard, and heat until melted. Increase heat and bring to boil, then and remove from heat.
Slowly mix water and lard mixture into flour until combined, let it cool enough to touch, and then knead together with your hands.
Remove ¼ of the dough for the top, wrap with plastic, and set aside.
Use the remaining ¾ to line evenly along the sides and bottom of a springform pan. We used one that was 7 inches, lightly buttered.
Add pork mixture and pack rather tightly.
Roll out the dough reserved for the top to about a 5 mm thickness. Stretch it enough to pinch together with the sides already in the pan, then place on top of the meat.
Now cut away a hole or vent for steam. This is also where you will pour the gelatin.
Place in the oven for 30 minutes at 350°F.
After 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for 90 minutes.
At 90 minutes, brush the top with beaten egg and place back in the over for another 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool at room temperature for roughly an hour and a half. You can make the gelatin at this point.
Make the Gelatin: Combine the gelatin with 1 cup cold chicken stock and wait 5 to 10 minutes, until you can see that it’s worked its magic
Heat the remaining chicken stock to almost a boil, remove from heat and stir in the gelatin. Set aside and allow cool at room temperature.
When the pie has cooled, use a funnel (a turkey baster also works) to add the gelatin in batches into the steam vent.
Cover the pie with plastic and place in the refrigerator overnight.