Proper 'old fashioned' pork pie

By: Mike Robinson From: Heaven's Kitchen At Large

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This recipe is classed as intermediate

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Prep time:
20 min, plus 1 hr resting, 2 days chilling
Cook time:
1 hr 30 min
Serves:
Makes 1 pie

This appetising traditional pork pie from Mike Robinson and Alan Haywood combines juicy pork and bacon in crisp golden pastry

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Cooks Tips...

You can cater for personal taste by adding ingredients such as mustard, garlic etc. to the pastry dough.

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Ingredients

For the filling

  • 450 g pork shoulder, (ask your butcher for the higher meat) finely chopped
  • 55 g pork fat, finely minced
  • 55 g bacon, minced

For the pastry

  • 450 g flour
  • 225 g lard
  • 90 ml water
  • beaten egg yolks, or milk to glaze

For the jelly

  • 300 ml water
  • 1/2 envelope powdered gelatine, (about 6g)
  • parsley, or other herbs (optional)
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How does this work?

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It's simple.

With just one click, all these ingredients will be put into a basket on mySupermarket.co.uk.

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Method

1. To make the pastry: put the flour in a mixing bowl and crumble in the lard. Work until beginning to come together. Add a pinch of salt and start adding the water gradually, working until the dough breaks (NB. it must not be stretchable). Let it rest for 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5.

3. Knead the dough on a floured surface and roll out about 5mm thick. Reserve enough pastry to make a lid. Use the larger piece of dough to line the base and sides of a 20cm plain flan ring or springform tin.

4. To make the filling: mix the pork shoulder, pork fat and bacon and season with salt and pepper. Place this mixture in the dough case, but don't squash it in.

5. Brush the edges of the dough with water and place the lid on top. Make sure this is sealed well by pressing with a fork.

6. Brush the top with egg yolk or milk. Cook in the oven for about 1 hour 30 minutes until golden brown.

7. Remove from the oven and remove the flan ring immediately. Leave the pie to cool, and then chill overnight.

8. The following day, make up the gelatine with the water according to the packet instructions. You can add parsley or other herbs if desired. Make a hole in the top of the pie and pour the gelatine in until the pie is completely filled (the meat will have shrunk so there will be plenty of space). Let the pie set in the fridge overnight (or for at least 12 hours for the best results).


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Latest Comment

View all comments (17)
 

Proper pork pie should be hotwater pastry, not just short. The water should be boiling.

PeterLucas PeterLucas  Posted 16 Aug 2012 6:36 PM
 

Much too bland. Needs herbs added to the pork and at least a savoury stock instead of water, to make a tasty aspic.
Also, prefer proper hot water crust, which is not hard to make

tobyjug3 tobyjug3  Posted 12 Mar 2012 6:53 AM
 

Do not cook this poo! :(

TheD37029 TheD37029  Posted 24 Feb 2012 3:28 PM
 

Sorry, but this recipe is a modern cheat. Commercial gelatine does not belong in a proper pork pie! To make the jelly for the filling, you need a good, reduced stock, using pork bones, a carrot, an onion, a pig's trotter, a 'bouquet garni' and some peppercorns and salt.
Oh, and lard does not crumble, it is too soft. It should be worked into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, if that is what you mean...
As for adding pork fat to the filling, why? The result is not meant to be greasy, and there's plenty of fat in the pastry to crisp it up.
The filling also needs some flavouring; add some salt and cracked pepper for starters, then you could add sage, thyme, mace, nutmeg, allspice and even some anchovy sauce, according to your preferences.
To prevent the pastry from burning, protect it with some folded up greaseproof paper once it has reached the golden-brown stage, rather than reducing the oven temp or shortening the cooking time.
If you follow these suggestions, you'll end up with a far better pie.
Cheers,

Miss Peggy.
Australia.

Miss Peggy13586 Miss Peggy13586 Posted 18 Jan 2012 2:50 AM
 

There are better pork pie recipes frankly

blulou blulou Posted 09 Sep 2011 11:38 PM
 

TRY THIS WITH A HOT WATER PASTRY AND ALSO MINCE ABOUT A THIRD OF THE PORK....DELICIOUS ANY WAY YOU MAKE IT, BUT TRY TO CONVINCE AN AUSSIE TO EAT A COLD MEAT PIE!

anneG98445 anneG98445 Posted 09 Sep 2011 2:50 AM
 

Mine looks delicious..
I had a 5" raised pie tin (Lakeland Plastics) and halved the ingredients. I also changed the cooking pattern a little because it ran the risk of burning the pie crust top. So I reduced the temp to 140C for the last 40 minutes.
Tempted to make it again with some additional seasoning in the filling.

robE52878 robE52878 Posted 31 Aug 2011 4:10 PM
 

Should the 90ml of water in the pastry be hot?

PeterLucas PeterLucas Posted 29 Apr 2011 2:54 PM
 

Good recipe. I have made this many times. Pork pies such as these benefit from adding herbs such as sage and thyme, even parsley and onion. Mrs Beeton suggested mutton fat and mustard for flavour! Some recipes suggest adding apple or cranberry. The pork these days does not seemm to have the intense flavour it did some years ago.

Paul7rhg Paul7rhg Posted 12 Mar 2011 6:15 AM
 

Although this recipe is acceptable, it didnt set the taste buds alight! I feel that its for people with little time. I use a 200+ year old recipe of my Mothers and the time and effort it commands is evident in the tasting and satisfaction.

MadgeW91049 MadgeW91049 Posted 18 Dec 2010 11:55 AM
 

best pork pie i have ever tasted,thanks a mill

roystonH18542 roystonH18542 Posted 15 Aug 2010 10:30 PM
 

joyceH01091 your not supposed to warm them up ,,
you eat them cold,,

peterP59577 peterP59577 Posted 23 Oct 2009 12:07 AM
 

Pastry disappointing - hot water crust more 'traditional'! Flavor of the pie the same, sage and black pepper gives a better flavor.
Won't be reccommending this to anyone!

SharonA21518 SharonA21518 Posted 11 Sep 2009 11:17 AM
 

My pastry was very crumbly, even the next day. dont know why, followed the recipe. can some help.

joyceH91091 joyceH91091 Posted 07 May 2009 8:19 PM
 

I'm currently on step # 8 and can't wait to warm the pies up and finally eat them tonight - Hope they turn out!

TrevorR15516 TrevorR15516 Posted 03 Mar 2009 5:11 PM
 

I usually buy my pies from local farmers market because I thought it was too difficult. But reading this recipe I will try my own with the shoulder I have from the half a pig bought from local farmer. Paulas rich jelly stock sounds wonderful

Lynda02 Lynda02 Posted 05 Oct 2008 10:49 AM
 

Raised pies are easy to make and are even better when you use rich jelly stock to 'set' the pie with.
Looking forward to trying this one though as I've only made mine using left over turkey & ham at christmas or as a very special picnic treat - they are time consuming, hovever they really wow people on the buffet table.

facepaint_paula facepaint_paula Posted 09 Apr 2008 7:54 AM