Not to conform to the Yorkshire stereotype, but ooo by gum, I do love a pie. And I do struggle to find a good pork pie especially outside of the North. There’s a decent place in Borough Market, but it’s nothing like home; juicy, salty pork, achingly flavoursome jelly and crisp, yet crumbly, savoury pastry that just tastes of the pig. Bone quivering. If I was a princess and life was a Disney movie, my prince could forget about a ring or jewels or what not….just present me with a pork pie and I’m yours. Thinking about it, I should probably add this fact to my Tinder profile.
This recipe is a reet good stab at an excellent one. It takes about a day in total to make and get chilled, so make the day before and add it to your slap up weekend lunch table.
Buy the best pork that you can – it’s the star of the dish so make it good and make it British.
This recipe is a reet good stab at an excellent one. It takes about a day in total to make and get chilled, so make the day before and add it to your slap up weekend lunch table.
Buy the best pork that you can – it’s the star of the dish so make it good and make it British.
Recipe
Ingredients (makes 1 pie):
Filling:
125g lean pork, e.g. loin
125g fatty pork, e.g. belly
4 rashers of smoked bacon, cubed
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 heaped teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (stalks removed)
1 heaped teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
Pastry:
100ml milk
125 lard
250g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
Jelly:
2o0ml ham stock
gelatin
(Or make your own by boiling up some pork bones with onion and herbs, reducing the stock and leaving to cool and set)
Extras: approx. 11cm pork pie tin
Ingredients (makes 1 pie):
Filling:
125g lean pork, e.g. loin
125g fatty pork, e.g. belly
4 rashers of smoked bacon, cubed
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 heaped teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (stalks removed)
1 heaped teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
Pastry:
100ml milk
125 lard
250g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
Jelly:
2o0ml ham stock
gelatin
(Or make your own by boiling up some pork bones with onion and herbs, reducing the stock and leaving to cool and set)
Extras: approx. 11cm pork pie tin
Method:
1. Cube the pork into small cubes, maybe half a centimeter across. Put into a bowl with the bacon. Season with the cayenne, pepper, salt, thyme and sage and mix together thoroughly. Set aside to let the flavours infuse while you make the pastry.
2. For the pastry, warm the milk and half the lard in a saucepan on low heat until the lard has melted. Leave to cool.
3. Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut the remaining lard into small cubes and rub into the flour with your fingers to form breadcrumbs. Then make a well in the centre and gradually mix in the cooled milk and lard mix, to form a smooth dough. If it’s too dry, add a bit more water, and be aware that it might not need all the milk lard mix too – use your judgement.
4. Preheat the oven to 160 celsius. Divide the pastry into 2 – one large lump and one small one.
5. Roll out the large lump until it is maybe 4 mm thick. Line the tin by carefully laying it into the tin and pressing it around the sides. It will probably break at this stage, since the pastry is quite brittle. Don’t worry about it. Patch together the holes as best you can and just make sure that there are no gaps.
6. Roll out the small lump to form the lid. A good tactic is to roll it out and then cut around the tin – it should be the same size that way.
7. Spoon the pork mix into the tin. Pack it in but not too tightly or you won’t be able to fit the jelly in later. Put the lid on top and seal the edges by pinching the pastry together. Make a small circular hole in the centre of the pie top to let steam escape and to allow you to pour the jelly in later – I use a knife to cut a small cross and then use the handle of a wooden spoon to push through.
8. Decorate the top of the pie now if you like with some leaves cut out of the excess pastry. Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg – this gives it a lovely glossy shine when it has been baked.
9. Place the pie onto a tray and bake in the centre of the oven for one hour. After one hour, cover the top of the pie with a piece of damp baking paper to stop it browning further, turn the heat down to 140 celsius and cook for another hour.
10. While this is baking, make up your jelly mix by combining the ham stock and gelatin. Use the instructions that come with your gelatin, and leave to cool completely.
11. Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, put a small funnel in the hole in the top of the pie and pour in the jelly, until it fills up the whole pie. Put the pie in the fridge and allow the jelly to fully set for a couple of hours. Eat and enjoy.
1. Cube the pork into small cubes, maybe half a centimeter across. Put into a bowl with the bacon. Season with the cayenne, pepper, salt, thyme and sage and mix together thoroughly. Set aside to let the flavours infuse while you make the pastry.
2. For the pastry, warm the milk and half the lard in a saucepan on low heat until the lard has melted. Leave to cool.
3. Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut the remaining lard into small cubes and rub into the flour with your fingers to form breadcrumbs. Then make a well in the centre and gradually mix in the cooled milk and lard mix, to form a smooth dough. If it’s too dry, add a bit more water, and be aware that it might not need all the milk lard mix too – use your judgement.
4. Preheat the oven to 160 celsius. Divide the pastry into 2 – one large lump and one small one.
5. Roll out the large lump until it is maybe 4 mm thick. Line the tin by carefully laying it into the tin and pressing it around the sides. It will probably break at this stage, since the pastry is quite brittle. Don’t worry about it. Patch together the holes as best you can and just make sure that there are no gaps.
6. Roll out the small lump to form the lid. A good tactic is to roll it out and then cut around the tin – it should be the same size that way.
7. Spoon the pork mix into the tin. Pack it in but not too tightly or you won’t be able to fit the jelly in later. Put the lid on top and seal the edges by pinching the pastry together. Make a small circular hole in the centre of the pie top to let steam escape and to allow you to pour the jelly in later – I use a knife to cut a small cross and then use the handle of a wooden spoon to push through.
8. Decorate the top of the pie now if you like with some leaves cut out of the excess pastry. Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg – this gives it a lovely glossy shine when it has been baked.
9. Place the pie onto a tray and bake in the centre of the oven for one hour. After one hour, cover the top of the pie with a piece of damp baking paper to stop it browning further, turn the heat down to 140 celsius and cook for another hour.
10. While this is baking, make up your jelly mix by combining the ham stock and gelatin. Use the instructions that come with your gelatin, and leave to cool completely.
11. Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, put a small funnel in the hole in the top of the pie and pour in the jelly, until it fills up the whole pie. Put the pie in the fridge and allow the jelly to fully set for a couple of hours. Eat and enjoy.
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