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Anyone got a foolproof pork pie recipe? I particularly like the ones with a boiled egg in the middle.

Do they tend to use cure in pork pies? The shop bought ones seem very pink - so i'm thinking they do.

Hi Aris

Please find recipe below

Pork Pies
Hot Water Pastry

450 gram Plain flour
� tsp salt
175 gram lard
150 ml water

Sift flour into a bowl with the salt
Put the lard & water into a pan and bring to the boil
Add the hot water & lard to the flour & mix with a knife to a soft dough
Leave to cool slightly & then mould � of the past around a floured jam jar or pie mould, making sure there are no cracks in the paste
Wrap the paste with brown paper & tie with string.
Leave to set
Once set remove the jar carefully & fill with the pork mixture
Roll the remaining past to for a lid

Melton Mowbray Pie Meat

1 Kg pork shoulder
1 tsp fresh sage
1 tsp Anchovy essence
� tsp ground allspice
Salt & Black pepper to taste

Mince meat to 5mm
Mix all ingredients together
Place � the mixture into the pie mould & then place the boiled shelled eggs in the centre.
Add the remaining pork pie meat
Lid off, brush with beaten egg or milk & make a hole in the top
Pre-heat oven to 200c
Place pie in the centre of the oven & bake for 30 minutes
Reduce the heat to 160 & continue baking for a further 60 minutes or until the meat is cooked
If it is getting too brown, then cover with a sheet of baking parchment.
Allow the pie to cool slightly & then make up some jellied stock & pour through the hole in the top of the pie
Leave in a cool place to set.

N.B. the anchovy essence makes the pork turn pink; if you want to use a cure you may do so instead of the anchovy, however this was the traditional way I am led to believe.

regards
sausagemaker

Interesting - thanks. I wonder what the anchovy essence does to keep it pink - natural nitrites?

I've never seen/used it before - is it available in supermarkets

Not sure what makes it pink I just remember reading it in one of the cookbooks, It's one of those things that just stuck.
As for the essence yes you can get it in supermarkets, I've seen it in Morrisons.
If you get stuck give me a shout & I can get it & send it to you?

regards
sausagemaker

What does it look like? Similar to Thai fish sauce?

Ok, I found it on the tesco website:

BURGESS ANCHOVY ESSENCE 225G �0.98

My local shop should have it.

It's darker and thicker than thai fish sauce. It does have a slight pink tinge so it may have some nitrites in it as a preservative. Maybe someone who has a bottle could check the ingredients list.

Hi Aris

Did you ever make your pork Pie?

Regards
Sausagemaker

No, it is on my 'to do' list with countless other things

I made the large pork pie from Gary Rhodes' British Classics cookbook, and although it seemed to take hours from start to finish, it was well worth the effort. It wasn't difficult to make, just time-consuming, but I would definitely make it again for a family lunch or something like that.

Really fancy having a go but seems a lot of effort for one or two of the crusted wonders. Does anyone know if:

a) Can pork pies be sucessfully frozen?
b) How long they would keep in a fridge?

Thanks WW

Slightly off topic but if your making Steak & Kidney pie, add some Anchovy Essence (cpl of tsp) and it will taste even better. Think this goes back to when S&K pies contained Oysters as in those days they were cheaper than Steak was. my mum always adds some and also some Mushroom Essence...plus of course Lea & Perrins !! (which by the way also has Anchovy in it !)

YP

BTW, will give the Pork Pies a whirl next time am sausage making as I love a good, well jelied PP !

Welsh Wizard

There are a few posts discussing whether it is practicle freezing pork pies in the cooked or raw state in another part of the forum.

http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=738&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=60

Down towards the bottom of the page.

Regards, Paul Kribs

Found another pork pie recipe, sounds nice but haven't tried it yet.

Melton Mowbray recipe

A robust pie from the Shires, justly famous for its juicy, jellied filling. A little anchovy essence gives the meat an extra savoury tang. The pies were originally served at high tea after a long day�s hunt.

Serves 8

Plain flour - 450g (1 lb)
Egg yolk - 1
Lard - 175g (6 oz), diced
Milk - 100ml (4 fl oz)
Lean pork - 900g (2 lb), cut into � cm (� inch) dice
Bacon rashers - 3, finely diced
Fresh sage - 1 tsp, finely chopped
Fresh thyme - 1 tsp, finely chopped
Anchovy essence - 1 tsp
Ground mace - � tsp
Ground allspice - � tsp
Chicken stock - 600ml (1 pint)
Egg, 1, beaten, to glaze
Gelatine - 15g (� oz)

Method

Warm a mixing bowl and sieve the flour into it. make a well in the centre and add the egg yolk.

Gently heat the lard in the milk until it has melted, then bring rapidly to the boil. Pour immediately into the well in the flour and draw the ingredients together with a wooden spoon to form a soft, pliable but not sticky ball of dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic. Cover and leave to rest in a warm place for 20-30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 200 �C / 400 �F / Gas 6.

Mix together the pork, bacon, herbs, anchovy essence and spices. Moisten with 3 tablespoons of the stock.
Roll out two thirds of the pastry on a lightly floured surface and mould round a 1.1 kg (2� lb) floured straight sided jam jar, or line a raised pie mould or drop-sided terrine. If using a jar, leave the pastry to set on a baking sheet, then gently ease out the jar.

Pack the meat mixture into the pastry. Roll out the remaining pastry to make a lid for the pie. Press the edges together tightly to seal. Scallop the edges and decorate with pastry leaves. Cut a hole in the centre of the lid. Tie a double thickness of buttered greaseproof paper around the outside of the pie if formed using a jam jar. Brush the top with beaten egg. Place on a baking sheet if using a mould or terrine.

Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180 �C / 350 �F / Gas 4 and bake for a further 2� hours. Remove the mould or greaseproof paper, brush the sides and top with egg and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes, until well browned. Remove from the oven, leave until almost cold.

Heat the stock in a saucepan and sprinkle in the gelatine. Stir briskly until dissolved. Leave to cool slightly. Pour liquid through the hole in the pastry lid. Leave in a cool place overnight. Serve cut in thick slices.

regards, Paul Kribs

I'm going to make a pork pie this weekend as the barbecue season seems to have dissapeared Not sure what recipe to use but as I've now got my dolly(thanks Paul) I'm half way there...

Franco