Tourtiere Is The Canadian Holiday Dish That'll Rival Your Christmas Classics (2024)

FAQs

What holiday is associated with tourtière? ›

This bistro owner brought it south of the border. Tourtières is typically enjoyed during the Québécois tradition of Réveillon, a big feast late Christmas Eve.

Tourtière was always on the table, and in 17-century Québec, the pie was traditionally served in a cast-iron cauldron and stuffed with cubed meats, often wild game (rabbit, pheasant, or moose). Four centuries later, the pie remains a staple dish both at réveillon and in Québécois households.

ˌtȯr- or tortière. plural tourtières or tourtieres also tortieres or tortières. : a savory French-Canadian pie with a flaky crust and a filling of cubed, minced, or ground meat (such as pork, beef, or game) mixed with spices (such as cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg) and often vegetables and herbs.

The traditional Québecois tourtière traces its history back to the 17th century, when Québec was a French colony. Of course, the concept of a meat-filled pastry is not specific to Québec or even Europe, with many cultures around the world having equivalent dishes or snacks.

Pumpkin pie is America's favorite holiday pie.

Meat pie is primarily made of ground meat (pork, beef or veal) and aromatics (onion, garlic, spices, etc.). In Saguenay–Lac‑Saint‑Jean and Charlevoix, however, “real” tourtière is a lot heartier than meat pie and contains other meats (such as game) and potatoes that have been simmered in stock.

A time-honoured classic, Apple Pie is still a favourite across Canada and the US, as the most popular flavour of pie in both countries.

Tourtiere is traditional for Christmas or winter holidays but is eaten throughout the year. I have been making Tourtiere for my family for a long time. I tend to make it in the fall or winter, but there's no reason you can't make it year-round.

Historical records of Quebec tourtière, which was likely named for the copper and tin pans the pies are baked in, date back to the 17th century. But hearty pies of the sort have been around for as long as humans have thought to combine pastry with meat.

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Which holiday is pumpkin pie? ›

Pumpkin pie is a traditional North American sweet dessert, eaten during the fall and early winter, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas. In fact, those two holidays are the days when most pumpkin pies are eaten by Americans.

National Pie Day is a celebration of pies that occurs annually in the United States on January 23.

Tourtière (meat pie) originated in Québec and is a treat typically made for Christmas or New Year's (sometimes, both!). There's a long history of this pie in Canada and just about every family (and certainly, every province) has its own version.