Instant Pot Tourtière–a meat pie made with ground beef, ground pork, spices and potatoes. Use the Instant Pot to help prepare the pie faster.
Instant Pot Tourtière
Each week in 2020 I featured a recipe inspired by one of the states in the U.S. Now that I’ve covered all the states and there are still a couple weeks left in the year I decided to share a recipe from our friendly Canadian neighbors to the north. I chose something called tourtière.
According to Wikipedia, “Tourtière is a Canadian meat pie dish originating from the province of Quebec, usually made with minced pork, veal or beef and potatoes. Wild game is sometimes used. A traditional part of the Christmas réveillon and New Year’s Eve meal in Quebec, it is also popular in New Brunswick, and is sold in grocery stores across the rest of Canada, all year long.”
“There are as many recipes for tourtière as there are cooks in Quebec.”
A French Baker
My version of tourtière uses the Instant Pot to quickly steam the potatoes and then brown up the ground pork and ground beef. I love using my steamer basket* in the Instant Pot. If you don’t have a steamer basket you can just place the potatoes straight in the water in the bottom of the pot. They might come out a little grainy but they’ll still be okay!
From what I understand you can use a variety of different meats in tourtière. I chose to use what I could easily find…ground pork and ground beef. Other choices might be ground veal or wild game.
I was unsure of how the spices used would taste in the meat pie…cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg seemed more like something I’d use in pumpkin cookies rather than a savory meat dish. However Greg and I both loved how the meat tasted! It was a win at my house. Not something we’d normally eat but it was fun to try something new and different.
More “pie” recipes…
Instant Pot Bacon Cheddar Chicken Pot Pie
Instant Pot Shepherd’s Pie Casserole
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Instant Pot Tourtiere
- Yield: 8 slices 1x
Ingredients
- 1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tsp onion powder or 1 cup diced onions
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 egg
- 2 unbaked pie crusts, rolled into 12 inch diameter (I used these, but you can make homemade if you prefer)
Instructions
- Pour 1 cup water into bottom of Instant Pot. Add potatoes to a steamer basket and lower them into the Instant Pot. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 5 minutes. When time is up perform a quick release.
- Remove the steamer basket and set aside. Reserve ½ cup of the potato water. Discard the rest and wipe out the bottom of the pot.
- Turn Instant Pot to saute (more) setting. When display says HOT add in the pork, beef and onions (if using). Break up the meat and brown for about 10 minutes. Drain off any excess grease.
- Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Pour the potatoes into a bowl and mash. Then stir the the mashed potatoes and reserved potato water into the meat. When water is mostly absorbed turn off the Instant Pot.
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Place one of the pie crusts into bottom of a pie tin. Add in the meat filling. Whisk the egg well and use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash over the outer edge of the pastry.
- Place the other pastry on top of the filling. Fold the top crust under the bottom crust and pinch or flute the edges. Brush the top crust with the egg wash and cut vent holes in the top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. You can also use the 8 quart Instant Pot (just increase potato water to 1.5 cups).
- Category: Beef and Pork
- Method: Instant Pot/Oven
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
My mother inlaw gave me her recipe years ago. She use to simmer the meat, spices and onions on the stove for like 2 hours., The smell through the house was excellent. Her parents were both 1st generation Albertans from Quebec. The only spice she used was allspice. Maybe this was due to availability when her mother use to make it. To bind it she would later put in some bread crumbs.
Oh I love hearing your memories of tourtiere! How sweet!
I’m from Montreal, Quebec and the only time I make tourtiere is when I plan our yearly “Friendsgiving “ LOL (we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving as a family)
Tourtiere was never a staple in my household growing up. However, the recipe I found a couple years ago (when I made it for the first time) includes bacon. 😊 bacon is always a game changer, in my opinion 😄
I will definitely try it in the IP next year! Thanks for sharing.
Bacon would bring this to a whole new level for sure!
I’m really pleased that you posted this recipe. I’m from the Montreal area and we have tourtiere every Christmas. I can now make it in my IP. As for individuals that take offence to the spices you used, well they should just use what they are used to, and be happy you included the this recipe at all.
There are several twists on this recipe as each family did their own tweaking to claim it as their own.
Thanks Carol!
Here is a link to a new twist to Tourtiere put together during the pandemic in case you want something new to explore. Tourtine – a mix of Tourtiere and Poutine: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/saguenay-lac-saint-jean-tourtine-1.5839317
Cool! Thanks for sharing!
The meat & potatoes all fell out when I cut the pie. Seems it needs something to bind it all together or did I do something wrong. We did enjoy it anyway!
The potatoes seemed to bind it for me.
Being french canadian from Québec (Montreal area) I can concur that tourtière has always been part of our Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. I have not tried this receipe but I can tell from the ingrediants and looks that this is a good receipe. Can’t wait to try it. From the looks of it, it might become a year long favorite.
P.S. Sorry for typing and syntax errors, as a second language I do not master the everything 😉
I’m so glad that you approve Andre!!
I think there is a place in every kitchen for an instant pot, however making a tourtières in it makes no sense.
As a Montrealer/ Quebecer I grew up eating tourtières , I have been making it for decades myself. Quite frankly all you need is a cast iron pan and can simply grate the potatoes into the mix, or simply dice boil and add. However using powdered garlic and onion is just wrong, ( unless you have neither ingredient in your pantry) If you are going to bother making a pastry and use fresh ingredients, why would you ever use powdered garlic and onion? It simply isn’t that onerous to prep fresh, and adds to the quality of your pie!
That is not to say your effort to include something very French Canadian is not appreciated ! ( Most places west of Ontario do not include tourtières as a holiday staple)
The main reason I wanted to use the Instant Pot was for quickly cooking the potatoes. It worked great for me.
I think I would make individual hand pies instead of a full pie. Then I could freeze some.
Brilliant