Natchitoches Meat Pies

Instead of writing an introduction to this recipe (which you do not need, you already know), I will just direct interested parties to this link:

Natchitoches Meat Pie History

The history above explains why Natchitoches meat pies are linked with Christmas, and the recipe below (given to my mother by a Natchitoches native) will explain why we only make them once a year (for, let's say, Christmas). There's kind of a lot of work involved.

But the payoff is great. I made a huge batch this year, and gave plenty away, but actually kept some for myself this time! I meant to post this recipe around Christmas, but hey. People get busy. Aaaand then they stay busy. For months! Anyway, I took the last of my frozen ones out last week and fried them up, and they are just as delicious as they were in December.

So, sorry for the out of season post, but I have meat pies on my mind. They were SO good that I'm thinking of making some again soon. I know, right? Meat pies in spring? THAT'S CRAZY.

Get a big ol' pot and a rolling pin ready, commit yourself to an entire Saturday in the kitchen, and you can make some too!

_______________________________________________

Adjust this recipe to meet your needs - halve it, or triple it. It's up to you! This version makes around 24 pies.


Natchitoches Meat Pies

• 1 ½ lbs ground pork
• 1 ½ lbs ground beef
• 1 ½ tbs flour
• 2 medium onions (ground - use a food processor or blender)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tbs cold water
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup well chopped parsley
* Salt, pepper and Tony's (or seasoning blend of choice) to taste

In a big pot, cook the meat down a little, then add flour, onions, and baking powder. Stir and cook down a little more, then add water and parsley. Stir, then add salt and pepper, and continue cooking until done. Taste and adjust as you go until the seasoning is where you want it.

There's no set amount of time to cook the meat, just keep stirring and cooking until there's no pink left anywhere. I tend to freak out a little when working with ground pork...because it doesn't brown like beef. So I err on the safe side and cook the everliving crap out of the meat until I'm sure it's not going to give anyone I love trichinosis.

I don't remember if you drain the meat or not...the flour absorbs some of the meat juices, but you may have to drain the pot some as you go. Use your judgement on that one!

NOW,

Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool down a little (at least until it's warm-but-not-hot to the touch), then put it in the fridge to chill while you work on the crust:

• 4 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup shortening
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 whole beaten eggs

Mix everything together – the dough should be very gooey and stick to your fingers. You can add more milk if it's too dry.

Dust a clean, flat counter surface with flour to roll your dough out on. Make a ball of dough and knead it just a little, so it’s manageable. Roll it out as thin as possible. Cut out rounds about the size of a saucer. (I guess you could buy a pastry cutter in the right size, but I literally use a saucer and trace around it with a knife.)

I cut out all my dough circles at once. I flour them each lightly and stack them on a cookie sheet. This year I learned that you can even cover and refrigerate the dough you've cut out for a few hours, and take a break while your meat is chilling. BEST THING I EVER LEARNED.

Rolling out dough is not my favorite thing to do, just FYI.

When you're ready to make some pies, add a spoonful of the chilled meat mixture to the center of each round, and fold over to form a half-moon shaped pie. Seal all around the edges with a fork. If the dough is dried out from sitting too long, dip your finger in a little water and trace around the inside edges, that should help them stick and seal.


a visual aid

To cook them, fry in hot oil, or bake them about 20 minutes at 350.

To freeze them, place them in single layers on baking sheets (not touching each other), and stick them in the freezer for about an hour. Then you can transfer them to Ziploc bags, and they won't stick together.

To cook them from the frozen state - straight up drop whole frozen pies into deep oil and fry until they're a deep golden brown (you want them dark, or the middles will still be cold - or just microwave them for a bit after frying!)

I'm going to confess: I don't know the particulars on baking them from frozen. I haven't tried that in a long time. I can guess 350, but I don't know how long, or if you thaw them first. Do you know?

IF YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW KNOWS, LET ME KNOW, OKAY?