English Pork Pie

Name: English Pork Pie
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 8-10
Ingredients: 1 cup lard, cubed and chilled; 4 1 ⁄ 2 cups flour; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. kosher salt; 1 egg, lightly beaten; 1 lb. pig's feet; 8 oz. pork bones; 6 whole black peppercorns; 1 large yellow onion, chopped; 1 large carrot, chopped; 1 rib celery, roughly chopped; 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley; 2 lb. pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1/4" cubes; 8 oz. pork belly, cut into 1/4" cubes; 8 oz. slab bacon, cut into 1/4" cubes; 1 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. ground mace; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. ground black pepper; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. ground white pepper

Serves
serves 8-10

TODD COLEMAN

This traditional Lancashire pork pie recipe is typically served cold, often with a dollop of English mustard. This recipe first appeared in our October 2011 issue along with Beth Kracklauer's story, "Butchers' Banquet".

Ingredients

For the Pastry

1 cup lard, cubed and chilled
4 ¹⁄₂ cups flour
¹⁄₂ tsp. kosher salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

For the Broth and Filling

1 lb. pig's feet
8 oz. pork bones
6 whole black peppercorns
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, roughly chopped
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
2 lb. pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1/4" cubes
8 oz. pork belly, cut into 1/4" cubes
8 oz. slab bacon, cut into 1/4" cubes
1 ¹⁄₂ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
¹⁄₂ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground mace
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground black pepper
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground white pepper

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the pastry: Rub lard into flour and salt in a bowl until pea-size crumbles form. Add 1 cup cold water; stir until dough forms. Shape into a disk; wrap and chill.

Step 2

Make the broth and filling: Bring feet, bones, peppercorns, onion, carrot, celery, parsley, and 3 qts. water to a simmer in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-low heat; cook for 1 hour; strain into a 4-qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 2 cups, 25-30 minutes. In a bowl, toss together shoulder, belly, bacon, salt, nutmeg, mace, and peppers; cool broth and filling separately.

Step 3

Heat oven to 350°. Roll 2⁄3 of the dough into a 1⁄4″-thick circle; transfer to an 8″ springform pan and line bottom and sides. Place filling in pan; brush dough edge with egg. Roll remaining dough into a 1⁄4″-thick circle; place over filling. Trim and fold under edges; crimp to seal. Cut out a 1 1⁄4″-wide hole in center of top pastry. Bake for 30 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 325°, and bake for 90 minutes. Brush pie with egg; bake until golden, 25-30 minutes. Let pie cool, then gradually pour reserved broth into the hole in top of pastry, waiting occasionally for it to distribute through the pie, before adding more. Chill pie to set broth into a jelly before serving.

Make the pastry: Rub lard into flour and salt in a bowl until pea-size crumbles form. Add 1 cup cold water; stir until dough forms. Shape into a disk; wrap and chill.
Make the broth and filling: Bring feet, bones, peppercorns, onion, carrot, celery, parsley, and 3 qts. water to a simmer in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-low heat; cook for 1 hour; strain into a 4-qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 2 cups, 25-30 minutes. In a bowl, toss together shoulder, belly, bacon, salt, nutmeg, mace, and peppers; cool broth and filling separately.
Heat oven to 350°. Roll 2⁄3 of the dough into a 1⁄4″-thick circle; transfer to an 8″ springform pan and line bottom and sides. Place filling in pan; brush dough edge with egg. Roll remaining dough into a 1⁄4″-thick circle; place over filling. Trim and fold under edges; crimp to seal. Cut out a 1 1⁄4″-wide hole in center of top pastry. Bake for 30 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 325°, and bake for 90 minutes. Brush pie with egg; bake until golden, 25-30 minutes. Let pie cool, then gradually pour reserved broth into the hole in top of pastry, waiting occasionally for it to distribute through the pie, before adding more. Chill pie to set broth into a jelly before serving.