Hand-Raised Pork Pie

Method

1. Combine the pork, bacon, salt, pepper, mace and sage in a bowl. Mix well but don’t overwork; the pieces should stay distinct rather than becoming a smooth paste. Chill while you make the pastry.
2. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Bring the lard and water to a rolling boil in a small pot. Pour immediately into the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until a dough forms.
3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly while still warm, until smooth. Working the dough while hot is what makes it pliable; it turns brittle and hard to shape within minutes of cooling.
4. Reserve one-third of the dough for the lid, keeping it wrapped and warm. Press the remaining dough into and up the sides of a 15 cm springform or a straight-sided pie tin, working it evenly to about 5 mm thick.
5. Pack the filling into the lined tin, pressing down firmly to remove air pockets and mounding it slightly in the centre.
6. Roll the reserved dough into a lid, place over the filling, and pinch the edges together to seal. Cut a steam vent in the centre.
7. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan).
8. Brush the pie with beaten egg and bake for 20 minutes at 220°C, then reduce the oven to 160°C and bake for a further 75 to 90 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 71°C and the pastry is deeply golden brown and firm. Brush with egg again halfway through if the colour is uneven.
9. Let cool completely, at least 3 hours, before adding the jelly.
10. Sprinkle the gelatine over the stock and let bloom for 5 minutes, then warm gently until fully dissolved. Let cool until just liquid but not hot. Pour slowly through the steam vent, a little at a time, letting it settle and topping up until the pie won’t take any more.
11. Chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, before slicing.

Method in the Thermomix

1. Place the lard and water in the mixing bowl. Heat 5 min/100°C/speed 1, until at a rolling boil.
2. Add the flour and salt. Knead 20 sec/dough mode. Continue with the pastry as in the hand method, from step 3.

Notes

• Mould the pastry while it’s still hot. Hot-water-crust firms up and turns brittle within minutes of cooling; work quickly and keep the reserved lid dough wrapped so it doesn’t cool and crack before it goes on.
• Chop the pork coarsely rather than mincing it smooth. A hand-raised pork pie is defined by visible texture; put it through a mincer and the result is closer to a pâté than a proper pork pie.
• Bake hot first, then low and slow. The initial high heat sets the crust so it holds its shape; the long lower-heat stretch cooks the filling through without the crust burning before it does.
• Add the jelly only once the pie is completely cold, and pour it in gradually. Hot jelly poured into a warm pie just runs straight through the meat instead of setting as a distinct layer.
• It keeps in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, and is meant to be eaten cold, classically with pickle.

Ingredient substitutions

• Butter can replace some or all of the lard, though the crust is less crisp and more like a rich shortcrust.
• A pinch of ground allspice alongside the mace is a traditional addition.
• Serve with piccalilli or a sharp pickle, which cuts through the richness.

From Christoph Mayer

Enjoyed this? Buy us a coffee ☕