Natchitoches, how do you pronounce it? We had a hard time wrapping the pronunciation around our tongues, but now that we know the pronunciation and taste, we can tell it is worth the hype.
Natchitoches is the oldest permanent European settlement in the Louisiana Purchase. It conducts an annual Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival that celebrates the savory treat of the place, which has created a benchmark in the world of Meat Pies. The ‘Authentic Natchitoches Meat Pies’ can be baked and fried in the kitchen.
It might not be the same as the original Natchitoches of Louisiana. Still, it tastes heavenly for Christmas celebrations or intimate parties since we have matched our recipe with the official Natchitoches Meat Pie recipe.
While the origin of these crescent-shaped meat pies is unknown, we will not bore you with its international recipes. Oh, and by the way, repeat- ‘NACK-A-TISH’ at least ten times before announcing it to the guests.
Authentic Natchitoches Meat Pies
If you cannot be at the Natchitoches Festival in Louisiana, we have brought you the authentic taste of the festival right in your kitchen. Instead of one, the Natchitoches Meat Pies feature two types of ground meat.
Yes, right, the delicacy of two in one. It has beef and pork browned with Cajun spices with a little flavor of flour. Special mention of the ‘holy trinity’ of Louisiana cooking- onion, celery, and green bell pepper. The dish is topped with garlic and the trinity and cooked until it is tender enough.
Essentials for Preparing Natchitoches Meat Pies
Since the dish is authentic to its roots, it involves a lot of ingredients to make it a savor-worthy meat pie. It would be better first to collect all the ingredients and tools required for cooking meat pies. It will be convenient for you later.
Essential Ingredients
Since the dish needs to be prepared in two parts, here’s a long list. Do not be overwhelmed since you can get most parts available in your kitchen already.
Meat Pie Filling
1 | |
1 | |
1 teaspoon | |
1 tablespoon | |
1 bunch | |
1 | |
1 pod | |
Medium Onion, chopped | 1 |
Salt, Black Pepper & Red Pepper | According to taste |
Ingredients for Meat Pie Crust
1 teaspoon | |
1 quart | |
2 | |
2 teaspoon | |
½ cup + 1T | |
1 cup |
Tools Required
How to Make Authentic Natchitoches Meat Pies
At first glance at the recipe, you might question your decision to make cream pies at home. But don’t worry, it gets simpler and easier when divided into 5 simpler steps, namely- make the filling, make the pastry dough, enhance the mixture, assemble the pies, and cook.
Let’s get into the details.
Step 1: Make the Filling
In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium flame. Add ground beef and pork to the skillet after the oil has come to a boil. Stir and cook the meat until it is browned and crumbled into smaller pieces. To add the authentic Louisiana taste, season it with Cajun seasonings and salt.
Cook the ingredients for about 5 minutes and keep checking. After it has been cooked well, transfer it to a bowl full of flour. Toss the meat to cover at least ¼ layer.
Step 2: Make the Pastry Dough
For the filling to be filled in, prepare the dough. Take flour, kosher salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk them together. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and milk together. Transfer the egg mixture to the flour bowl and stir it until a shaggy dough forms. Now, using a blender, cut vegetable shortening into the mixture and make sure the mixture is crumbly.
After all the ingredients are mixed properly, and the shaggy dough is formed, transfer the dough to a work surface covered with light flour. Knead the dough for about 1 minute until the dough is soft and smooth. Do not leave any grains, and also, do not overwork the dough.
Now that the dough is ready, cut it out into disc shapes(you can use a salad plate for this). Tightly wrap the disc with plastic wraps and let it refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until it is chilled. If you have enough time, you can refrigerate the disc for 1 day.
Step 3: Enhance the Mixture
It’s time to add some flavor and enhance the beef mixture we prepared in the first step.
We let it cool down earlier to adapt the texture. Now, in the skillet, again boil vegetable oil. Add the chopped green onions, bell pepper, celery, and minced garlic to the skillet this time. Cook them for about 2-3 minutes and keep stirring occasionally.
After the onion mixture is prepared, transfer it to the beef mixture in the bowl. Stir the mixture well and set it aside to cool at room temperature. The cooling down might take about 15 minutes. Let’s assemble the disc meat pies until then.
Step 4: Assemble the Pies
Before assembling the pies, whisk eggs with water in a small bowl and set them aside. Use minimal water.
Now, knead the chilled dough once again, divide it into 16-18 equal pieces, and form a ball out of each. Work the process on a surface with flour. Pick one ball at once and roll it into a 6-inch round, ⅛ inch-thick circle.
Fill the center of the circle with 2 tablespoon filling already prepared ahead. Lightly brush off the edges of the round with the egg mixture and fold the circle in half over the filling. To seal the pie, score the edges with a fork, or you might trim it with a pizza cutter. On lightly floured parchment paper, place the pie.
Repeat the process for all the rounds you have rolled out. Carefully place all the pies on a baking sheet and let them freeze for about 20 minutes. Do not cover them.
Step 5: Cook
Till the pies are frozen, prepare a Dutch oven with 2 inches of vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 370 F over a medium flame. After the pies are frozen, put them in the Dutch oven in batches. Fry the chilled meat pies until golden brown. Do not toss the pies too much; once will be enough. Fry each side for about 1 to 2 minutes with moderate or high flame.
Repeat this for each batch and drain all the meat pies on a paper towel. The Natchitoches Meat Pies are ready to be served.
You are comfortable with the pronunciation of it by now, right? “NACK-A-TISH. ”
Important Tips to Adhere while Preparing Meat Pies
Since the recipe requires a little more than the usual homemade dish recipes, there are certain things that you will be required to keep in mind. This will help you make mess-free and better meat pies.
- Read the recipe thoroughly, twice if needed. Do not miss out or get confused.
- The dough is refrigerated well before assembling, but for better results, freeze it again for about 15 months after the assembling pies. Do not rush, thinking it has already been frozen once.
- If you have any leftover dough, do not throw it away. Use it to make another pie.
- If you have leftover filling or meat, prepare “faux” Shepherd’s Pie.
- Be careful with the oil while frying the pies. After placing the pies in oil, use a spatula to splash them with a little oil so they do not fall apart.
How to Bake Meat Pies
We explained the procedure for frying the meat pies, which can be baked instead of fried. Follow these steps.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Light oil the baking pan.
- Make an egg-wash mixture by combining egg and water. Use this egg wash to brush the meat pies before baking.
- Place the pies in the oven and bake them for about 30 minutes or until it turns golden brown.
Storing Meat Pies
The uncooked meat pies are good to be cooked for the next 3 months, given it was kept airtight in a freezer. Whenever your taste buds etch, take out the uncooked meat pies and let it come to room temperature. After the waiting is done, fry or bake it as you need. Do not forget the egg wash if baking.
If you have stored the cooked meat pies, you must thaw them before reheating. Preheat the oven to 350-400 F and place the pies in the oven, uncovered. Cook until the center is warm, and you can enjoy the luscious Natchitoches Meat Pies.
Takeaway
The homemade Natchitoches Meat Pies are authentic and a perfect replacement for the meat pies at the festival. It is a perfect appetizer or entree dish for the Christmas party celebration. The best part is each family has its secret recipe for preparing meat pies passed on from grandmother to following generations.
These crescent-shaped pies from Louisiana are quite addictive and spicy yet flavorful. The perfect balance of the tender crust and the spicy beef with salt sets the mood for holiday celebrations.
While we have tried to bring out the authenticity of the Louisiana Natchitoches meat pies, let us know your thoughts if you made any modifications while cooking and how it suits your craving for the meat dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Specialty of Natchitoches Meat Pies?
The fact that it is made of not one but two types of ground meat makes the Natchitoches meat pies special. Also, it belongs to the oldest European settlement, and the taste of it is still alive. People from all over the world are fond of these pies.
Why is it Called Tourtiere?
Tourtiere is a French Canadian meat pie prepared with cubes of raw meat and vegetables. Natchitoches meat pies are similar in that they are made of beef and vegetables and belong to Europe.
What Can Be Served Along with Natchitoches Meat Pies?
People generally love dipping sauce with meat pies. You can also serve them with rice and beans or smothered okra and tomatoes. It is a side dish that goes well with Southern salad.
What is the Nutritional Content of Natchitoches Meat Pies?
The homemade meat pies generally provide 45 kcal. It has 8g carbs, 5g fat, 4g protein, and 90 calories. Since it has 12g of saturated fat, reserving the pies for occasional celebrations is better.
