Mini Pork Pies

How to make delicious, Mini pork pies, easy step by step instructions, from start to finish.

Ingredients

Method

  • The Pastry:
  • 400g / 14oz Plain or all-purpose flour
  • 170g / 170mls Water
  • 90g / 3¼oz Butter
  • 100g / 3½oz Lard or solid vegetable fat
  • 8g / 1tsp Salt
  • The pork filling:
  • 500g / 18oz Minced or ground Pork 15% fat
  • 4g / ½tsp Salt
  • ¼tsp Ground white pepper
  • 1tsp Dried Sage
  • ½tsp Dried Thyme
  • ½tsp Dried Mace
  • Pinch of Nutmeg
  • 1 Large egg, for egg wash
  • Making the pastry:
  • In a bowl, mix the salt and flour together
  • In a small saucepan, place the water on a low heat, add the butter and lard to the pan, bring to a simmer.
  • Soon as the fats have melted, pour the hot liquid onto the flour in the bowl, and bring it all together.
  • Turn out the contents of the bowl out onto a floured surface.
  • Gently knead the dough until it all comes together.
  • Cut the pastry onto 2 pieces.
  • Cover in plastic wrap or food bags, and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before using, if you are making the pastry the day before, take it out of the fridge an hour before starting the recipe.
  • Making the filling:
  • Simply add all of the ingredients to a bowl and thoroughly mix them all together with your hands, always ware latex gloves.
  • Divide the meat into 8 equal pieces, using digital scales.
  • Make up your egg wash, using 1 small egg and a dash of milk, whisk until smooth and runny.
  • Grease a standard size muffin tray with lard.
  • Roll out your pastry, and cut out 8, 12cm / 5in circles for the bases of the pies, and 8, 6cm / 2½in circles for the lids of the pies.
  • Line 8 of the muffin cups with the base pastries, press the pastry right down into the corners of the cups.
  • Place the divided meat into the pastry cups, and gently press out any trapped air.
  • At this point, preheat your oven to, 170°C / 340°F / Gas mark 3.
  • Brush egg wash all around the edge of the pastry base.
  • Place the lid on the top of the pie base, and gently press it down, using your thumbs and forefingers, neatly crimp the 2 pastries together.
  • Cut 2 vent slits in the top middle of each pie.
  • Give each pie a good coat of the egg wash, try not to get any egg wash in between the pastry and the tin, or it will stick as it bakes.
  • Place the tray in middle of the preheated oven, and use the bottom element, if you have one.
  • Now set your timer for 40 minutes.
  • Once the time is up, move these gorgeous pies onto a wire rack, and allow them to settle still in their tin, for 5 minutes.
  • After the 5 minute rest, carefully remove the pies from the tins, you can serve them hot or cold.
  • Enjoy.

Equipment & products used in my kitchen and videos