The secret ingredient is still secret.
That’s what James R. Wainwright said with a laugh when asked — yet again — what the secret ingredient is that makes the French-Canadian meat pies so popular when they go on sale as a fundraiser for St. Elizabeth Parish in Ludlow.
Though there are recipes online for what is traditionally called “tourtière,” none of them are the same as parishioners have been using since sisters Noella Noel, Eva Langevin and Dora Dumais began making the meat pies for the church in Noel’s home using a recipe their mother, Emma Couture, brought from Canada.
Tourtière is usually made with pork, veal and/or beef. Depending on the recipe, spices include ground cloves, ground allspice, ground cinnamon and/or grated nutmeg.
The meat pie project began in 1987, and since then there have been only two years — during the COVID-19 pandemic — that it was put on hiatus.
This year Wainwright, co-chair of St. Elizabeth Meat Pies, is overseeing the making of about 50,000 of the 5-inch personal size meat pies.
The meat pies are fully cooked, freeze well and are easily reheated. They make a quick, easy dinner, said Wainwright, who buys 40 to 50 each year to have throughout the year until the next meat pie fundraiser. He takes them from the freezer, puts them in the oven for about 35 minutes, and when the internal temperature in 165 degrees, they are ready to serve.
He likes to serve them with pickled beets and a white sauce, but “definitely no ketchup,” he said, though that is how many people like to eat meat pie.
Filling is added to meat pies as the annual fundraising meat pie project gets underway at St. Elizabeth Parish in Ludlow. (Don Treeger / The Republican)
Tourtière is a traditional part of the French-Canadian Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas or New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Some customers buy just one meat pie to eat right away while others buy in bulk. One man purchases 325 to serve for special dinners during the year.
When orders were first accepted this year in September, 8,000 meat pies were sold in the first three days.
Meat pies — handmade by a corps of volunteers at St. John the Baptist Pastoral Center — will be available through Nov. 3. Orders can be picked up on the St. Elizabeth Parish Campus at the pastoral center, 201 Hubbard St., Ludlow, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. (Orders of 50 or more pies require a designated afternoon time slot.)
Each individual-size pie is $5.
Place orders by visiting the Parish website or by calling the Rectory Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 413-583-3467.
Pay in full at the time of pickup with cash or a check made out to St. Elizabeth Parish.
