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Yorkshire pork pie

Hot water crust pork pie decorated with pastry leaves on pewter plate. Serving of pie with mushy peas on white plate. Earthenware dish of mushy peas with silver spoon. White tablecloth.

In Yorkshire, pork pies are served hot, accompanied with gravy or mushy peas and mint sauce, and often served at Bonfire Night celebrations. However, they are delicious served cold with the accompaniment of pickles and chutneys. Unlike the Melton Mowbray version the hot crust pastry is not hand raised but baked in a mould such as a cake or loaf tin.

Equipment

  • 18cm spring-form cake tin
  • Weighing scales
  • Measuring jug
  • 2 large mixing bowls
  • 2 large saucepans
  • Cling film
  • Rolling pin
  • Pastry brush
  • Meat thermometer
  • Kitchen foil

Preparation method

  • Grease the cake tin with lard.
  • Place the bones, vegetables, bouquet garni and peppercorns and cover with a litre of water.
  • Bring to the boil and simmer for at least 1 and a half hours.
  • To make the pie filling, place all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well with your hands. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Cover the meat and place in the fridge until needed.
  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.
  • To make the pastry place the lard, butter and water in the small saucepan and heat until the lard and butter have melted.
  • Sift the flour into the mixing bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well.
  • Make a well in the flour and pour in the hot lard/butter mixture.
  • Use a wooden spoon to mix in and then use your hands to bring to a dough. 
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until you have a very smooth dough. Wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for half an hour.
  • Remove from the fridge and take 2/3 of the dough and roll out on the lightly floured work surface to fit the cake tin with at least a 1cm over-hang. Wrap the remaining pastry for the lid in clingfilm and set aside.
  • Line the cake tin with the pastry.
  • Fill the pie with the pork mixture.
  • Roll out the remaining pastry to make the pie lid and place on top of the filled pie base. Press down the edges with the palm of your hand and trim.
  • Use your fingers or the handle of a wooden spoon to crimp round the edges.
  • Make a hole in the centre of the pastry lid.  Make a funnel with a folded piece of kitchen foil and place in the hole ensuring the walls of the funnel are flush to the pastry. 
  • Knead any excess pastry to a smooth ball and roll out. Cut out decorations such as leaves and use beaten egg to stick to the top of the pie.
  • Place the pie in the fridge for an hour.
  • Remove from the fridge and glaze the pastry with the beaten egg.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 1 and a half to 2 hours or until the temperature of the meat comes to 74C/165F using a meat thermometer. If the pie starts to darken in colour too much during the cooking time place a sheet of kitchen foil over the top for the remaining cooking time.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
  • Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 20 minutes.
  • Strain 500ml of pork stock into a clean saucepan and heat up to boiling. Take off the heat.
  • Remove the gelatine leaves from the water and add to the hot stock. Stir until dissolved. Allow the stock to come to room temperature.
  • When both the pie and the stock have cooled to room temperature pour the stock into the pie via the central hole.
  • Chill the pie in the fridge until the jelly is set – about 2 hours.
  • Take out of the fridge, remove the cake tin and serve.

Serving Suggestion: In Yorkshire the pie is served hot with mushy peas and gravy so if you’re going to do this, serve it as soon you have taken it out of the oven. There is no need for the jelly.
Pastry Making: For tips and step-by-step instructions, see my guide on making hot water crust pastry.

Victorian

Serves:
8
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 2 hours
Resting and chilling time 4 hours
Total Time 8 hours

Ingredients

For the stock and jelly

  • 200 g pork bones
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 stick celery, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • A bouquet garni including 2 bay leaves, a small bunch of thyme, small bunch of flat leaf parsley and tied to a stick of celery
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • Water
  • 4 gelatine leaves

For the filling

  • 900 g pork shoulder, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh sage
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • ½ tsp ground mace
  • Salt and pepper

For the hot water pastry

  • 500 g plain flour
  • 110 g lard
  • 40 g butter
  • 210 ml water
  • 1 medium egg, beaten for glazing

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Yorkshire pork pie
Serving Size
 
226 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
555
Percent of Daily Value*
Fat
 
26
g
40
%
Saturated Fat
 
11
g
69
%
Cholesterol
 
113
mg
38
%
Sodium
 
119
mg
5
%
Potassium
 
486
mg
14
%
Carbohydrates
 
49
g
16
%
Fiber
 
1.8
g
8
%
Sugar
 
0.6
g
1
%
Protein
 
29
g
58
%
Calcium
 
32
mg
3
%
Iron
 
2.3
mg
13
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Keywords

Pork shoulder

Bonfire night