How To Make Pie Crust From Scratch
Learn the simple steps to make a tenderflake pie crust from scratch using the recipe on the side of the box of Tenderflake lard!
Theres nothing quite like a homemade pie crust made from scratch. Although theres always the quick and easy store-bought option, sometimes its special to make a pie crust the old-fashioned way!
My mom loved to bake pies, and always started hers with a pie crust recipe from scratch. Since I want to start a series with her old-fashioned pie recipes, I thought it only fitting to start it with the perfect base a tender flake pie crust!
The Classic Meat Pie Recipe Is Easy To Make At Home
Making the dough from scratch is essential, not difficult to do, and can be can be done well in advance!
Watch us show you how easy it is to make these babies at home!
It all starts with a wonderfully flavorful savory beef filling.
We love sautéing onion, bell peppers, and a little jalapeño to deepen the flavors.
You can adjust the seasonings to your own liking, but we love the little bit of kick in this recipe.
Use A Tapered Rolling Pin
While a ball-bearing-based heavy-duty cylindrical rolling pin might fit in a Norman Rockwell painting, the slender, slightly tapered French-style rolling pin offers far more control when rolling dough, is easier to clean and store, and is usually cheaper.
And that’s basically all I know about pie crust.
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
For a more traditional dough that’s extra flaky but a little less beginner-friendly, check out our old-fashioned flaky pie dough.
Read Also: Jim Brush Key Lime Pie
How Long To Bake Apple Pie
To bake, place the pie on a baking sheet in a 375°F oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the top starts to lightly brown, then lower the temp to 350°F and bake anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour or more longer.
The way you know that the apple pie is done is that the juices are noticeably bubbling. If you have an instant read thermometer, you can insert it into the center of the pie. A reading of 200°F is done.
At any point during the baking the top of the pie begins to brown too much, just tent it with aluminum foil. I usually tent the pie about halfway through the baking with foil.
Let the pie cool for an hour before cutting into it, and serve it plain or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
Make Flakey Homemade Pie Crusts
You need 5 ingredients, FIVE, compared to the 10-12 ingredients in a pre-made crust. To make get a flakey crust you need to follow these simple instructions:
- Mix the dry ingredients
- Cut or chop in the butter
- add the liquid
- and DO NOT OVER MIX
Remember its simply the act of mixing the dry ingredients, cutting in the fat and sticking it together with a little water that makes a pie crust. See? There is no secret to this!
I recently remade a video I made 6 years ago, showing you JUST how easy it is in a food processor. The recipe is below the video if you want to give making your own pie dough a chance.
This is a great recipe to hand off to kids and let them try their hand at pies. Kids love to have something they made on the table and pies just feel like something special to make.
I also just recorded a Facebook live and where I walk you through the whole process there too. Its longer, I explain things more, its more personable, and more fun!
Read Also: Key West Key Lime Pie Company The Profit Update
Richard Corrigans Fish Pie From Bentleys Oyster Bar & Grill
When I’m fatigued, jaded and completely stressed out, I’m often known to head to the Crustacea Room, a little private room on the first floor of Bentleys. I get a fish pie sent up from the Oyster Bar, and I sit there waiting like a child in a sweet shop. I have a nice glass of sparkling water, splash some green tabasco on top, and I take one big spoonful at a time. It reminds me of time spent in Ireland on the coast it truly is pure pleasure at its best. Follow the recipe carefully, but feel free to leave out what you don’t want. The dish can be made with different kinds of fish, but I often find the smoked element is very important. There are some great haddock smokeries out there, and you can order online, too I love Woodcock Smokery, run by Sally Barnes, an English woman living in West Cork. Coming into the summer months, you can add peas, broad beans, anchovies and really adapt it to your taste. Remember to get that crust on the potatoes in the oven this fish pie is one of the most versatile, comforting dishes that you can possibly have right now.
All Butter Vs Shortening Vs Mixed Crusts
Pie crusts are made by working fat into flour when the fat melts during baking, it leaves behind layers of crispy, flaky crust. Yum. But just what fat you use in your pie is a matter of much debate one that really boils down to personal preference. While some people prefer lard and shortening crusts because they can be easier to work with, I prefer all-butter crusts because of their lovely, rich flavor. Here, Im sharing my go-to method for making an all-butter pie crust, which I promise is practically foolproof.
Also Check: Damn Good Pies Little Rock Ar
Herby Chicken Pot Pie With Easy Biscuit Crust
Quintessential comfort food, Chicken Pot Pie with tender potatoes, carrots, peas, and cauliflower accented with fresh herbs, in a creamy wine sauce with a flakey biscuit crust. With a video!
Feelings coming feelings leaving that is just the way it goes. How to surrender to the mystery I often never know. Treat it like a weight or treat it like a never-ending dance. All the laughter all the tears are just a part of the romance. ~Trevor Hall
Chicken Pot Pie is one of those homey comfort dishes that can work for weeknight dinners but also perfectly special enough for company. Or maybe even Easter dinner! Why not? This is one of my familys favorite meals. Leftovers heat up great.
Caramelized onions, root veggies, and cauliflower create a succulent texture. Add tender chicken and creamy flavorful herbed sauce top with savory biscuits and you have a masterpiece! The biscuits come together quickly and are scooped out rather than rolled, for a faster and less messy process.
Making A Whole Meat Pie
Also Check: Campbells Easy Chicken Pot Pie
How To Store Pie Crust
The dough can be kept wrapped in plastic and stored in the fridge for up to three days. It can also be frozen, wrapped in plastic and stored in a freezer safe bag for up to three months.
Back in Canada when we celebrated Thanksgiving and my Mom would make her huge turkey and all the trimmings.
I would make the pie! Yup I was known for my pies even all those years ago. Dont you love a good pie?
How To Blind Bake A Homemade Pie Crust:
Some recipes call for a baked pie shell before the filling is put in it. Thats called a blind bake or par-baked crust.
There are 2 different ways to blind bake pie shells. Because of the lard in the pie crust dough, it will naturally want to rise which we want to prevent it from doing! There are 2 ways to do that.
1. Prick holes with a fork on the bottom and sides of the shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Watch the crust as its nearing the end of its baking time. If the crust is starting to get too brown, cover it with a pie pan shield or strip of aluminum foil.
2. Use parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans to keep the pie crust from rising.
Ive never personally used this method, but have seen it on cooking shows. I dont think pie weights were around when my mom was baking her old fashioned pies!
To use pie weights, gently crinkle the parchment paper so it will easily line the crust and place on top of the crust. Add the pie weights or dried beans and make sure they are evenly distributed.
Half-way through cooking time, gently remove the pie crust from the oven and remove the parchment and weights. Prick the bottom of the pie pan and return to the oven until the bottom of the pie turns slightly golden brown.
Read Also: Campbell Soup Pot Pies
How To Make Pie Dough
- Sift flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl, add butter.
- Cut into the flour until mixture resembles small coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle with water just until dough starts to come together. Then move to a lightly floured flat surface and knead lightly into a round dough ball.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
How To Make Pie Crust Edge Designs:
Once you have your pie crust rolled out, gently fold it in half and place it in the pie pan, and open it up fully.
There should be overhang around the edge of the pan and in my case, it will overhang more in some areas than others!
I first begin finishing off the edge by building up a crust that is equal thickness all the way around.
Roll up the crust gently and push it against the edge of the pan. Trim off the excess.
If you have spots that are thinner, press some of the trimmings on to those parts so it is basically the same thickness all the way around.
Then, crimping the rim of the pie crust is where your creativity can shine. Have fun with it! I tend to like to have the traditional wavy edge. Here are 9 ways to crimp pie edges.
Recommended Reading: Church’s Chicken Apple Pie
Homemade Pie Crust Recipe
An easy tutorial on how to make your own homemade pie crust! This recipe uses just a few simple ingredients and turns out perfect every single time. This post also includes several different ways that you can use this pie crust recipe!
Making your own pie crust should never be intimidating. In fact, if you have a good recipe and instructions its actually pretty easy.
If youve been following me for a while youve probably seen this pie crust recipe at some point. But today I wanted to share this simple recipe with you again because its one that I use all of the time! Youll absolutely love this recipe because its:
- Super flaky
- Uses simple pantry staples you likely have on hand
- Tastes better than anything that you can buy at the store
Trust me when I say that youll never go back to buying store-bought pie crust again once you learn how to make your own!
Beef And Stout Pot Pie
Beef and root vegetables simmer with stout beer and fresh thyme to make a rich, gorgeous stew. Start on the stovetop to brown the meat, then let it slowly simmer away in the oven. Once the meat is tender and the liquid has reduced to a thick, rich gravy, youll top it with a flaky, buttery oat crust enriched with a splash of fresh cream. Together, the two make a hearty and satisfying supper inspired by traditional Irish beef and stout pies.
Serves 8
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 2 pounds beef stew meat
- 2 tablespoons bacon fat or a neutral cooking oil
- 2 cups stout beer
- 1 medium celeriac, peeled and diced
- 2 medium parsnips, peeled and diced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
For the Pastry
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup cold butter, diced
- 1/4 cup cold heavy cream, plus additional for brushing the pastry
Prepare the filling: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F, with a rack in the middle.
Whisk the flour, salt, and pepper together in a large mixing bowl. Toss in the stew meat, stirring with a wooden spoon until each piece is well-coated with the seasoned flour.
Open the oven, lift the lid off the pot, and stir in the vegetables and thyme. Let them simmer uncovered for another 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the liquid thickened.
Turn up the heat of the oven to 375 degrees F.
Read Also: Peach Cobbler With Frozen Pie Crust
Making Flaky Pie Crust Its About The Method
Whats more important than vodka is the way you combine flour and fat .
Remember that gluten is our enemy when it comes to pie dough? Well, Cooks Illustrated found that if you thoroughly mix part of the flour with the fat and make a flour-butter paste first, every particle of that flour becomes coated in fat.
Think of each particle of flour with butter raincoats. These raincoats make it very difficult for the flour to absorb water. In other words, it helps to prevent the development of too much gluten.
Then, you can add the remaining flour so the perfect amount of gluten develops. This means perfect pie crust, every time.