Nigel Slater's pork pie recipe | Food (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a pork pie and a Melton Mowbray pork pie? ›

The sides of a Melton Mowbray Pork Pie are bow-shaped as they are baked free standing, whereas most other pork pies are straight-sided being baked in hoops. The meat used is fresh pork which is naturally grey when cooked, liked roast pork, not pink like other pork pies which used cured pork.

Traditionally, the jelly is made using a pig's trotter, and there is a recipe for this on page 98 of the book, but if you are short of time you can make the simple version below. In most traditional recipes the pastry is also hand-raised, which means that it is shaped without the help of a mould.

British Quality Assured Pork with delicious jelly, encased in hot water pastry crust.

The main difference is that the pork in a stand pie is cured, making it pink. The meat in a Melton Mowbray pie is not cured and takes on a greyish colour.

While you can make a pork pie without the jelly, traditional pork pies have gelatin (some boiled pig trotters) added to preserve and keep the meat moist. You will often see a small hole in the lid of the pie where the jelly has been poured in.

But the pork pie does have that regional identity, with its origins from Melton Mowbray. Pork pies are now produced all over the UK but it is the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie that is most famous.

500g pack of Jelflaval, powdered gelatine. Ideal for home users who want to use smaller quantities to use in their pies.

Apart from the literal meaning of actual pies filled with pork, 'pork pies' is co*ckney rhyming slang for 'lies'. With rhyming slang the actual portion that rhymes is often dropped in order to further confuse the outsider, so it becomes 'porkies'. So, someone 'telling porkies' is a liar.

This filling shrinks during cooking, so once the pie has cooled, a savoury jelly is poured in through a hole on top to stop it drying out. Ye Old Pork Pie Shoppe, winner of the Melton Mowbray pork pie category at the British Pie Awards, serves both the classic version and less traditional options.

In Yorkshire, pork pies are often served hot, accompanied with gravy or with mushy peas and mint sauce. It is also a common combination served at Bonfire Night celebrations. In Yorkshire slang a pork pie is sometimes called a "growler", a term probably derived from the "NAAFI growler" of earlier naval and army slang.

What is massachusetts pie? ›

Upon the announcement of the official state dessert of Massachusetts, the Boston Cream Pie was proclaimed on December 12, 1996. The pie defeated candidates such as the toll house cookie and Indian pudding. Not only that, but chocolate chip cookies were also invented in Massachusetts!

Priced at £100, the costly snack has been made with the traditional ingredients of pork and pastry. However, it is garnished with a range of lavish toppings. The additional special ingredients include black summer truffle, beluga caviar and edible 24 carat gold.

British pork pies are meant to be eaten cold or at room temperature. Although some people eat them cold, it is better to eat at room temperature as the flavours will start to sing, rather than shiver. You see, there is that smashing jelly bit in the middle and it would simply melt if the pork pie is heated.

That aside, while a pork pie should definitely be served at room temperature rather than fridge-cold, so that its flavours can sing, there seems something deeply incongruent about hot pork pie.

For the Filling

First, finely dice the pork shoulder, removing any sinewy bits. I went for quite a coarse dice, about 1/2-1cm square. Then finely dice the bacon too and mix all three meats together in a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine well.

Dickinson & Morris are the original pioneers of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie. First hand-raised by baker, Mary Dickinson in 1851 and still made today with over 170 years of expertise, skill and craft.

Melton Mowbray pies have to be baked free-standing, which leads to the characteristic bulge, whereas most commercial pies are baked in hoops to produce a regimented, uniformly shaped product. And finally, they'll use a jelly made from commercial gelatine, with flavourings added to mimic the pork flavour.

Melton Mowbray Pork Pies are made with hot water crust pastry. They are not cooked in a case, unlike other pork pies, which gives them their characteristic bowed sides. Not cooking in a case also contribute to making the pastry a deep golden brown colour on the outside.