By ERIN TURNER
In my neck of the woods, Irish Pasties are popular mostly because Butte America is about 100 miles away. Butte was home to a high population of Irish Immigrants back in the day. The town of Butte is extremely proud of its Irish heritage and it shows in the culture of the town. Pasties are one of the trademarks of this Montana town.
Being a great granddaughter of an Irish immigrant myself, I have to admit my own love of Irish Pasties. It is the perfect meal…meat, potatoes all wrapped up in a flaky crust. And when you cover it in brown gravy, life is even better!
I am grateful to have been gifted the recipe my Grandma Devine created back in the 1940’s. It is her version of the Irish Pasty which typically is served as an individual hand pie.
Grandma created this variation and sent it in to a Chicago radio station (she lived in Racine, WI). The radio station was having a recipe contest. She won first place and received a large electric portable steak broiler as her prize. My mom remembers Grandma using it very often and loving this new modern kitchen appliance.
Homemade Pie Crusts but store bought works too.
So, with the start of March and the nearness of St. Patrick’s day, I am thrilled to share this delicious recipe with you in honor of my beloved Irish heritage!
My family loves this meal and I never have any leftovers. I made it last week and my youngest son was gobbling it down and looked up at me and said, ‘Mom, this is my favorite dinner EVER! Can you make it for breakfast, lunch and dinner EVERYDAY?!’ Yup, it’s THAT good!
Plus, it is super easy! I make my own pie crusts but there’s no reason why you can’t just pick some pre-made ones up at the store. If you want to make your own (it is SUPER easy and frugal!) just follow this fail-proof recipe!
Now, my Grandma won this 1st place with the recipe using pork steak. But I have used beef and wild game in addition to the pork. It all works and it all tastes so yummy. It’s Irish comfort food at its best!
If you don’t do Corned Beef and Cabbage in celebration of St. Patty’s day, this would be a great alternative! Authentic, easy, unique and delicious!
Mixing it all together.
Ingredients
- 1-1 1/4lb Pork steak (cut into cubes)
- 2 Medium Potatoes (peeled and sliced thin)
- 1 Small Onion (minced)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 Pie crusts (rolled out)
Note
My grandmother created this recipe using Pork steak but like a good homesteader/farmer, I use whatever I have on hand! Sometimes that is pork other times it is beef, deer or elk! Be creative!
Step 1: Preheat oven to 450F degrees
Step 2: Mix together the filling in a large bowl: Pork steak (can use beef or wild game), potatoes, onion, salt, pepper and water. Let the filling mixture stand while you make the pie crusts. (Use your own crust recipe or use pre-made commercial crusts.)
Step 3: Roll out both crusts and place one into the bottom of the pie pan (9 inch), then add filling and top with second crust. Flute edges and cut several vent holes in top crust.
Step 4: Bake at 450F for 15 minutes, then at 350F for 1 hr. 15 mins. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Step 5: Slice into 8 pie pieces and serve.
I like to pair up my Homemade Irish Pasty recipe with a fresh, green salad and homemade ranch dressing. And sometimes a pint o’ beer is even in order! Ha! Blame it on those good Irish roots!
There’s never any leftovers!
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Erin Eisenman-Turner is proud to be a native Missoulian. Along with her husband and three sons, they raise chickens, pigs, rabbits, and vegetables at Turner Family Farms in the Orchard Homes area. When the farm chores are done, the coupons clipped, and the blog written, you can find Erin exploring Montana, collecting antiques, and trying to maintain a well-run, happy, and organized home for her family. Read more of Erin’s blogs about homesteading, farming, homemaking and other fun things at TurnerFarmLiving.com
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