This delicious James Martin pork pie is a hearty, traditional dish perfect for sharing. Made with tender pork, fragrant herbs, and a buttery hot water crust pastry, it’s surprisingly easy to prepare. The recipe is flexible—use everyday ingredients to create a rich, savory pie that’s ideal for picnics, parties, or a comforting family meal.
Ingredients Needed
For the pastry:
- 100g (½ cup) lard or solid vegetable fat
- 100g (½ cup) butter
- 500g (4 cups) plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 50g (⅓ cup) white bread flour
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 2 tsp English mustard
For the filling:
- 500g (1 lb 2 oz) skinless pork belly (chopped into 1cm/½ inch pieces)
- 270g (9½ oz) bacon lardons
- 500g (1 lb 2 oz) pork shoulder (minced or ground pork)
- 2 onions (thinly sliced)
- 8 fresh sage leaves (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 gelatine leaves
- 300ml (1¼ cups) cold chicken stock
How To Make Pork Pie
- Prepare the pastry: Gently melt lard and butter in 200ml (¾ cup) hot water. Sieve plain flour, bread flour, and 1 tsp salt into a bowl. Pour in the melted fat, mix well, and stir in 1 beaten egg and mustard. Mix until smooth. Chill for 10 minutes.
- Raise the pastry: Flour the outside and bottom of a 20x5cm (8×2 inch) solid-base cake tin. Set aside ¼ of the pastry (wrapped in baking paper) in the fridge. Roll out the rest into a 28cm (11-inch) circle. Line the tin, smoothing and trimming the edges. Reserve offcuts.
- Wrap the pastry: Use four layers of baking paper to create a collar around the pastry sides. Secure firmly with string and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F.
- Prepare the filling: Mix pork belly, lardons, minced pork, onions, sage, thyme, nutmeg, and bay leaf in a bowl. Season well. Roll out the reserved pastry into a 5mm (¼ inch) thick circle for the lid.
- Assemble the pie: Spoon the filling into the pastry-lined tin, pressing down to level. Brush the rim with cold water, place the lid on top, and crimp the edges. Decorate with pastry leaves from offcuts. Make a small hole in the center and brush with a beaten egg.
- Bake the pie: Bake for 1 hour at 200°C/180°C fan/400°F. Reduce heat to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the collar, brush the sides with egg, and bake for another 30 minutes.
- Set the pie: Soak gelatine leaves in cold water until soft. Heat 150ml (½ cup) chicken stock until simmering, then remove from heat and stir in drained gelatine and mustard until dissolved. Add remaining chicken stock. Gradually pour this mixture into the pie through the hole using a funnel until full.
- Serve: Let the pie cool to room temperature, then chill overnight. The pie keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the pastry cool: Work quickly and chill the pastry whenever possible to prevent it from becoming too soft or sticky. Cold pastry is easier to handle and creates a better crust.
- Use a collar for support: The baking paper collar is essential to keep the pastry from collapsing while it chills and bakes. Make sure it’s tightly secured with string.
- Seal the lid properly: Brush the rim with cold water before placing the lid to ensure it sticks well. Crimping the edges tightly will prevent juices from leaking during baking.
- Add stock slowly: When pouring the stock into the pie, do it gradually to avoid overfilling. Let it settle before adding more to ensure it fully sets within the pie.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: First, let the leftover pork pie cool to room temperature. Then, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil and place it in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Allow the pork pie to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or 350°F. Cover the pie with foil, and heat for 20-25 minutes until warmed through.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 pie (227g)
- Calories: 790
- Total Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Cholesterol: 13mg
- Sodium: 1440mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 80g
- Dietary Fiber: 9g
- Sugars: 2g
- Protein: 37g
Try More James Martin Recipes:
- James Martin Buttermilk Scones
- James Martin Pulled Pork Jacket Potatoes
- James Martin Jambalaya Recipe
- James Martin Leek And Potato Soup Recipe
James Martin Pork Pie
Description
This delicious James Martin pork pie is a hearty, traditional dish perfect for sharing. Made with tender pork, fragrant herbs, and a buttery hot water crust pastry, it’s surprisingly easy to prepare. The recipe is flexible—use everyday ingredients to create a rich, savory pie that’s ideal for picnics, parties, or a comforting family meal.
Ingredients
For the pastry:
For the filling:
Instructions
- Prepare the pastry: Gently melt lard and butter in 200ml (¾ cup) hot water. Sieve plain flour, bread flour, and 1 tsp salt into a bowl. Pour in the melted fat, mix well, and stir in 1 beaten egg and mustard. Mix until smooth. Chill for 10 minutes.
- Raise the pastry: Flour the outside and bottom of a 20x5cm (8×2 inch) solid-base cake tin. Set aside ¼ of the pastry (wrapped in baking paper) in the fridge. Roll out the rest into a 28cm (11-inch) circle. Line the tin, smoothing and trimming the edges. Reserve offcuts.
- Wrap the pastry: Use four layers of baking paper to create a collar around the pastry sides. Secure firmly with string and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F.
- Prepare the filling: Mix pork belly, lardons, minced pork, onions, sage, thyme, nutmeg, and bay leaf in a bowl. Season well. Roll out the reserved pastry into a 5mm (¼ inch) thick circle for the lid.
- Assemble the pie: Spoon the filling into the pastry-lined tin, pressing down to level. Brush the rim with cold water, place the lid on top, and crimp the edges. Decorate with pastry leaves from offcuts. Make a small hole in the center and brush with a beaten egg.
- Bake the pie: Bake for 1 hour at 200°C/180°C fan/400°F. Reduce heat to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the collar, brush the sides with egg, and bake for another 30 minutes.
- Set the pie: Soak gelatine leaves in cold water until soft. Heat 150ml (½ cup) chicken stock until simmering, then remove from heat and stir in drained gelatine and mustard until dissolved. Add remaining chicken stock. Gradually pour this mixture into the pie through the hole using a funnel until full.
- Serve: Let the pie cool to room temperature, then chill overnight. The pie keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Notes
- Keep the pastry cool: Work quickly and chill the pastry whenever possible to prevent it from becoming too soft or sticky. Cold pastry is easier to handle and creates a better crust
- Use a collar for support: The baking paper collar is essential to keep the pastry from collapsing while it chills and bakes. Make sure it’s tightly secured with string.
- Seal the lid properly: Brush the rim with cold water before placing the lid to ensure it sticks well. Crimping the edges tightly will prevent juices from leaking during baking.
- Add stock slowly: When pouring the stock into the pie, do it gradually to avoid overfilling. Let it settle before adding more to ensure it fully sets within the pie
James Martin Pork Pie