Meat Pies

Photo: flickr user phototram

Ingredients

2 pounds Pork, (any cut)

2 pounds Chicken, (whole or in pieces)

2 pounds Wild Rabbit or Beef

2 lrg Onions, diced Fine, (up to 3)

2 tablespoons Watkins Meat Magic

1 tablespoon Watkins Chicken Soup Base

1 teaspoon Watkins Black Pepper

1 teaspoon Watkins Beef Jerky Seasoning Blend

1 teaspoon Watkins Sea Salt

1/2 teaspoon Watkins Ginger-Garlic Liquid Spice

2 Bay Leaf, (bruised)

2 tablespoons Summer Savory

2 tablespoons Watkins Chicken Soup base, (up to 3)

1 teaspoon Watkins Cloves, (ground)

1 teaspoon Watkins Celery Seed

1 teaspoon Watkins Black Pepper

1 teaspoon Watkins Sea Salt

Remaining diced onion

1 pkt Fleischman's Dry Yeast

1 1/2 cups Water, warm

2 teaspoons White Sugar

1/2 pound Lard, melted

1 teaspoon Watkins Sea Salt

Yeast mixture

4 1/2 cups Flour, (up to 5)

Preparation

This is a recipe that I've used for the last six years and have had nothing but rave reviews. For the last three my wife and I have beeen taking orders for Christmas, this year was almost three hundred sold. I have scaled this down for you to yield 4 pies.

Filling (pt 1): Wash and cut up the meats into large chunks. Brush Rabbit

(or Beef) with the Meat Magic. Place meats in a heavy pot and let sit while you dice up the onion. Add 1/2 the onion, spices, Soup Base. Add enough water to cover. Cook on medium heat until meat is easily removed from bones. Strain reserving juice.

Cool meat, remove excess fat and bones. Chop fine and add the following filling pt 2. Add enough of the reserved juice to obtain a semi-moist texture.

THE DOUGH (You do not have to knead this dough): Mix pt 1 and let dissolve set to one side for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, place pt 2.

Add 4 1/2 to 5 cups of flour, a cup at a time until you have obtain a soft dough. Cover and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

Cut dough into 8 pieces. Roll out each piece of dough 1/8 inch thick to fit pie plates. Place 1/4 meat mixture in each shell shell. Brush edges of bottom crust with water before placing the top on and trimming edges. Use fork to press down edges to seal the pie crust. Trim excess. Poke a few fork holes on top to allow steam to escape. Cover filled pies and let crust raise 30 to 40 minutes. Cook in a pre-heated 375 F oven until golden brown.

Makes 4 pies.

Note:This recipe is excellent for freezing.