Mini Pork Pies

These mini pork pies are a staple in Britain, where butchers and bakers sell them while they’re still fresh and hot from the oven. But if a plane ticket is out of reach, you can certainly still make mini pork pies right at home. We’ll show you how to give your pies all that crispy crust goodness and succulent and well-seasoned pork filling—even with American ingredients and Fahrenheit oven temperatures.

Ingredients for Mini Pork Pies

• Cornstarch: Cornstarch thickens the chicken broth, creating a silky gravy that’s mixed into the pork filling.
• Chicken broth: Whether you’re using homemade chicken broth or store-bought chicken broth, make sure it’s as flavorful as possible. Bland broth will just water down the pork filling.
• Ground pork: Regular, unseasoned ground pork is what you’re looking for here. Whenever I make something special, I try to find the highest quality meat I can. It really makes a difference!
• Seasonings: A bold and cozy seasoning blend of warming nutmeg, woodsy cloves and spicy cayenne pepper liven up the pork filling.
• Pie crust: Store-bought pie crust keeps this recipe easy. Buy the best premade pie crust for reliable results.
• Egg wash: One of the markers of a good meat pie is its deeply golden and caramelized crust. To achieve a bronzed and shiny crust here, you’ll make an egg wash from an egg and milk.

Directions

Step 1: Make the gravy

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a small saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch and chicken broth until they’re blended. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Keep cooking and whisking for one to two minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside.

Step 2: Cook the pork with the spices

In a large skillet, cook the ground pork, garlic, cloves, nutmeg and cayenne pepper over medium heat until the pork is no longer pink, six to eight minutes, breaking the pork into crumbles as it cooks. Drain any excess liquid.

Add the broth mixture to the pot and cook while stirring for one to two minutes or until the sauce is thickened. Take the pot off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly at room temperature.

Step 3: Cut the pie dough

Unroll each pie crust from the packaging. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each pie dough out into a 12-inch circle.

Using floured round cookie cutters, cut twenty 4-inch circles and twenty 2-3/4-inch circles, rerolling the scraps as needed.

Editor’s Tip: Be sure to reroll and use the scraps, or else you won’t have enough to make all 20 mini pork pies.

Step 4: Shape into muffin tins

Place the large circles in ungreased muffin cups, pressing the crust onto the bottoms and up the sides.

Step 5: Assemble the mini pies

Fill each bottom crust with 3 tablespoons of the cooked pork mixture. Place the small pie dough circles over the filling. Press the edges with the tines of a fork to seal the pie dough.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Brush the egg wash over the tops.

Cuts slits in the top crusts so steam can escape during baking.

Step 6: Bake the mini pies

Bake the mini pork pies for 15 to 20 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Carefully transfer the mini pork pies to wire racks to cool at room temperature. Serve the mini pork pies while they’re still warm.

Recipe Variations

• Make your own crust: Purists will probably want to make their own pie crust. Traditionally, mini pork pies use a hot water pastry crust, which is a type of pie crust that uses boiling water instead of ice-cold water. Hot water crust is sturdier and holds its shape when taken out of the mold, keeping the juicy, meaty fillings inside. Grab the hot water pastry crust recipe from our pasties recipe.
• Add dried herbs: Dried herbs like sage, rosemary and thyme add an earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with the pork. Include them when you add the seasonings to the pork and garlic.
• Try ground beef: I love mixing ground meats in recipes, and you can definitely do so here by swapping 1 pound of ground beef for 1 pound of the ground pork. Or use all ground beef instead of pork as desired.
• Include mustard: Pungent and spicy mustard adds a layer of zing and zip in the pork filling. It’s easy to go overboard, so only use a 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon, English or brown mustard. Add it to the filling just when the pork is cooked through.

How to Store Mini Pork Pies

If you have any leftovers to save, allow the mini pork pies to cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container. They can be refrigerated for up to four days. Avoid reheating them in the microwave—the crust will become soggy and far too hot while the center will still be cold. Reheat them in a 350° oven until the center is hot, about 14 to 17 minutes.

Can you freeze mini pork pies?

Yes, you can freeze mini pork pies. Allow the baked pies to cool completely to room temperature, then transfer them to freezer containers. They can be frozen for up to three months. Partially thaw the pies in the refrigerator overnight before reheating them. Bake them on ungreased baking sheets in a preheated 350° oven until they’re heated through, 14 to 17 minutes.

Mini Pork Pies Tips

What sauces would pair with mini pork pies?

Sauces that would pair well with these mini pork pies are aioli, ketchup, cranberry sauce, extra gravy (mushroom gravy or miso gravy would be fantastic here), a quality mustard, any kind of chutney or sweet-and-spicy chili jam.

What do you serve with mini pork pies?

Mini pork pies are best served with any of the sauces mentioned above and go great with accompaniments like crispy side salads, pickles, savory and robust cheeses, coleslaw and potatoes. They can also be the main meat on a typical English Sunday roast plate. If desired, serve mini pork pies with cold beer or cider.

What’s the difference between a pork pie and a Cornish pasty?

While both a pork pie and a Cornish pasty are considered meat pies, pork pies are made with pork and Cornish pasties typically have beef, potato and rutabaga. Cornish pasties are also shaped like turnovers, whereas pork pies are shaped like more traditional pies.