Michigan Pasties
Get ready to discover the ultimate comfort food that’s been warming hearts in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for generations!
These golden, flaky hand pies packed with savory beef, pork, and vegetables are basically a complete meal wrapped in buttery pastry perfection.
What makes these pasties absolutely irresistible is that perfect balance of tender meat, hearty vegetables, and that incredible homemade crust that somehow manages to be both crispy and tender.
Plus, they’re completely portable – imagine having a full dinner you can hold in your hands!
The secret ingredient? A touch of MSG that amplifies every single flavor and makes these taste like they came straight from a traditional Cornish bakery.
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup shortening
- 1¼ cups ice water
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Filling:
- 5½ cups thinly sliced potatoes
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 1 onion, diced
- ½ cup diced rutabaga
- 1½ pounds lean ground beef
- ½ pound lean ground pork
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- 1 cube beef bouillon
- ½ cup hot water
Steps
- Whisk together 4½ cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut in the 1 cup shortening using a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces – this creates the flaky texture you want. Make a well in the center of the mixture, and quickly stir in 1¼ cups ice cold water using a fork. The key is working quickly so the shortening doesn’t warm up. Form dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes – this allows the gluten to relax and makes rolling much easier.
- Dissolve the 1 beef bouillon cube in ½ cup hot water, stirring until completely dissolved. In a large mixing bowl, combine the 5½ cups thinly sliced potatoes, 2 shredded carrots, 1 diced onion, ½ cup diced rutabaga, 1½ pounds ground beef, ½ pound ground pork, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1½ teaspoons MSG. Pour the dissolved bouillon over the mixture and stir thoroughly until everything is evenly coated. The vegetables should remain raw – they’ll cook perfectly inside the pastry during baking.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Divide the rested dough into 8 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into 6 x 8 inch rectangles about ⅛-inch thick. If the dough springs back, let it rest another 10 minutes before continuing. Place about 1½ cups of filling in the center of each rectangle, leaving about 1 inch border on all sides.
- Bring the 6-inch sides together over the filling, pinching and crimping the edges firmly to seal completely – any gaps will cause the filling to leak out during baking. Cut a 1-inch slit in the top of each pasty to allow steam to escape and prevent bursting. Place the sealed pasties on light-colored or uncoated baking pans (avoid dark or black pans as they can cause the bottoms to over-brown).
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) when tested with an instant-read thermometer. The crust should sound hollow when tapped, and you should see some bubbling from the steam vents. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving – the filling will be extremely hot right out of the oven.
Smart Swaps
- Butter instead of shortening (1:1 ratio) – creates richer flavor but slightly less flaky texture
- Ground turkey instead of pork (1:1 ratio) – reduces fat content while maintaining protein
- Sweet potato instead of regular potato – adds natural sweetness and extra nutrients
Make It Diabetes-Friendly
Replace 2¼ cups of the all-purpose flour with 2¼ cups almond flour to reduce carbs by approximately 15g per serving. Use 1 pound total meat instead of 2 pounds and increase vegetables to 7 cups total – this cuts carbs by another 8g per serving while adding fiber. Consider making mini pasties using ¾ cup filling each for better portion control, creating 12 smaller servings at roughly 22g carbs each instead of 35g. The higher protein and fiber content will help slow glucose absorption.
Pro Tips
- Chill assembled pasties for 30 minutes before baking – prevents filling from leaking and helps maintain shape
- Brush tops with beaten egg for extra golden color and professional bakery appearance
- Freeze unbaked pasties up to 3 months – bake directly from frozen adding 15 extra minutes to cooking time