Published on November 20, 2025
Tourtière or Meat Pie?
The debate between different regions of Québec over “tourtière” and “meat pie” resurfaces every year. The lively arguments around this dish actually stem only from what we choose to call this holiday meal. Let’s untangle the naming differences across Québec.
In Saguenay–Lac‑Saint-Jean
In this region, “tourtière” is made with a very large crust, filled with large chunks of meat and cubed potatoes. It is cooked for more than five hours to ensure tenderness and flavor. Typical meats include pork, beef, and chicken. When possible, game meat may also be used for this tourtière. Recipes vary from family to family — what changes most often are the spices, the broth, and the cooking time.
In Bas‑Saint‑Laurent and Gaspésie
In these regions, what looks a lot like Saguenay–Lac‑Saint-Jean tourtière is in fact called “cipaille.” The name reportedly comes from an older version of the dish, where six layers of pastry were stacked to compose it. The meats used are pork, beef, and veal. Some people still use game meats such as partridge or moose. This dish is also cooked for a long time to guarantee its distinctive taste.
Elsewhere in Québec
In these three regions mentioned above (Saguenay–Lac‑Saint-Jean, Bas‑Saint‑Laurent, Gaspésie), a pie made with ground meat in pastry is called “meat pie”. Elsewhere in Québec, people generally call it “tourtière”. That difference in naming is at the root of all the debates about tourtière vs. meat pie!
If you use the word “tourtière” differently than the people around you — and you live outside the regions named above — your ancestors may come from Saguenay–Lac‑Saint-Jean, Bas‑Saint‑Laurent, or Gaspésie. Either way — stop arguing about names and enjoy these wonderful dishes of our terroir.
