British · Authentic-ish British
Melton Mowbray pork pie
427 kcal a serving, against 615 for the traditional version. That is 188 kcal off, or 31%, with 25.4g of protein. Serves 8. 2 hours plus cooling.
What the traditional version is
Hot water crust pastry made from plain flour and pure lard, worked by hand while warm.
What changed, and what each change costs
Lard and most of the butter to olive oil
Lard is what makes the pastry so short and crumbly, but it's the single fattiest element and not doing your arteries any favours.
What it costs you. The pastry's different. It's no longer melting and rich, but a bit more like a good, thick olive oil crust. No one will mistake this for the original, but on the upside, your hands won't smell like a butcher's apron all day.
Pork belly out, extra-lean pork loin and chicken breast in
Belly gives you flavour and juiciness, but nearly all of its mass is fat.
What it costs you. You lose that sticky, savoury finish. What you get back is closer to a good pork and chicken terrine than a proper pork pie. Don't expect to fool the uncle who brings his own Branston.
Butter down to a token amount
With the lard already out, there's no need to double down on butter either. A tiny bit gives you just enough richness to pretend the pastry isn't completely joyless.
What it costs you. A pale, less flavourful crust. Eat it with plenty of mustard if you want to distract yourself.
Chicken stock jelly instead of pork bone jelly
A proper pork jelly is fiddly and means boiling trotters for hours. Chicken stock with gelatine isn't the local tradition, but it's cleaner and much lower in fat.
What it costs you. Jelly layer sets firmer and tastes milder. You won't get that deep porky wobble, but you also won't be scraping fat off your palate an hour later.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 615 | 427 |
| Protein | 23.9g | 25.4g |
| Fat | 36.9g | 15.2g |
| Saturated fat | 15.7g | 4.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 45.2g | 45.2g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 3.9g | 6g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish British prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, eggs, milk.
The method is in the book
If this is your first Melton Mowbray, you might think it's a cracker. If you grew up with the real thing, this one's a polite nod in the general direction of pork pie. The pastry isn't quite right (of course it isn't; it's not made with lard), and the filling is more keen than juicy. But it's got a proper crust, the meat's actually meat, and it makes a mean partner for a tart gherkin. Nobody would mistake it for the original, but you won't feel like a goose ready for plucking after two slices. If you want the real experience, go to Leicestershire and buy a proper one. If you want a slice with less grim consequence, this'll do for a Tuesday and your belt will thank you.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish British, along with 57 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.