Official Pork Pie Thread

**JVS** · 13-12-2011, 10:18 AM

Are we all happy with the quality of pies from here ?

A couple of local wammers mentioned that better ones are available. I could investigate some alternative suppliers if the consensus is that we could do better.

I don't mind sampling a few

**rockmeister** · 13-12-2011, 10:26 AM

I think extensive sampling is essential!

I recommend ratings on
Pastry quality
Texture and taste of pork
Proportion of fat in above
and of course Jelly filling. No Jelly, no Pie.

Having said all that, Walter Smiths in Birmingham make the best Pies I ever tasted, but the D&M were great even if a tad peppery inside with quite strong aspic taste to the jell.

**pure sound** · 13-12-2011, 10:51 AM

Was watching that Michael Portillo railway journeys programme a year or so back. He visited Melton & I thought he would head straight for D&M but no. He went to some artisan Pork Pie makers and ended up helping make some. There obviously are other firms in the town. It might be interesting to find out who they are & what they do. We know D&M do make a good range of nice pies etc but it wouldn't hurt to see who else there is in Melton.

I think EoS had suggested that D&M weren't what they once were although I've enjoyed the pies I had from there. I like the pepperiness. Pork pie filling can be cloying & bland. I've no real reference point though. Get tasting Jim!

**JVS** · 13-12-2011, 11:06 AM

I tend to agree with you Guy. The D&M pies are ok, but nothing to write home about.

When I was at Steve's (madvinyljunkie) bake off near Leeds a couple of months back, he had a tray of pork pies from his local butcher which were simply stunning - probably the best I've tasted!

**i_should_coco** · 13-12-2011, 01:18 PM

Same here. Would be good to do something different, otherwise I won't bother.

**barneys dad** · 13-12-2011, 01:33 PM

OK guys, obviously some very serious research work needed on the pie front.
I'm listening to polarbears kit tonite (who's local) so we'll put our heads together & take up the challenge.

http://www.mmppa.co.uk/

**barneys dad** · 13-12-2011, 01:41 PM

2011 Pie Awards....

Class 1: Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Champion:
Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Produced by Mrs Kings Pies in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

perhaps the best pies arent from Melton!

**pure sound** · 13-12-2011, 03:01 PM

Mrs King's website

Pie Pron
http://www.mrskingsporkpies.co.uk/ou.../our_pies.html

**Papa Lazarou** · 13-12-2011, 03:36 PM

Nice! I'm salivating already.

**JVS** · 13-12-2011, 03:43 PM

Yep, with all of the sampling coming up, I reckon my usual "new year resolution diet" will need to be put on hold until after March

**rockmeister** · 13-12-2011, 03:43 PM

I'll take your Mrs King and raise you one
http://www.waltersmith.co.uk/p/Supre...80dbb21ea5e1d/

let the tasting commence!
Nearest shop to melton is Tamworth.

**JVS** · 14-12-2011, 03:03 PM

Right, I've ordered sample pies from Mrs King and Walter Smith.

I'll let you know what they're like once they arrive

Ha....ordering them online is almost like "pie in the sky"

**Hamish** · 14-12-2011, 07:07 PM

http://www.perfectpie.co.uk/

**pure sound** · 14-12-2011, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by JVS

Right, I've ordered sample pies from Mrs King and Walter Smith.

I'll let you know what they're like once they arrive

Ha....ordering them online is almost like "pie in the sky"

I feel for you Jim. The sacrifices we have to make.

This perfectpie outfit looks like another contender. But I wonder whether we should be trying to find a Melton (or near Melton) based pie pusher. Bringing a little business to the area, ingratiating ourselves with the locals. I suspect there are small makers there for whom it would be a significant little order. Whereas for D&M who normally supply supermarket chains etc, it's neither here nor there.

**JVS** · 14-12-2011, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by pure sound

I feel for you Jim. The sacrifices we have to make.

This perfectpie outfit looks like another contender. But I wonder whether we should be trying to find a Melton (or near Melton) based pie pusher. Bringing a little business to the area, ingratiating ourselves with the locals. I suspect there are small makers there for whom it would be a significant little order. Whereas for D&M who normally supply supermarket chains etc, it's neither here nor there.

I know Guy, but someone's got to do it

.....but thinking about it, alternative opinions would be very handy. Maybe other wammers would like to take part. We could all order pies then compare notes. (maybe one a week for the next few weeks - we could call it The Wammers Pie Club

)

Someone suggested a local butcher in last year's pie thread, he also said they were much better than D&M.

**bmtell** · 14-12-2011, 10:07 PM

Maybe some sort of bake-off is needed.

**i_should_coco** · 14-12-2011, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by bmtell

Maybe some sort of bake-off is needed.

hah.

**wee tam** · 14-12-2011, 10:13 PM

you saved both me n irenes' life this year with 2 x large unclaimed porkie pies , nowt wrong imho or irenes'

but if there are better nom nom bring it on

**pure sound** · 14-12-2011, 10:15 PM

Some pie history from the Eleys Pork Pie site

Common pie
The common pie uses cured meat. Often produced in moulds or form, it gives the outside of the pie a very regular shape and the inside filling a pink colour. It is hence easier, simpler and cheaper to produce in volume, and hence the more common choice for commercial manufacturers.

Melton Mowbray pork pie
The Melton Mowbray Pork Pie uses uncured meat, giving the meat in a Melton pie a grey colour. Hand formed with no mould, a Melton Mowbray pie also commonly has a hand-formed crust. This style of production gives the Melton Mowbray pie a slightly irregular in shape form after baking, as with any hand-made pie. In light of the premium price of the Melton Mowbray pie, the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association applied for protection under the European "Protected designation of origin" laws as a result of the increasing production of Melton Mowbray style pies by large commercial companies in factories far from Melton Mowbray, and recipes that deviated from the original uncured pork form. Protection was granted on 4 April 2008.[1]
Artisan pork pies
Whilst Melton Mowbray is considered the traditional source of commercial and artisan made pork pies and the geographic range of pork pies tends to centre on the Midlands, other regions of England also have small artisan premium pork pie makers; notably Norfolk and Lincolnshire.

Variations
Pork pies have declined in popularity and availability in Britain since the middle of the 20th century, concurrent with the rise in consumption of foreign snack foods. Varieties have extended further in recent years, which might be a reaction by commercial manufacturers to consumer health concerns, as pork pies tend to be very high in both calories and fat content.

If we want to limit ourselves to proper Melton pies, these seem to be the smaller makers we should look at (unless the MMPA is seen as a closed shop or cartel by other local renegade pie makers who are going it alone!). Barney's Dad may be able to advise.

http://www.brocklebys.co.uk/

F Bailey & Son
Station Road
Upper Broughton
Melton Mowbray
Leicestershire
LE14 3BQ
Tel: 01664822 216

Leesons Butchers
31 High Street
Oakham
Leicestershire
LE15 6AH
Tel: 01572770244

www.mrskingsporkpies.co.uk

http://www.nelsonsbutchers.co.uk/

**bmtell** · 14-12-2011, 10:19 PM

Is it worth asking any of the local pie shops if they d'liver?

Where did I put me coat.

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