Michigan pasties are a whole meal folded into a pastry shell. Most commonly they are filled with beef and root vegetables then baked until tender.
These handheld meat pies are popular with my Yooper neighbors to the north in Michigan's upper peninsula who made these portable meals for Cornish miners. Although still closely associated with Michigan, the pasty (the pronunciation of pasty rhymes with nasty) has gained a foothold in northern Wisconsin as well where you can still find roadside pasty shops selling these treats.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Like any meal, there are a million different ways pasties can be prepared. However, the traditional Cornish pasty, first popularized in Cornwall, United Kingdom was primarily made with pastry dough, beef, potatoes, onion, and turnips.
In my pasty recipe, I go a step further and add fresh herbs (parsley and sage) to the mix, which I think livens up the flavor quite a bit. However, feel free to omit it if you wish to stay more traditional.
- All-purpose flour - You can also use store-bought refrigerated pie dough in place of the dough ingredients.
- Salt
- Butter - You can substitute lard or shortening for butter in the dough.
- Large egg
- Lean ground beef
- Rutabaga
- Yellow onion
- Yukon potatoes - Red potatoes are a great substitution, but you can also use russet potatoes.
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Fresh sage - Fresh thyme would be a great substitute.
- Butter - Adding butter to the pasty filling lends moisture and flavor, but it can be omitted to save calories.
- Salt
How to make it
Begin by making your pie dough by mixing the flour and salt, then cutting in butter with a pastry cutter. Finally, mix in water until it forms into a ball. Knead the dough a few times on a lightly floured surface then let the dough balls sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour. This will make it easier to work with.
Prepare your vegetables and herbs by chopping them into small pieces, then add to a large mixing bowl and mix together along with the salt and pepper. Separately, crumble your hamburger into small bits.
Tip: You can mix all of your fillings together, but I find it works best if the ground meat is crumbled and added to the pasties separately. Otherwise, it wants to clump back together again as it is mixed.
Remove your dough from the refrigerator and cut into six equal pieces and then flatten them into ⅛" discs. Pile each round of dough with the vegetable mixture, then top with beef and one teaspoon of butter then fold the dough shut. Crimp edges shut with a fork to ensure it remains closed.
Finally, beat an egg in a dish and then paint the exterior pie dough with the egg wash to add a glossy shine as it bakes. I also like to sprinkle on a little kosher salt.
Bake your pasties in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour, then remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.
Storing & Reheating Leftovers
Leftover pasties should be stored in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator for up to a week. These do reheat fairly well in the microwave, but the texture will suffer some. Gently warming them in a 350 degree oven is the best way to reheat them.
Michigan Pasties
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter
- ¾ cup cold water
- 1 egg beaten
Filling
- ¾ pounds lean ground beef
- ½ cup diced rutabaga
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 cup chopped Yukon potatoes
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced sage
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Dough
- Mix together flour and salt in a large bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry cutter until it is crumbled into small bits resembling breadcrumbs.
- Add cold water while mixing until the dough forms into a ball. Briefly knead the dough then set in the refrigerator for one hour.
Assembly
- Prepare the filling by mixing the vegetables, herbs and seasonings in a bowl and crumbling the hamburger in a separate dish.
- Remove dough from the fridge and cut into six equal pieces then roll flat into rounds ⅛" thick.
- Build the pasties by adding equal amounts of the vegetable mixture to each one then top with crumbled ground beef and 1 teaspoon of butter.
- Fold dough shut over the filling ingredients and crimp with a fork to seal.
- Paint the exterior of the dough with beaten egg then sprinkle lightly with salt.
Baking
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Set on a prepared baking sheet and bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until the interior is hot and the crust is golden brown.
Kim Radcliffe
This recipe is a keeper! The dough was a dream to work with. It baked up puffy, crispy, flaky, and very tasty. I may increase the filling by 50% but wouldn’t change anything else.
Robyn Plant
It sounds great. I'm a FIB using a Yooper recipe from a Cheesehead. What could go wrong? No seriously I'm making it this weekend. I will amend. -Cheesehead at Heart (originally from NE PA, where you talk like you're from PA, or you're drunk and from WI)
Lana Bartlett
The dough needed slightly more water then I coasted mine in vegetable oil while it sat. But I'll tell you it needed much less time in the oven than suggested
Lana
Maybe my oven just cooks hot, so mine came out a tiny bit burned on the bottom. I'm going to make this again but do it for slightly less time. But this dough was so flaky and delish
Lisa Revard-Trudeau
I lived in Brevort and St. Ignace, MI (lived in Moran for a bit, too) for many years and totally grew up eating pasties 😊 I am making your recipe today.
Wheaton
I was born in cheboygan mi, raised in mackinaw city until 7th grade. My dad is a uper. He grew up in Moran Michigan where his parents both owned businesses. His dad owned a refrigeration/HVAC company and his mom owned a pastie shop. I've had pasties from all over michigan and I'm not just saying this because it's my dad's recipe (I guess his is a little different than his mom's I never got to have her pasties as she died when I was a year old RIP GMA ROSIE) but nobody has ever even come close to comparing. My dad does onion russet potatoes lots of hamburger meat and carrots. His dough is never tough. We would never have gravy either, we love ketchup on ours. My father has this way of of seasoning everything just right. That fine line that separates too much and just right..just thought I'd share. I really want some smoked white fish too it's beenso long.
Mike Cunningham
I grew up in Moran also, this certainly was a staple of foods for us. I am making this recipe today. Thanks for sharing. Mike Cunningham.
Nancy
My mother made pasties and would sell at local bars way back in the day, never would think of using hamburger, chunks of beef, pork , rutabeggie potatoes onions an carrots.. an a perfect crust to boot!
Shirley Powers
Can you put vegetables in the filling?
Fox Valley Foodie
Certainly!
Barbara
What do you call rutabaga, onion and potatoes? Also some carrots could be added.
Rhonda
I am wondering how I will “crumble” raw ground beef…I would rather cook my ground beef. Will it still be as good?
Fox Valley Foodie
Crumbling raw ground beef is simply breaking it into small pieces. It will cook as the pasties bake, there is no need to cook it twice.
Mike Benedict
I've been making pasties for years. This crust recipe is the best I've ever made. It was easier to work with after refrigeration and holds together very well after baking.
Sally
I visited the up frequently with my grandparents. I love pasties!
I have my grandmas recipe and it’s very very close.
Have tried to make it a little healthier and it doesn’t work.
Susie
I’ve been making pasties for over 40 years with a recipe from from Grandmother who was born in the U.P. In 1898. I use a short crust (2 cups flour, 1/2 cup Crisco, cut in 1/4 cup cold butter, 1 tsp salt, and add cold water to bring together). For the filling I use russet potatoes, sliced 1/8th inch thick, diced onion, and cubed round steak or even sirloin. I roll out the pastry, lay a layer of potatoes, cover with a few onions, salt and pepper lightly. Add steak layer, cover with more onions, salt and pepper and then I grate beef suet over the top. I also add a small pat of butter. Bake at 375 for 1 hour. Delish!
Lisa J Hildebrand
Just curious are you to cook the veggies and meat befor it goes in the pie dough or is it all raw? Thanks Lisa from Michigan but lives in Oregon.
Bruce
Late to see your question, but no...you don't need to cook anything ahead of time. The baking in the oven will do that for you. Try to chop ingredients close to same size for equal baking time.
geri
TU so much Susi My recipe handed down 2 me right from family in UP was burned in a fire
A lot of the magic is in the dough Hugs and Thx a Million
Kathy Pitts
I have always used pork and beef large grind, live in the upper peninsula, stsple in my home.
James R Carlin
Do you cook the ground beef before assembly?
Fox Valley Foodie
Nope, everything goes in raw and then bakes in the oven.
Cindy Elam
I want to make some up ahead and freeze them unbaked. So if everything is raw the potatoes will turn black. In the past I have always cooked and prepped all my filling then out in crust and froze them. Or is there a way to prevent them potatoes from turning black?
Tom
We live in northern lower Michigan so we are trolls (people who live below the bridge) and when we travel to the UP we always stop for Pasties. We try different places each time just to compare. A good friend make his own Pasties but lives in Florida now, real good. I will definitely try your recipe as it seems to be spot on. Also remember, NO GRAVY.
Tam Sangmeister
I’m going to try this tomorrow with some leftover shredded pork. Thanks!!! You’re recipes are always great!
Reba
Thank you so much for your recipe. Sounds delicious. We love a good pasty. We will definitely try it. Thanks! Reba
Lory Bresina
If I want to freeze them, should I bake them first? Also, what would be the cooking instructions coming from the freezer?
Rebecca
I would like to know the answer to this as well. I hope they answer you soon.
Brenda
You can freeze uncooked or after baking. If frozen uncooked be sure to bake your pasty longer.
Cathy
I am a troll, lower Michigan native now living in Virginia and have made them all my life. Have several in the freezer right now. Your recipe is spot on. Only time our family ever changed the recipe was when there was fresh deer kill.
Tammy
I am using fresh ground venison tomorrow to make these! I have never tried a venison pasty, can't wait!
Mike Hultquist
Awesome! My father grew up in Michigan and we enjoyed pasties every time we visited. Always looked forward to them. Thanks for the recipe! I love it. I might have to make a spicy version. =)