Michigan Pasty Recipe | Yummy Beef Pasties w Vegetables + Easy Dough (2024)

FAQs

What is a Michigan pasty? ›

Pasties, pronounced "pass-tee", are traditional meat pies that began in England and were brought to Michigan by Cornish miners when they migrated to Northern Michigan in the 1800's. Pasties are a beloved tradition in Michigan, particularly so in the U.P. (Upper Peninsula).

There will always be great debate about the origin of the pasty, but one easy way to detect the Devon pasty from the Cornish is that the Devon pasty has a top-crimp and is oval in shape, whereas the Cornish pasty is semi-circular and side-crimped along the curve.

Upper Peninsula Pasties Recipe photo by Taste of Home. Pasties are handheld turnovers filled with meat and vegetables. These savory stuffed pies were originally made for miners in Cornwall, England, to take down into the pits during “crib” time (meal time) because they were an easy, portable and sustaining food.

There must be no other meat than beef, which should make up a minimum of 12.5% of the pasty. There should be no vegetables other than those stated, which make up at least 25% of the pasty! Lastly, the pastry should be savoury and crimped down the side – we insist on a minimum of 22 crimps!

There are five main types of pastry dough for creating pastries: flaky, shortcrust, puff, choux and filo. All of them are made primarily from flour, water and fat. However, these five types of pastry dough each have slightly different core ingredients, different ratios of ingredients and, ultimately, different uses.

These pasties (and the alleged venison pasty 1660s London diarist Samuel Pepys suspected was actually beef) were little more than cuts of meat wrapped in pastry dough. By then the Cornish pasty—made from chipped beef, potatoes, swedes (rutabagas) and onions—had already taken its place in Cornwall's regional cuisine.

Tiddly in naval slang means 'proper', a common adjective and adverb used by Cornish people, and oggie was the term for a pastie in cornwall, so “tiddly oggie” meant proper pasty. Cornish rugby supporters later adopted the chant “Oggie, oggie, oggie, oi, oi, oi!” when cheering on their team.

These Cornish Pasties are filled with a mixture of well-seasoned steak, onions, potatoes and swede (or rutabaga/yellow turnip if you're in the US). The meat and vegetables are placed in the pastry raw, with a really good pinch of salt and pepper and a few dots of butter, then sealed and cooked in the pastry.

The American equivalent to Cornish pasties could be similar handheld savory pastries or turnovers like the following: Empanadas: These are popular in Latin American cuisine and are stuffed pastries filled with various ingredients such as meats, vegetables, cheese, or beans.

Yoopers, people from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (the "UP")

What food is Michigan known for? ›

It is known for famous Mackinac Island fudge, Coney Island Hot Dogs, and Cornish Pasties, which were introduced by miners who came to the state from Cornwall, England. Tart cherries, Packzi (Polish Filled Donuts), and Superman Ice Cream are more popular foods you might enjoy when visiting Michigan.

While yooper refers to residents of the Upper Peninsula, those that live south of the Mackinac Bridge may be lightheartedly referred to as trolls since they are “under the bridge.” Both yoopers and trolls may also identify as fudgies when indulging in a classic Michigan treat.

For instance with your choice of potato (with a pasty mine would be mash), choice of vegetable, peas for instance, and definitely gravy or the whole thing may be just to dry to enjoy.

past·​ies ˈpā-stēz. : small round coverings for a woman's nipples worn especially by a stripteaser.

The traditional Cornish pasty, which since 2011 has had Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in Europe, is filled with beef, sliced or diced potato, swede (also known as yellow turnip or rutabaga – referred to in Cornwall and other parts of the West Country as turnip) and onion, seasoned with salt and pepper, ...

The difference between the two is all in the structure, he said. Pasties tend to be defined as a singular, folded pastry case with a crimped lid and a savoury filling, typically of seasoned meat and vegetables. Pies, on the other hand, traditionally have a base and sides and a separate lid.

The traditional Cornish pasty has sliced vegetables while the evolved Yooper pasty has diced vegetables. The correct way to eat a pasty is from the top down, so if you don't finish the two pound pastry you can save it for later.

A Cornish pasty must comprise savoury pastry (usually shortcrust) with a filling of beef, potato, swede (often called a turnip in Cornwall, but it's not!), onion, seasoned with salt and pepper. There must be at least 12.5% beef and 25% vegetables in the pasty as a whole.