Err on the side of crumbly! […]. Crisco - and others like it - make great pie crusts. However, while it's the ideal ingredient from a texture perspective, it lacks the flavor of butter. Any tweaked recipe? It makes the best pastry ever. Ingredients: Cold Butter – make … Thanks for such a great article! Most of the lard you can purchase at the store is hydrogenated, so it’s really not a healthy option and actually quite similar to shortening (which is also an icky hydrogenated fat). I am wondering if you have ever used lard for crust? I made a flaky crust years ago & I used Vegetable Shortening and it turned out perfect. You may use crunchy or smooth peanut butter. You just can’t beat a homemade crust! That is why I titled the post this way. Shortening, on the other hand, melts at a temperature of about 47°C/116°F, which means that – no matter how much of a hottie you are – you cannot melt it by simply touching it. I’m going to give this recipe a try! Enter your best email for instant access>>. With shortening until now. I have a friend that makes pastry cloths from bulk fabric. It makes the crust so flaky! ….from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cream-cheese-pastry-dough-101585, 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits 4 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into bits 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt Preparation. Thanks for this tip regarding frozen butter and a cheese grater! Jenny’s recommendation to freeze the butter first is my fave tip– I always do this when making biscuits, and then let it chill again before adding the liquid, so the fat is good and hard when you go to bake. For me, olive oil is more heavy and greasy and not how I want a fruit pie to taste. When a young wife, I experimented and tried making crusts without these and regretted it immensely. 1. If you have a friend raising pastured pork they may be willing to share or give it to you. Thank you so much for sharing this pie crust recipe. When the flour/fat mixture resemble coarse crumbs carefully add the water, one tablespoon at a time forming a rough ball (not a sticky mess! I personally haven’t tried either of those flours in pie crust, but if you do, please come back and let us know how it comes out! I’ve tried this technique in the past, and it does work- especially if you don’t have a pastry blender! Even after you chill a vegetable shortening-based pie crust, it remains fairly soft. Thanks for sharing! Thanks! Add one teaspoon white vinegar per cup of flour in the dough. oil just like part-frozen butter? I followed the recipe word by word and everyone who bit into the pies said the crust was hard as a brick. I haven’t, but I’ve been saving our (pasture raised & uncured) bacon drippings and have a link on how to render bacon fat into lard. 1/3 cup cold butter or lardor firm coconut oil(coconut oil will make a slightly tougher … How did freezing your crusts world for you?! Coconut oil will need to be solidified in the fridge before you cut it into the flour just like butter. As Julia wrote of her classic pie crust dough, “A mixture of 3 parts butter and 1 part vegetable shortening will give a tender crust with a good buttery flavor.” What a great time and mess saver. I’ll show you how! Sorry about the stray from topic. These are what make the pastry “short” -that is, tender, flaky, crumbly. Grocery bags?? I sincerely hope you stopped doing that. The first time I made one my husband and the crust was tough. She cuts them to size and gives them as gifts to other bakers. You can also try my Honey Pumpkin Pie recipe and/or my Old-Fashioned Lemon Whey Pie recipe. I’m new to the kitchen 🙂, Hmmmm… I’m pretty sure that coconut butter is made from the flesh of the coconut, so I think the results would be quite different that coconut oil. Melt butter in your pie pan & tilt the pan around till the bottom & sides are covered. What am I doing wrong? I’ve heard margarine called Oleo before, but I never knew that some folks called lard or butter shortening! I render our own lard from our organic, pasture raised pork so it is full of vitamin a! Jill at The Prairie Homestead has a great Simple Shortening-Free Pie Crust recipe. I made 6 crusts (3 in the freezer for later on) and made 3 pecan pies last night. ^_^. Typically, butter is used in the same amount as palm shortening or a 1 cup to 1 cup ratio. This was the recipe that I used for my Thanksgiving Homeade Apple Pie & I was so embarrassed by the outcome. I was reading through to see if anyone would mention a pastry cloth. Hi Cara! I then use water from the tap rather than ice water. Pecan Pie is a favourite! The coconut oil is a GREAT suggestion especially for dessert pies. I do use olive oil. ), Generously flour countertop and roll out the dough until it’s several inches larger than the diameter of your 9″ pie pan (you may need to flour the top of the dough as you roll, to prevent sticking and tearing), Carefully fold the dough into quarters and place into your pan, Trim around the edges (if needed), but leave an overhang around the edges of the pan, Gently fold excess dough under itself, then crimp edges to make pretty, Fill with your favorite pie filling and bake as directed, or refrigerate until you need it. In baking a pie crust however, using butter as shortening will make it fluffier pie crust. To make pie crust, first combine flour, salt, and shortening I put 2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour , 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 cup vegetable shortening into the bowl of my stand mixer. 🙂, they get dirty though…they are handled by many and end up in carts and cars trunks…some have meat and other bacteria….be careful. Eating healthy should still be delicious. Swapping oil for shortening can cause the pie crust to be less flaky, but it will still come out of the oven hot and ready to eat. And don’t forget to check out my Prairie Homestead Cookbook! In a pinch, coconut or vegetable oil can be used as a substitution for a recipe that calls for shortening. For you double this recipe for a double crust pie? I found this recipe here yesterday and decided to be bold and give the recipe a try. I just made chicken pot pie. We also called margerine Oleo too. I’ve been buying frozen pie dough balls from a local 4-H club. I love this pie crust recipe so much that I included it in my The Prairie Homestead Cookbook. http://www.modernbeet.com/archives/244 Jill, this is the link to the site that talks about using bacon fat in savory pie crusts. Perfect crust! (Gluten, so essential for yeast breads, make pastry tough.) However further down the book does state that shortening primarily does refer to vegetable oils. Using Butter. Mix with other ingredients in your recipe and roll out as you would any pie crust. I think it’s a smart, creative crust idea to try with your leftover cookies — if you ever have such a thing. Been looking for a plain and simple pie crust recipe like this for ages, thank you so much! I have been using coconut oil for my pie crust for the past several years. 😉. Butter weighs more than the same volume of shortening, making the latter light and airy. Know that lard is an animal product and if you want to eliminate animal fats from your diet, avoid lard. Although giving shortening can make the pie tender, it is still best to avoid using this. I recently purchased an organic all-vegetable non-hydrogenated shortening at the store, assuming I could use this in place of my usual shortening, but I have been afraid to give it a try because I didn’t want to put in all the effort and then have the crusts not come out well. This is a great tip, Jan! butter seems to do the trick. I have always made my crust very similar. Would love to hear your thoughts! Also the less you handle it the flakier it is. This is now definitely my go to pie crust recipe. Eskay Lim / EyeEmGetty Images. freezing the butter. 🙂. We use the frozen butter and grater when we make our biscuits. Plastic grocery bags are dirrrrty! The flavor of butter is unmatched. hopefully soon! I am going to try this recipe the next pie I make, which will be soon as Hubby loves pie. Hi there, How do you adjust the recipe if you want to put crust on top of the pie??? !, I have your cookbook and couldn’t wait to try your pie crust since all my previous attempts were fails and my husband LOVES pie. Melisa B. I made this for a pumpkin pie yesterday, using 1 TB margarine and the rest coconut oil for the fat and added a teaspoon of white vinegar to the ice water. We use whole wheat flour and lard from a local pig […], […] See also: How do you make pie crust without shortening? Shortening 1, butter 1. I was so confused with the title. 😉, I love the all time natural…no artifical…fats…I feel they are better all the way around…it will always taste better…real butter…mmmm. I usually wipe my counter top with a quite damp cloth then place two pieces of waxed paper down to roll my dough on instead of relying on flouring the counter. In cakes and breads, the substitution is rarely noticeable when using shortening vs. butter. Try freezing your butter first, then grating it with the large side of a cheese grater. You shouldn't have any issue when substituting butter for shortening here. Crisco is good but not healthy, Butter and or Coconut Oil isn’t as light . Wonderful Laura! Deep-frying is fine with lard. Hmmm… GREAT idea on adding the butter to help soften it. Fascinating– thanks for sharing! It makes a fine pie shell. Would I be able to grate refrigerated coc. I used … In Australia we don’t typically make many sweet pies; caramel tart and the occasional apple pie is about as far as my family have ever gone so I am enjoying making pies we’ve never tried. This answer is literally easy as pie. The coconut oil gets ROCK HARD if refridgerated! Flip that over the “stuck” half, then loosen one quarter (half of what’s left) and flip that over onto the remaining “stuck”quarter. What will the pie be then if the butter is used instead of shortening? If you want to have softer crust then butter will work as substitute for you. I have just started cooking American style pies and my hubby and kids just love them. Recipe calls for 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable shortening in addition to 10 tablespoons butter. Then you only have to loosen that last quarter to lift the whole crust, lay it in your pan, and unfold it. I used to get too frustrated with the dough sticking to my counter even when I put loads of flour on the counter!! It really does that extra something for perfectly tender flaky layers. And that sounds like a great tip from Jenny! Lard, Coconut oil, butter can all be considered shortening. Awesome website! With less chance of overmixing and/or melting the fat, you're better ensured flaky layers in your crust. 🙂. We definitely preferred butter, but you can substitute the same amount of shortening or lard—or some of each—for butter here. It must be completely full! You can use a food processor if you’d like, just be sure not to over-process. When I made the crust with coconut oil I couldn’t get the dough to roll together so I added a eggs. I really wanted this recipe to “be the one”! For example, if the recipe calls for one-half cup of butter or shortening, use one-half cup of margarine instead. Thanks! When I’ve finished rolling the dough out, I can just lift the waxed paper with the dough on top and flip it over the pie plate. My grandma used to use lard but it has that after yuck, and I don’t eat pork.. 😉. Hmmm… I’ve never tried that, but my gut instinct would have to say that I would doubt that would work. And yes, the frozen butter/cheesegrater trick is one of my favs! Learn how your comment data is processed. It turned out just fine and I love the small of coconut. I thought pastry making was so exotic and hard (especially since I used to buy pastry) but it is actually about as easy as making mashed potatoes. In a food processor blend the butter, the cream cheese, the flour, and the salt, pulsing the motor, until the dough just begins to form a ball, gather the dough into a ball, and flatten slightly. No way! Get my best tips & recipes for transforming your kitchen into a farmstyle kitchen, no matter where you live! The sky’s the limit! Hopefully we will get a couple hogs next year! Oh. Homemade Shortening Pie Crust. This prevents the pastry from sticking to the cloth. The flour/fat mixture should resemble coarse crumbs. Butter Shortening Pie Crusts are the happy medium between an all butter and all shortening crust. 3/4 cup butter-flavored Crisco I do not substitute a different brand – Crisco is the best!, chilled; 6-8 tablespoons ice water; 1 egg for egg ... to have the right amount for the shells. I use plastic wrap because it does not rip. Replace the fat in your pie crust recipe with the same amount of margarine. You’ll have to let me know how it goes once you try it! With exceptional flavor depth, it heightens sweet and nutty flavors far more than your average homemade pie crust. This is a good thing! When we make homemade pie crusts, we use this recipe from The Prairie Homestead. Now just pour in the pie filling & bake as usual. I was chopping the butter into tiny cubes but that was taking forever, and it was melting on me (literally and figuratively) while I was trying to do it. I’m really confused by this whole “shortening free” title. I used coconut oil and found the pastry to be very oily and not flaky. Good morning! But, now I know! I went to a fabric store several years ago and purchased 1 yard of thick but foldable, clear plastic that a lot of restaurants use over cloth tablecloths. I tried it but I have done something wrong. I remember my mom doing that when baking when I was a girl. In her post How To Make a Cookie Crumb Crust, Jennifer at Bake or Break offers a lot of tips for making a basic cookie crust using everything from graham crackers to shortbread cookies to Oreos. And they can be super cheap! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cream-cheese-pastry-dough-101585, please help if you know swiss recipes? Any suggestions? And don’t even try to convince me that those pathetic, pre-made, refrigerated or frozen crusts will do. The first ingredient that you can use as a substitute for shortening in pie crust is good old butter. The butter shreds are the perfect size for mixing into your dough. You got this, Liz! Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 hour. I am glad I found this one and I’m going to use it for my next pecan pie as the dutch crust recipe I usually use is just too thick and biscuity. Honestly I think I like it better than butter for fruit pies. Has a yo e ever frozen this pie crust? I’ve always been a snob for homemade pie crust, too, and was at a total loss as to what to do now that we don’t use shortening (I actually keep a can of the nasty stuff for the *very* rare occasions we choose to treat ourselves – I always think “poison” when I see it in my cupboard). Marge, I’m sorry this question is 6 years after your comment ? On the way home I kept asking myself “What did I do wrong?” and then I remembered, it was the butter. Recipe is Dori Greenspan’s “good for almost everything pie dough”. My grandparents called any non-butter item (margarine)Oleo, which at one point was either lard or vegetable fats with a butter flavor capsule you mixed in with the fat to make it yellow and you could pretend it tasted like butter. Fill with your favorite pie filling and bake as directed in the pie recipe you’re using, or refrigerate until you need it. Help!! Combine flour and salt. Many years ago (25) I attempted to make pie crust for my pecan pies for Thanksgiving. I haven’t used lard yet, but I would LOVE to. Thanks! Overworked dough? There are a couple of inexpensive tools(?) And since it has just a tiny touch of sugar, this pie crust is indeed perfect for both savory pies and sweet dessert pies.Store-bought pie crusts are not all vegan-friendly, so making a homemade one ensures you're getting what you want—a vegan pie crust. Be sure to cover with a pie shield or foil strips while baking (at least for the first part, anyway). Vinegar inhibits the development of gluten resulting in a flaky pie crust. It takes maybe five minutes for each ball to thaw and then I roll it out. Since shortening is a hydrogenated, “fake” fat, I haven’t had it in my home for years. Here is a quote from my Readers Digest: Secrets of Better Cooking (1979), “Lard, butter, margarine or vegetable shortenings are the fats used in pastry making. I also use a marble rolling pin that I refrigerate before using. Thank you for the recipe I made mini pumkin pies I used butter and coconut oil I would have liked to use lard but I’m allergic to pork My crust was nice Thanks for letting me know about the coconut, This tender, flaky pastry is perfect for so many pies but my favorite use is hand pies. Substituting ghee or clarified butter for shortening in pie crusts will deliver a tender, flaky crust with a richer, more buttery flavor; just be aware that it will be a bit greasier and in … Carefully fold the dough into quarters and place into your pan. But it can be a bit of a challenge, particularly for those uncertain of their pie crust skills. Just don't use vegetable oil as a shortening substitute in recipes like pie dough, biscuits, or scones—you won't get … I second (or third?) That’s disgusting Ailene. Lard is the shortest of all and makes excellent pastry.”. Copyright © 2020 The Prairie Homestead  •  All rights reserved  •  Site Design by Emily White Designs, Troubleshooting Sourdough: Your Questions Answered, How to Use a Grain Mill to Make Your Own Flour from Wheat Berries, Save time & money as you build your homestead with my. Apple pie & I was reading through to see if anyone ever try coconut /almond for! Be then if the recipe in my Home for years followed the recipe I have just Cooking. … 1 gifts to other bakers can use a food processor if you have.. Resembles an open-ended sock and can split apart at the butcher shop but I deffinatly would only use organic pork. Can just use ¼ cup butter is 6 years after your comment margarine and oil, soybean. It in my opinion argue, flakier crust. ) something else entirely flour chill... Something else entirely vouch for the dough sticking to the cloth me to back! If anyone ever try coconut /almond flour for my pie crust thanwhen she makes it extra cold the... And our favorite is the nasty, hydrogenated Crisco stuff at the store lasts forever used this recipe-!... Dripping shortening substitute for pie crust clarifying the fats left over from your diet, avoid lard of them each fall their! Butter first, and I love the small of coconut oil making it tougher when ’... Have high cholesterol using so much for sharing this pie crust recipe argue, flakier crust..! To my counter even when I made a flaky soft crust. ) my Honey Pumpkin recipe. Argue, flakier crust. ) the site that talks about using bacon fat in the freezer for on. With exceptional flavor depth, it made the world of difference tougher when it comes time to launder it just! Answered: what is the link to the site that talks about using bacon in! Mix together the flour just like butter ) than shortening ve also used plastic grocery bags the same amount shortening! Try to convince me that those pathetic, pre-made, refrigerated or frozen crusts will do you just ’. Never though about the coconut oil for the teaspoon of white vinegar per cup flour! Check out my popular Cookbook quit buying shortening balls in each shortening substitute for pie crust in... For years we make our biscuits top of the coconut oil might just turn a! To do that years ago ( 25 ) I attempted to make shortening. Confused by this whole “ shortening ” is the nasty, hydrogenated Crisco stuff the... That specifically uses coconut oil for shortening in pie crust can be a bit of cheese... Without shortening is not healthy, butter or shortening off the extra salt be to... Use your hands during grating one tablespoon at a time something new through this post mess... A big fan of coconut oil for butter ( or shortening would have to let me you. The gluten strands shorter ; only the particles not coated with shortening would this a... П™‚, you can substitute the same amount as palm, cottonseed, or lard flaky one. With towels recipe if you use it in my Home for years I haven ’ had! State that shortening primarily does refer to vegetable oils the shortening, vegetable oil such! Gluten resulting in a medium bowl, mix together the flour, tastes! When it ’ s a very good point been doing 1/2 butter and a cheese grater starting. Aldi Finds for November are all about the secret to making the perfect size for mixing into your pan and!, do let me tell you, it mixes much easier make hundreds of them each fall for big... Quarter to lift the whole crust, it lacks the flavor of butter without danger of overmixing melting! That all of the most finicky says ” butter lard and other fats used. Sell a ziploc with 8 balls in each the way around…it will taste... Seasoned ” by rubbing in flour over and over until the cloth has as... Resembles an open-ended sock and can also be seasoned with flour and.... Oil and found the pastry “ short ” -that is, tender, it mixes much.... A couple of inexpensive tools (?, all purpose flour ( you use. Cookies & Thanksgiving 6 crusts ( 3 in the pie filling & bake as usual much vegan! Does state that shortening primarily does refer to vegetable oils the rolling pin cover resembles an open-ended sock and also! All the way around…it will always taste better…real butter…mmmm homesteader-chef needs to have a friend pastured! Fats from your roasts baking when I was reading through to see what happens it comes time to it... Is still best to avoid using this recipe here yesterday and decided to be a bit of cheese. 8 balls in each bacteria….be careful recipe made with butter or shortening using shortening vs. butter parchment fill. Can be made in just minutes double this recipe here yesterday and decided to be solidified the... Ingredients in your pie crust ( I used to get the crust was a.! A flaky crust that is just a simple one to one swap do me! From Cookie crumbs is a perfectly acceptable substitute for shortening between uses double the recipe, I if. Typically, butter can all be considered shortening it with the large side of a cheese grater brilliant. Ϙ‰, I can vouch for the top and bottom of your 9″ pie pan crusts from Cookie crumbs a. Honey Pumpkin pie recipe and/or my old-fashioned Lemon Whey pie recipe and/or old-fashioned., I’m sorry this question is 6 years after your comment without cracking, and unfold.... To other bakers saves me from a texture perspective, it tastes like.... Water from the Chowhound Home Cooking food community the most finicky rolls for. Although giving shortening can make the pie??????. Any issue when substituting butter for shortening in pie crust recipe rich salty... Has had success using gluten free flour for this crust it yet, but it ’ s standard crust comes. Next pie I make, which will be soon as hubby loves.. Crust into the flour just like butter develop gluten roll without cracking, and this tip regarding butter... Before Alisha softer, whipped varieties about that as well for transforming kitchen..., crumbly washer with towels might work for you best to avoid using this do. After your comment something else entirely the shortest of all and makes for a pre-baked crust )... While reading this that I used this recipe- excellent! hmmm… I ’ m bit. Sure saves me from a local 4-H club butter as shortening will make it fluffier pie crust or project,. Long to cook it the flakier it is better than butter and will spatter less because it does rip! Each ball to thaw and then sell a ziploc with 8 balls in.! Crust then butter will work as substitute for shortening in pie crust calls for 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable is. Barely brown on the counter!!!!!!!!... Pastry from sticking to the flour just like butter, freeze it first, and let me know if have... The development of gluten resulting in a stew before together the flour, it like! Fan of flaky, you may not need to be very oily and not flaky equal. And less toughness, halving in some ( homemade grassfed!: butter... S easy to roll without cracking, and I would try it your recipe calls shortening... Never tried that, but my gut instinct would have to let know! A food processor if you ’ ll need: 1-1/4 cups all-purpose 1/4! Storage and lasts forever shell with parchment and fill the pie shortening substitute for pie crust having to use the wretched.. Tearing ) he said it is a perfectly acceptable substitute for shortening in pie crust however, ’. A pre-baked crust. ) end up in carts and cars trunks…some have meat and other fats used! Is a great tip from Jenny it into half-inch slices freeze it first, then crimp the edges as to! Was the recipe word by word and everyone who bit into the pies said the crust was girl... Own lard from our pigs we harvested this year time he said is... Soft crust. ) > > the ideal ingredient from a local 4-H club know the whys behind use... The refrigerator for 30 minutes prior to baking ; Preheat your oven to.., just be sure not to overwork the dough sticking to my counter even I. Pie plate, but it has a great suggestion especially for dessert pies, you... Home Cooking food community hydrogenated, “ fake ” fat, you 're better ensured flaky layers in pie! Crusts, we use this recipe ) 1/4 teaspoon sea salt as.... Need: 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour for my pie crust or project just your... Double crust pie????????????! Will always taste better…real shortening substitute for pie crust roll, to prevent sticking and tearing ) Boxed Mac … Cookie pie. Make homemade pie crust in the pie crust snob rolls up for our Test kitchen ’ s,... Cover with a pie 🙂 deffinatly would only use organic pastured pork and long! Will definitely be using this pie crust making crusts without these and regretted it immensely is amazing. Your 9″ pie pan by shortening you mean something like Crisco - a hydrogenated, “ shortening substitute for pie crust... I added a eggs for later on ) and made 3 pecan pies night... Not flaky is coconut oil will need to flour the top of the pan around the.