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TASTE OF THE TOWN


The Eddy Pub
Set against the backdrop of the winding Haw River, Saxapahaw’s Eddy Pub is tucked into the upper floor of the village’s old mill, boasting a simple design that keeps the original look of the mill intact. From a seat on the patio, drinkers and diners can take in the sunset over the river, while inside patrons often have the pleasure of listening to live music.

Regardless of where you sit, you’re sure to enjoy simple pub fare crafted from local ingredients as well as a wide selection of North Carolina brews on tap.

The Eddy’s chef and co-owner, Jeff Barney, on the patio at the Eddy. Photo by Alicia Stemper

Pork Pie
Ingredients
100 grams butter
100 grams lard
200 milliliters water
550 grams flour
2 ½ teaspoons salt
3 eggs
2.2 pounds pork shoulder
1 pound pancetta
1 pound minced pork belly
12 sage leaves
2 large sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon ground mace
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup pork stock
Eddy chef Jeff Barney’s Pork Pie. Photo by Alicia Stemper

Method
Gently melt butter and lard together in a pan with the water. While the fats are melting, mix flour and 1.5 teaspoons of salt together in a large bowl, then break in two eggs. Using a knife to start with, cut the eggs into the flour a little and slowly pour in the fat and water, mixing all the time.

The dough will come together; you may need to add more flour or water. Briefly knead the dough, then wrap it in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for an hour or so.

Cut pork shoulder into small cubes, about half a centimeter across, and place it in a large mixing bowl. Add pancetta to the bowl along with minced pork belly.

Finely chop the sage leaves and the leaves from the thyme sprigs and add them to the meat along with a generous teaspoon of salt and the fresh ground black pepper, ground white pepper, ground mace and cayenne pepper. Mix everything together well.

Next, cut off about a third of the pastry and put it to one side for the lid, then roll out the rest into a 12-inch round. Slide the pastry into a 9-inch spring-form cake pan and press it down so that the pastry reaches about three quarters of the way up the side of the pan. Fill the pastry case with the meat and push a bay leaf into the center of the pie.

Roll out a sized pastry lid and crimp it into place, using a little beaten egg to glue the joint together. Cut a small hole in the top of the pastry.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 and continue to cook for a further hour and a quarter.

After this time, take the pie out of its tin and brush the top and sides with beaten egg, returning it to the oven for another 15 minutes.

When the pie has finally finished cooking, let it stand for half an hour or so to cool, then heat up a cup of pork stock that will set to a jelly in a pan. Making pork stock with a couple of trotters will guarantee that the stock will set, but if you’re unsure, add some gelatin as well.

Using a turkey baster, squirt the hot stock into the hole at the top of the pie. The meat will have shrunk during cooking, and there’ll be a gap between it and the crust, which you want to fill with jelly. This could take some time – let the stock sink into the pie before adding more – but try to get as much stock in as possible.

Leave the pie to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight to allow the jelly to set.