A typical Australian meat pie with tomato sauce (ketchup)

An Australian meat pie is a hand-sized meat pie containing largely minced meat and gravy sometimes with onion and often consumed as a takeaway food snack. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 133 KB) Traditional Aussie Meat Pie File links The following pages link to this file: Fast food Australian meat pie ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 133 KB) Traditional Aussie Meat Pie File links The following pages link to this file: Fast food Australian meat pie ... For other uses, see Ketchup (disambiguation). ... A meat pie is a savoury pie that covers or contains a savoury filling of meat and other savoury ingredients. ... Image:Minced beef USDA.jpg Minced beef in industrial grinder Ground beef, beef mince or hamburger meat, is a meat product, made of beef finely chopped by a meat grinder. ... For other uses, see Gravy (disambiguation). ...

It is considered iconic in both Australia and the neighbouring New Zealand. It was described by former New South Wales Premier Bob Carr in 2003 as Australia's "national dish".^[1] Similarly, in New Zealand it is regarded as a quintessential national dish and dubbed a part of traditional New Zealand food or Kwisine Kiwiana, and often described as a Kiwi/New Zealand meat pie. American cultural icons. ... NSW redirects here. ... For other persons named Bob Carr, see Bob Carr (disambiguation). ...

The popular brand Four'N'Twenty produce 50,000 pies per hour and Australians consume an average of 12 meat pies each per year. ^[2]. However, the average consumption of meat pies in New Zealand is higher at 15 per person per year^[3]. The meat pie is heavily associated with Australian Rules Football as one of the most popular consumed food items whilst watching a game. [html] The FourN Twenty Meat Pie was invented in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia by LT. McLure in 1947. ... High marking is a key skill and spectacular attribute of Australian rules football Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the key skill in Australian rules football Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy is a code of...

Commercial production

Manufacturers of pies in Australia tend to be state based, reflecting the long distances involved with interstate transport and lack of refrigeration capabilities in the early years of pie production. Many pies sold ready-to-eat at smaller outlets are sold unbranded and may be locally produced, produced by a brand-name vendor, or even imported, frozen pies heated prior to serving.

The Australian meat pie manufacturer Four'N'Twenty says that its pie was invented in 1947 by L. T. McClure in a small Bendigo bakery, to become the brand Four'N'Twenty. Due to their relationship with Australian rules football, Four'N Twenty has iconic status in Victoria and high popularity outside the state. [html] The FourN Twenty Meat Pie was invented in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia by LT. McLure in 1947. ... High marking is a key skill and spectacular attribute of Australian rules football Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the key skill in Australian rules football Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy is a code of...

Other manufacturers predate this, and the pie manufacturer Sargent can trace their pie making back to 1906. Sargent meat pies were served at the opening of the Old Parliament House in 1927 — or rather 10,000 pies were not served and the left-over pies had to be buried nearby. George Sargent (1859-1921), his wife Charlotte Sargent and Foster Sargent were the founders of Sargents Meat Pies in 1906. ... Old Parliament House today Opening of Parliament House in May 1927 Old Parliament House, formerly known as the Provisional Parliament House, was the seat of the Parliament of Australia from 1927 to 1988. ...

In South Australia, Balfours has been making pies since the early 1900s and remains (with Vili's) one of two major pie manufacturers in the state. Both of these pie makers supply pies to various venues hosting AFL games. For the song, see South Australia (song). ...

Produced in Western Australia, Mrs Mac's Pies are now sold nationwide, found mostly in service stations and corner stores, competing with other brands in the contested takeaway hotbox market on the basis of quality and fillings other than the normal fare. Slogan or Nickname: Wildflower State or the Golden State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Ken Michael Premier Alan Carpenter (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 15  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2005-06)  - Product ($m)  $107,910 (4th)  - Product per capita  $53,134/person... Mrs Macs Pies are a range of commercially produced quality and semi-gourmet meat pies sold throughout Australia and produced in Perth, Western Australia. ...

In Victoria, some of the well known and famous pie makers are Clarke's Pies from Mortlake, Kings Pies from Hamilton, Gillies from Bendigo, Beaumont's Pies from Geelong and Patties Pies from Bairnsdale. VIC redirects here. ... Mortlake is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia on the Hamilton Highway, 50 kilometres (31 mi) north-east of Warrnambool. ... Hamilton is a city in the Southern Grampians Shire of Victoria, Australia. ... Bendigo is a large regional town in central Victoria, Australia, located in the City of Greater Bendigo. ... - - Nickname: City by the Bay Geography Area: 1,240 km² Coordinates: Time Zone UTC +10:00 Population (2003) 200,067 Among Australian cities: Density: persons/km² Political Mayor: Shane Dowling Governing body: City of Greater Geelong Geelong is a port city of 200,067 people (2003 census) located on Corio... The bridge over the Mitchell River, marking the entrance to Bairnsdale (coming from Bruthen) Bairnsdale is a city in eastern Victoria, Australia, population 11,000 (2001). ...

In Tasmania, the main manufacturer of pies is National Pies^{[citation needed]}, ironically a Tasmanian only company, as they have not yet started interstate sales. National Pies make typical beef mince pies, as well as "Cottage Pies", which are topped with mashed potato. National Pies' mince pies are rectangular in shape, as opposed to most other brands, which are round. Slogan or Nickname: Island of Inspiration; The Apple Isle; Holiday Isle Motto(s): Ubertas et Fidelitas (Fertility and Faithfulness) Other Australian states and territories Capital Hobart Government Constitutional monarchy Governor William Cox Premier Paul Lennon (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 5  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product...

Nutritional value

Former New South Wales Premier Bob Carr launched a Childhood obesity Summit in 2002 where he told participants that feeding children a diet of meat pies, sausage rolls and chiko rolls was akin to child cruelty. NSW redirects here. ... For other persons named Bob Carr, see Bob Carr (disambiguation). ... These children vary in their proportion of body fat. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Example of a Chiko Roll still in its bag. ...

In April 2002, the Australian Consumers Association conducted a study of 22 frozen meat pies available in supermarkets. They found three brands did not meet the minimum 25 per cent meat content requirement set by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), they also found that the fat content ranged from 15 to 35 grams of fat per pie. The ACA study was of a select group of frozen meat pies in supermarkets, thus the study does not account for freshly baked meat pies of which the meat content and nutritional value varies from bakery to bakery. Another study by ACA in 2006 found 5 of the 23 pie products tested had less than the minimum 25% meat required. The Australian Consumers Association (ACA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1959 to research and advocate on behalf of Australian consumers, similar to Consumer Reports in the United States. ... Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ, formally ANZFA) is the governmental body responsible for developing food standards for Australia and New Zealand. ...

In 2006, The ACA awarded pie manufacturer Black and Gold "The CHOICE Shonky Award for UnAustralian Content" for their pies found to contain just 17% meat.^[4]

The meats allowed by FSANZ in a meat pie are beef, buffalo, camel, cattle, deer, goat, hare, pig, poultry, rabbit and sheep. Kangaroo meat, a leaner alternative, is also sometimes used. However, most pie manufacturers specify 'beef' in their ingredients list; typically, those using other types of meat will simply put 'meat' in the list instead. FSANZ's definition of meat includes snouts, ears, tongue roots, tendons and blood vessels. Only offal (such as brain, heart, kidney, liver, tongue, tripe) must be specified on the label. Wild animals ("slaughtered ... in the wild state") may not be used.^[5] Species Macropus rufus Macropus giganteus Macropus fuliginosus Macropus antilopinus A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning large foot). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the Red Kangaroo, the Antilopine Kangaroo, and the Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroo... Scrapple sandwich at the Delaware state fair Offal is the entrails and internal organs of a butchered animal. ...

The Great Aussie Meat Pie Contest

Started in 1990 and held annually since^[6], the Great Aussie Pie Contest was created to find the best everyday commercially produced meat pie produced in Australia, to promote the higher quality pie production as well as attempting to increase media attention upon the foodstuff, the iconic meat pie often dwarfed by the omnipresent advertising of fast food chains.

The contest attracts various pie makers Australia wide^[7][8], the pies for the contest are judged anonymously to avoid bias towards or against specific bakeries or states. Run in parallel to the main contest is one for gourmet pies, with categories for such fillings as chicken, seafood and even vegetarian pies. As well as the main prize, certificates of excellence are awarded for entries that reach set quality standards. The main award is highly coveted due to the greatly increased sales it generates, with many people travelling interstate to sample the winning pie.

Other cultural references

In the 1970s meat pies were mentioned in an advertising jingle for General Motors Holden Australia. The jingle — Football, meat pies, Kangaroos and Holden Cars, they go together underneath the Southern Stars — was an adaptation of an American jingle for the General Motors Chevrolet brand. Holden is owned by General Motors. Holdens rule This article is about the Australian car manufacturer. ... High marking is a key skill and spectacular attribute of Australian rules football Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the key skill in Australian rules football Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy is a code of... Species Macropus rufus Macropus giganteus Macropus fuliginosus Macropus antilopinus A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning large foot). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the Red Kangaroo, the Antilopine Kangaroo, and the Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroo... Holdens rule This article is about the Australian car manufacturer. ... CRUX is a lightweight, i686-optimized Linux distribution targeted at experienced Linux users. ... General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM), also known as GM, is an American automobile maker with worldwide operations and brands including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Vauxhall. ... Chevrolet (IPA: - French origin) (colloquially Chevy) is a brand of automobile, produced by General Motors (GM). ...

Fair-Go Dibbler, citizen of Fourecks in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, is famous for selling "meat" pies to his unsuspecting customers. Those paying a substantial premium may get one containing a named meat. Cut Me Own Throat (C.M.O.T) Dibbler is one of the numerous bit part characters that enrich the world of Terry Pratchetts Discworld novels. ... Terence David John Pratchett, OBE (born 28 April 1948) is a British fantasy and science fiction author, best known for his Discworld series. ... This article is about the novels. ...

In 2007, Domino's Australia released a meat pie pizza, consisting of minced beef, peas, diced fresh tomato, onions, gravy, thick pastry and tomato sauce.^[9] Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Not to be confused with Dominos Pizza in the United States. ...

See also

• Pie floater
• Meat pie
• Chiko Roll

Pie floater A pie floater is a meal served at pie carts in Adelaide and elsewhere in South Australia. ... A meat pie is a savoury pie that covers or contains a savoury filling of meat and other savoury ingredients. ... The Chiko Roll or CHIKO Roll is an Australian savoury snack developed by Francis McEncroe, a boilermaker from Bendigo, and first appeared at the Wagga Wagga Show in 1951. ...

References

1. ^ Sausage Roll Policy
2. ^ Bye-bye American pie - theage.com.au
3. ^ Andre Taber states that in 2004, business transactions for meat pies in New Zealand were worth NZ$120 million. The average cost of a meat pie was about NZ$2 this puts the sale of meat pies in New Zealand to be 60 million. As New Zealand has a population of 4 million this puts the average consumption per head to 15 per year. Andre Taber, The Great New Zealand Pie Guide: A Tasting Guide To Some of the Best Kiwi Pies Up and Down the Country, Renaissance Publishing, 2006, pg 7-8
4. ^ The CHOICE Shonky for UnAustralian Content - CHOICE May 2006 edition
5. ^ Body parts and gravy? - CHOICE May 2006
6. ^ History of the Great Aussie Meat Pie Contest
7. ^ Bakery's pie success - The Ararat Advertiser, 2 Oct 2007
8. ^ The pies have it! - The Sunshine Coast Daily, 30 Sept 2007
9. ^ Pie technology breakthrough - news.com.au 5 April 2007

External links

• The Great Aussie Meat Pie Contest
• Pie Article from Australian Flavour
• Choice Magazine - Meat Pies
• Meat Pie history & trivia