Pork Potpie — When You Don’t Know What Comes Next, You Make Something Warm

August. Last week before the fall semester starts. The daycare is fully operational now and the protocols have become routine and the toddlers are adjusted to the masks and the changed routines and they are children and children adapt if you give them consistent, safe adults and they have those here.

I have been preparing for senior year the way I prepare for a long trip: thinking about what I need to carry and what I can leave behind, trying to see the shape of what is coming. I know the courses I need to finish. I know the research I want to do. I know the fellowship I am waiting to hear from. I am as ready as I can make myself be.

I made pork tenderloin this weekend with a mustard and herb crust, which is something I have been wanting to try for months. You coat the loin with Dijon mustard and press herbs into it, rosemary and thyme from the windowsill pot, then roast at high heat for a short time and rest before cutting. It came out perfectly, the center pink and tender and the crust golden and aromatic. Priya said: you are going to miss this kitchen when you leave Birmingham. I said: I am not leaving Birmingham. She said: when you graduate. I said: I might stay. She said: really? I said: I do not know yet. I know I am not done with this city.

That pork tenderloin weekend planted something in me — a craving not just for the flavors but for that same feeling of making something careful and deliberate when everything else feels open-ended. Priya’s question is still sitting with me: when you graduate. I don’t have an answer yet, and I’m learning to be okay with that. So I kept cooking with pork, kept leaning into the herbs and the warmth, and landed on this potpie — all that same heartiness folded into something that feels like staying, like a meal you make for a place you’re not ready to leave.

Pork Potpie

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced into coins
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup diced russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (1/2-inch cubes)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 refrigerated pie crust (or homemade, enough for a single top crust)
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
2. Brown the pork. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork cubes with salt and pepper, then sear for 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on most sides. The pork does not need to be fully cooked through at this stage. Remove to a plate.
3. Soften the vegetables. Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, add the onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4. Build the filling. Push vegetables to the edges of the pan and melt butter in the center. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute until the paste turns lightly golden. Gradually pour in the chicken broth and milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Stir in thyme, rosemary, and Dijon mustard. Simmer for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Combine and season. Return the seared pork to the skillet along with the frozen peas. Stir to combine everything in the sauce. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Pour the filling into the prepared baking dish.
6. Top with crust. Drape the pie crust over the filling, pressing the edges lightly against the rim of the dish to seal. Trim any excess and crimp as desired. Cut 3–4 small slits in the center to vent steam. Brush the surface evenly with the beaten egg.
7. Bake. Bake at 400°F for 25–30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the vents. If the edges brown too quickly, tent them loosely with foil.
8. Rest and serve. Let the potpie rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to set slightly and makes for cleaner slices.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 380 | Protein: 24g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 35g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 420mg