My aunt said my pie crust was 'tough as a boot heel' and she was right

I was making my great-grandmother's apple pie recipe, the one with the lard crust. My aunt took one bite and said it plain. I realized I was working the dough too much, trying to get it perfect. Now I barely mix it until it just holds together, and it's flaky. Has anyone else's family been that blunt about a recipe fix?

3 comments

3 Comments

mark_hernandez121mo ago

Oof, that's rough but honestly kinda helpful? My grandma would just say "interesting texture" and leave me to figure it out. How did you finally get the lard crust right, was it just the mixing or did you chill it more too? That tough dough thing is such a common trap, trying to make it look smooth.

henry1011mo ago

Man I used to be all about that smooth dough. Thought it had to look perfect. Total mistake. Now I go for the shaggy mess, stop mixing way earlier. Big difference. Chilling overnight is key too, lets the flour really soak up the fat. Changed my whole pie game.

hayden_moore1mo ago

Wait your grandma actually said "interesting texture" and just walked away? I mean that's brutal, like you're on a cooking show and she's the judge who gives zero notes. For me the lard crust only worked when I stopped mixing it like bread dough. I'd see little flour bits and keep going, but you gotta stop the second it looks shaggy. Chilling it longer helped too, like overnight in the back of the fridge, not just an hour.