by Sheila Rae Watson

Created on: August 06, 2008   Last Updated: April 09, 2011

If you want to know the secrets behind never-fail pie crust, here they are!

I have been a baker for most of my adult life, my cooking experience is vast and the depth of that cumulative knowledge is what I share with you here.

I offer for your consideration two recipes for never fail pie crust. I have used them with great success! Both are old time county fair blue ribbon winners. One is from my own Mother and the other is from my Grandmother. Try them both and let me know which one you like best.

-Simple No-fail Pie Crust

3 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
1/4 cup flour (for rolling the crust out)
1 1/2 cups cold lard (cut in chunks)
1/4 cup iced water (water in which you have added ice cubes-remove before using)
1 tsp. salt

In a large bowl add the 3 cups of sifted flour. Now, don't go running off in fear of this lard, you wanted to know the secrets, it will be ok! Add the cold lard chunks. With a fork or pastry cutter, begin cutting the lard into the flour. Continue this process until the mixture is forming small balls, about the size of peas or smaller.

Begin adding water, 1 tbsp. at a time. Add about 3 tbsp. and then begin gathering the mixture into a ball, when it stays together nicely stop adding water. Form it into a ball, and place on the counter, knead it a few times, just to form together. Flatten with the palm of your hand and wrap this in cling wrap and place in refrigerator for 1 hour.

After it has rested one hour remove it form the cling wrap and sprinkle the counter top with a bit of the remaining flour. Put the dough on the flour and then turn it over, making sure there is a bit of flour under it. Begin rolling the dough out from the center out, center out until you have it the size you need and about 1/8 inch thick. Turn it once during this process, and re-flour your counter.

When your dough is the size you need, about 10 inches round. Dust it very lightly with some flour and rub that around. Fold the crust into half and then again to form a nice triangle.

Place the crust into your 9 inch pie plate, begin unfolding , soon it will fill the pie plate. Press it gently all around the bottom first and then the edges. Flute the edges to make a pretty decoration.

There you have a perfect pie crust! This recipe makes plenty of crust for a two crust pie or two single crust pies.

-Grandmothers Never-fail Pie Crust

4 cups of all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups o flard
1 large egg
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1/4 cup iced water (do not use all at once)

(The process for making this wonderful pie crust is the same as above, except as noted here.)

Add the flour, lard and salt into a deep bowl., blend together using a fork or pastry knife, until it forms pea sized balls.

In a measuring cup add the egg and cider vinegar, stir to combine then add the iced water carefully until the combined total of all three items reads 1/2 cup   - total..

Pour this into the flour, and mix just until the dough holds together, and forms a ball.

Proceed as instructed above.

The recipe makes dough enough for 2 double crust or 4 single crust pies.

This truly is a never fail pie crust recipe. If you measured correctly it never will fail you!

So there, now you know my secrets to baking no-fail pie crusts!

Learn more about this author, Sheila Rae Watson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.