Pasties in the Upper Peninsula
You likely cannot drive into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula without seeing a roadside sign boasting a well-known tradition: pasties. All the same, it’s a crime to leave without trying these pockets of deliciousness. That’s right, this tradition is edible! Here is everything you need to succeed as you chomp your way through pasties in the Upper Peninsula.
How to say pasty
It’s necessary to tell you this now because people will be able to tell you’re a visitor depending on how you say this word. This savory treat is a Pass-tee. Not a paste-ee, not a pah-stee. A pasty.
What is a pasty?
This iconic U.P. meal is a savory meat pie. Today, you can buy them steamy hot with a variety of fillings, including chicken pot pie, spicy jalapeno, bacon, cheeseburger, gluten-free and veggie options from several local shops across our peninsula. While we can all go for a pasty, we are relatively divided on what the best dipping sauce is. Ketchup or gravy? Try them both and see what you prefer!
Where did pasties come from?
Pasties were the original fast food of copper miners and lumberjacks. Brought here from the mining region of Cornwell, England, U.P. wives would fill the rolled-out dough with leftover beef, potato, onion and rutabaga, fold the pastry in half, seal the edges and bake. Legend says the miners would take these golden pastries into the mines and reheat them on a shovel over their lantern candles.
Make your own pasty
Traditional pasty ingredients varied because people baked in their own ingredients, but this is a good basic recipe to try making if you can’t make it to the U.P. or want one right now!
The Yooper Girl’s traditional pasty recipe
