Take a good look at the crust. It's incredibly good. But, it is not exactly Atkins, South Beach, or for that matter, American Medical Association approved.

I always thought it was Mom's recipe, because I only ever saw her make it. Then, I thought it was Mom's bother Ken's recipe, because of his typewriter and remarks on both sides of the index card. But Mom says it's Selma's recipe. Selma never wrote it down.

This recipe makes about 24 pasties. Set aside 4 to 6 hours to make them. Get help. Any kind will do - even professional help.

For the dough:
12 cups flour
1 1/2 cups lard (not shortening)
1 3/4 cups ground beef suet
5 tsp. salt
water to make stiff dough (ice water)
Use dishpan to mix  all this in or you will have it all
over the floor and thus forever discourage pasty making.
Mix suet, flour, lard when very cold.  When grinding,
separate into small chunks and remove all membranous
material and dice well before grinding, or you'll get
the grinder all fouled up.  Work the dough thoroughly
and work hard.  It should not be flaky like
pie crust.  You violate all rules of good pie crust
making.  Roll out in 8 1/2 inch circles.
For the filling:
10 cups flank steaks, diced - leave some suet on each
6-8 cups potatoes, diced  3 tablespoons salt
2 cups rutabaga, diced    2 tablespoons black pepper
1 cup onions, chopped     butter
Mix thoroughly in large pan.  Measure one coffee cup,
lay on circle of dough one side, lay 3 pats of
butter on top, fold over, crimp well.  Bake at 400 degrees,
1 hr, cool, wrap and freeze.
Heat frozen pasties about 1 hr. 10 minutes.

Yes, even when finished, it takes over an hour before you can eat them. They aren't nearly as good reheated in the microwave. This is also true for commercial pasties here in Michigan. We always ate some without freezing on the all-day that they were made, so at least some did not have to be cooked twice.