11 tips for making the perfect A2/A2 all-butter pie crust

written by

posted on

November 4, 2022

It’s definitely pie season. And, if you value the most delicious and nutrient-dense foods, you’re likely making (or are interested in making) your own pie crusts at home.

I mean, I don’t think you can buy A2/A2 einkorn or A2/A2 spelt or A2/A2 gluten-free pie crusts in any store. If you want it, you have to make it. And, in my opinion, it’s worth the extra time and effort.

Pie crust can be a little finicky. That’s why I put together an A2/A2 Einkorn All-Butter Pie Crust Recipe for you plus the following 11 tips for success:

1. Butter quality matters A LOT.

Last year around this time, I wrote about why butter is the most important cookie ingredient, with some great tips to make the cookie of your dreams. Just like with cookies, butter is the most important pie crust ingredient, too!

Butter is what gives pie crusts their flavor, its tender texture, those butterfly flaky layers, and that golden color.

Since fat holds most of the flavor, butter from 100% grass fed cows will create the most delectable pie crusts. Compared to conventional butter, grass fed butter will lend a deeper earthy or nutty flavor to your pie.

Then there’s the butterfat, and when it comes to pies, the more butterfat the better. Our butter is more of a European style butter with 82-86% butterfat, which is more than the standard 80% butterfat in conventional American butter. More butterfat means less water, which means better structure in your crust.

And then, of course, there’s digestibility. There definitely needs to be more research on this topic, but from my understanding, A2/A2 dairy is better tolerated and digested by most people.

**2. Always use unsalted butter.**

Different companies use different amounts of salt in salted butter. So, for absolute control over flavor, it’s best to begin with unsalted butter.

**3. Always keep it cold.**

Keep the butter in the fridge until the moment you’re ready to make your crust. Use ice water, not room temperature water, to keep the butter cold in the mixing process. You want the chunks of butter to stay together, not melt into the flour. That means it needs to stay cold.

If your kitchen is hot and the butter is warming up, move the whole pie crust operation to the fridge for 30 minutes to harden it back up. Then, continue on.

4. Don’t mix too much. Those visible butter chunks are a good thing!

Butter chunks in your crust keep the bits of flour separate. They melt away in the oven and create the flakiness of the crust.

5. You don’t need a fancy pastry cutter or a food processor. You can use a couple forks instead.

Cross and pull the forks through the butter, flour, and water to mix and create the dough. It’s a little bit of a workout and takes about 5 minutes.

6. Glass pie dishes are best.

Compared to ceramic or metal pie dishes, glass pie dishes more evenly disperse the heat. This helps the crust bake more evenly all around, giving you that perfect golden crust on the sides and bottom.

7. Use pie weights for pre baked crusts.

Pre baking a pie crust is necessary with wet pies like custard pies or fresh fruit pies, because soggy pie crusts are sad.

When you pre bake a pie crust, always use pie weights. This makes sure the shape of the crust remains and you don’t get puffy bubbles coming up from the bottom and sides that shrink when the crust cools. Then, you end up with a misshapen pie.

You can purchase fancy ceramic weights designed specifically for pie making. Or, simply use uncooked beans or rice. Line the unbaked crust with parchment paper and fill to the top with weights before baking.

8. Always use a pie crust shield.

Keep the crust edge covered with a silicone or metal pie crust shield. Or, you can use aluminum foil. The goal here is to prevent the crust edges from over-browning or burning. You want that even golden crust all the way around.

9. You can freeze pie crusts for 3 months.

Once you perfect making homemade pie crust, you can make a lot ahead of time. This definitely reduces stress around the holidays or big celebrations.

Roll your crust and put wax paper on top. Gently fold it into a neat little square or roll it. Put in an airtight bag and then into the freezer.

When you’re ready to make a pie, put the crust in the fridge to defrost a day beforehand.

**10. To prevent a crumbly pie crust that tears when you’re rolling it, use enough ice water.**

Too little ice water makes an unworkable dough. If you’re already at the rolling stage and you’ve used too little ice water, sadly it’s too late. You’ll need to start from scratch.

**11. To prevent a tough or hard pie crust, then there wasn’t enough fat or you overworked the dough.**

Make sure to use a high quality butter with a high butterfat content (80%+), and make sure that those big butter chunks are visible; don’t over mix!

You might be wondering - what about flour? Well, yes, flour is definitely important and imparts some flavor and texture. But, to me, as long as it's an "all purpose" flour, the choice is more about the digestibility.

If you are intolerant to gluten, then conventional flour is likely your nemesis. But, that doesn’t mean pie needs to be your nemesis, too.

Many who are gluten intolerant can handle einkorn flour well. Einkorn contains a different type of gluten than conventional wheat. You can learn more about einkorn here. And there are others that do well with spelt flour. If you are truly allergic to gluten, then an all-purpose gluten-free flour is the way to go.

Are you baking pies this holiday season? I’d love to hear about the yummy things from your kitchen and any tips you’ve learned along the way.

I’d love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required - start typing for the guest option to appear) or contact us .

Cooking

Raw Dairy

Finally, egg test results are in! Guess what? Yolk color does not matter.

Exciting news --- we've been waiting for months and just got our egg test results in!!! Keep reading for the reasoning behind the tests and a little analysis of what the results mean. Want to skip straight to the hard data from the lab? Click here. A Quick Recap Explaining Why We Tested Eggs. Earlier this year, we lost trust in the feed supplier for our laying hens. Even though they said the feed was corn & soy free, something wasn't adding up (you can read more details about the drama here). So, we switched.At that time, we made the choice to NOT include any colorants in the feed, even natural ones like marigold and paprika (you can read about every single ingredient in our new feed here). Despite having the same new feed and the same pastured living conditions, some flocks produced orange yolks and some produced yellow yolks.This led to a lot of customer confusion. I mean, aren't pastured egg yolks supposed to be orange? Isn't that how you know an egg has max nutrition? That's what I thought, too. I knew we needed to verify some things. So, we bit the bullet and paid for lab testing. We sent 5 different egg samples to Dr. Stephan Van Vliet, PhD. He's the Director of Food Metabolomics Lab at the University of Utah. And, he's the same guy who tested our chicken (without us knowing) and found that our chicken had the perfect 1:1 omega 6/3 ratio, which is basically unheard of even with pastured corn & soy free chicken. The 5 Egg Samples We Tested. Here's what we sent to Dr. Van Vliet. All eggs were from late spring, when pastures are growing. We are choosing to keep the other egg brands’ names private. Here’s some info about each sample provided. 1- Miller’s Bio Farm (Yellow Yolks) Pasture raised in mobile coops moved regularly to fresh pastureRaised on regeneratively tended pasturesCorn & soy free . 2- Miller’s Bio Farm (Orange Yolks) Pasture raised in mobile coops moved regularly to fresh pastureRaised on regeneratively tended pasturesCorn & soy free . 3- National Brand Regenerative Eggs (the most expensive you can buy in the supermarket) Brand Claims: Pasture raised; freedom to forage outdoors year round; 108 ft2 per henRegenerativeCertified Organic Certified Humane . 4- Local Pasture Raised Competitor (using our OLD corn & soy free feed supplier) Brand Claims: Pasture raised Free rangeRegenerativeCorn & soy free . 5- National Brand Conventional Eggs (the cheapest you can buy in the supermarket) Brand Claims: Excellent source of vitamins D, E, B2, B12, and B5140mg omega-325% less saturated fatVegetarian fed . The 4 Most Important Results. There were 100+ tests done on the egg samples. That's a lot of data! I wanted to make it a little easier for you to digest. So, after reviewing everything and having a conversation with Dr. Van Vliet, these are what I think are the 4 most important findings. 1- Yolk Color Does NOT Matter. The Feed And Farming Practices Are Most Important. That's right. As I scrolled through the 100+ tests done on the eggs, the orange and yellow yolks consistently had very similar results. With the exception of a couple vitamins (which technically make the yellow yolk eggs slightly more nutritious than the orange yolk eggs), the nutritional content of our orange and yellow yolk eggs was exactly the same. Wow. Most notably, the yellow yolk eggs had significantly higher Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) compared to the orange yolk eggs. Vitamin B2 is a yellow colored compound, and Dr. Van Vliet thinks this extra pigment might be why those yolks are yellow. From this point forward, we're calling our eggs "honest yolk" eggs. After all, nearly every egg farmer nowadays adds color to the feed. And it's kinda a sad thing, since the farmer then loses an important indicator for what the hens are foraging for. For example, the farmer that had the flock producing yellow yolks noticed that the chickens weren't as interested in the pasture. Maybe it was the plants that were growing. Maybe it was the soil. Maybe it was the nature of those birds. He doesn't know for sure. But, with one change at a time, he can slowly figure out how to get the hens to eat more greens. Without the "honest yolk" that wouldn't really be possible. 2- Our Eggs Had The Best Omega 6/3 Ratio At 4:1. Our eggs had the best omega 6/3 ratio at 4:1 (and we're already chatting about how to get it even lower!). And, the eggs fed from our old feed supplier had the worst ratio at 12:1. Me oh my we made the right choice to switch feed suppliers!!! There must be something in the old feed (maybe soy or corn oil like we thought there might be) that's bringing that ratio waaaay up. I mean, isn't corn & soy free feed supposed to lower that ratio? Corn has a 25:1-60:1 ratio. Soy has a 8:1-9:1 ratio. At the very least, it should be lower than the national conventional brand, whose hens are definitely eating corn and soy. For a little reference, humans should eat a 1:1-4:1 omega 6/3 ratio for optimal health. But the conventional Western diet typically provides a 20:1 ratio. Having too many omega 6s compared to 3s can lead to a host of issues including inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, asthma, depression, fatigue... the list goes on and on. I mean, this is just one reason Americans are overall in poor health. 3- Our Eggs Had The Lowest PUFA Content. When PUFAs are consumed in excess (like the conventional Western diet gives you), it can have some awful health impacts. It can suppress thyroid function, lead to inflammation, cause oxidative stress, and result in a variety of diseases. You can learn a lot more in the PUFA predicament blog post. This is why a lot of our customers are looking to reduce their PUFA intake. And it's a reason many come to us. Since seed oils are a big contributor to high PUFAs, animal-based eating is a good way to lower PUFAs. And especially when animals are 100% grass-fed and not fed corn and soy like our animals, you can get those numbers even lower. I was excited to see the test results verify the impacts of our farming practices and feed choices. We have the lowest PUFA eggs amongst the ones we tested. 4- Our Eggs Had The Highest Vitamin Content. When you look at the individual results for each vitamin, the results were kinda all over the place. But, when you add up all the numbers, Miller's Bio Farm's eggs came out on top! This is especially exceptional because the conventional eggs boasted having high amounts of certain vitamins... and they sure did hold true to those promises. This means they are heavily supplementing their birds. It's incredible that we beat them without oversupplementation! All Of The Data Is Available To You. We are giving you access to EVERYTHING. There are 100+ test results. After all, you deserve to know everything about what you put into your body. The data is available in two formats: A spreadsheet with all of the raw data. It's divided by tabs for fatty acids, minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins (view spreadheet data here). A 30-page pdf that summarizes notable data (not all of it). It has lots of nice charts for easy comparisons (view pdf data here). What do you think about the results? What's the #1 data point you look for when it comes to eggs? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below - no account required, start typing for the guest option to appear 😊

Bah Bird Flu. About raw milk safety and why we we're not worried.

*DISCLAIMER: I'm not a doctor or a scientist. I'm a passionate real food consumer that loves research and learning new things. Sources are listed at the very bottom. -----Did you hear the news? Raw Farm USA, a raw milk supplier in California, was shut down last week. Why? Because bird flu (in some capacity) was detected in their milk.Wow! This is getting serious. Bird flu is not longer just a worry but something that's being enforced. As you know, we take milk safety very seriously at Miller's Bio Farm. It's our goal to produce an ultra low risk product for you. And, with the proper farming practices and safety standards, we believe raw milk can be a nourishing and healthy and safe food. First off, our cows are fed a natural diet of 100% grass and spend a lot of time exercising outside in the fresh air and sunshine. This keeps them naturally happy and healthy. No need for routine drugs or anything like that. Health problems are rare. Second, we have small herds of max 50 cows per farmer. This allows the farmer to keep a close eye on their cows. They can detect any issues quickly. Third, we have meticulous practices for milk safety. This includes making the udders and teats free of manure and dirt, cleaning with extra hot water (nearly boiling), using acid sanitizers for equipment, and having a fully stainless steel piped system for bottling milk. We go above and beyond what's simply "required" as a raw milk producer in PA. Not only do we hold a raw milk permit and go through the required inspections and tests, we also test every batch of milk on site for general bacteria counts. This ensures we are cleaning well and there aren't any big issues. But... When it comes to bird flu, we're simply not worried. I've tried to dig in and find something of real concern. But, I can't. From what I've read, there's simply no scientific basis for the vilification of raw milk as it relates to bird flu. Here are the three biggest points: 1- There have been zero cases of bird flu linked to raw milk consumption. Of the 58 total cases of bird flu in humans in the US this year, none have been linked to raw milk consumption. All have been dairy workers who are believed to got it through direct contact with poultry and cattle [1]. So why the worry? Why the hubbub? Why require testing and shut farms down? It's as if the powers at be are desperately trying to find a connection, to find the first case. In fact, this past Wednesday, there were dozens of articles that came out saying a child in California tested positive for bird flu and it's linked to raw milk. An hour later, articles came out saying the child in fact tested negative. But, that bad press was already out there and likely won't be edited. I don't understand how enforcement can be allowed when there's no proof to justify it. 2- Testing for bird flu in milk detects fragments of the dead virus, which doesn't necessarily mean the virus can infect milk drinkers. This month, the USDA enacted a new federal order that requires raw milk samples to be collected and shared with the USDA for testing. This includes both raw milk intended for pasteurization or intended to be sold as raw milk. If there's a positive test, the USDA can track those animals [2]. But, what are they testing for exactly? Well, the qPCR tests are looking for RNA fragments that belong to the virus. It doesn't mean the virus in the milk is intact or can actually infect anyone. This leads me to a question --- did any of the RNA fragments match viruses other than bird flu? Well, I don't know. But I assume they could, since bird flu is a strain on influenza, and we all know how many strains of the flu there are! Then, they do an egg inoculation test. The viral fragments are injected into an egg. If the virus replicates and grows, then the sample is considered to contain "live virus". If it doesn't, then it's considered safe, having only "dead virus" [3]. 3- Raw milk is innately antiviral. It inhibits the growth of viruses both in the milk as well as in your body. There's a pretty awesome study from 1987 that tests the growth of rotavirus and coronavirus in raw vs. pasteurized milk. It's so simple, it would be hard to misread the results. It found that, when a virus is added to raw milk, there was zero viral growth. Did you get that? Zero viral growth. But, when the same virus is added the pasteurized milk, 30-80% of the live virus was recovered depending on the level of inoculation [4]. This means that the synergistic properties of raw milk do not allow viral growth within the milk. Raw milk kills viruses in it. Pasteurized milk breeds them (of course this would be after pasteurization). Wow! Moreover, there's a systematic review from 2023 that looks at dozens of studies on the antiviral properties that drinking raw milk gives to the consumer. It found over and over again that there are bioactive compounds in raw milk that, when consumed, stop viral entry, block replication, and inactivate viruses [5]. So, science says that raw milk not only kills viruses within it but, when you drink raw milk, it can also help you fight viruses in your body. Another wow! It seems to me that most of the bird flu drama might be political...? Did you know the USDA commissioned Moderna to develop a bovine bird flu vaccine in July [6]? In fact, they started field trials this fall [7]. It seems that a warp speed bird flu vaccine for cows is just about to be released. That timing! The "powers at be" continue to repeat that "the milk supply is safe" and "pasteurization kills the virus." But, after COVID, I think we might know what repetitive phrases like that mean. Could there be an agenda? Are you worried about bird flu? What's your take on the situation? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below -- no account required, start typing for the guest option to appear 😊PS: The media sure does a good job of instilling fear. We understand that you may not have the same viewpoint as the farm. You might be hesitant about raw milk right now. That's 100% OK. This is why we offer both raw and minimally pasteurized milk. The choice is yours! ----- Sources Is Raw Milk Safe? Officials Ramp Up Testing Amid Bird Flu OutbreakUSDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus1 in 5 milk samples from grocery stores test positive for bird flu. Why the FDA says it’s still safe to drinkAntiviral Substances in Raw Bovine Milk Active Against Bovine Rotavirus and CoronavirusMilk Antiviral Proteins and Derived Peptides against ZoonosesFeds prepare for bird flu jump to people with vaccines, testsUSDA Builds on Actions to Protect Livestock and Public Health from H5N1 Avian InfluenzaBird Flu and Raw Milk: Where is the Evidence?

Thanks for clean food! Want to send some love to our team?

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you're having a wonderful Thanksgiving week filled with clean nourishing foods and people you care about 🥰 As I reflect on what I'm thankful for, I was reminded of an email we got last week from a fairly new customer. Here's what it said: ----- "Hi, I've been a customer for a couple of months now, and I wanted to send a quick note of appreciation for your amazing products AND your organization. "I have many food and chemical sensitivities, and it has been a multi-year battle to find food I can actually eat, even with the prevalence of Whole Foods and other organic markets in my area. Everything I've tried from your website has been fantastic, and above all I appreciate your total transparency when it comes to animal feed, production methods, etc. I've learned about all kinds of things I need to watch out for in grocery stores, and I would have considered myself a well-educated consumer! "But beyond that, I'd like to compliment your business model — the website is easy to use, your workflow appears to be incredibly efficient, and I know how much work that takes behind the scenes. "Keep up the great work!" ----- I mean, how wonderful was that!? Reading it made me so happy. I immediately forwarded it along to the team to brighten the day. After all, everyone who works with Miller's Bio Farm has lots of hard work to do to get you your food. This got me thinking... wouldn't it be nice to give to give a little something back to the Miller's team this Thanksgiving? What if we compiled a list of thank you notes to share? You with me? Want to express your thanks? I'm making it as easy as possible. Simply leave a comment below. It could be something in general. It could relate to a certain product that you love. It could be to the farmers. It could be to the packing or customer team. It could be to the driver who delivers your order. Hey, it could even be to our website, which also does a lot of work taking your orders! ⬇️ Comment below ⬇️ Our team would LOVE to hear from you. I'll share every single comment with everyone at Miller's the week after Thanksgiving 😊 *No account required -- start typing for the guest option to appear.