Division 3.6 Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

The manufacturing and assembling of Melton Mowbray Pork Pies is carried out in the designated area and includes the following steps of production.

• The pastry ingredients are mixed together, formed into billets and lids, prior to pie manufacture.

• The pork meat is diced or minced and mixed with the other filling ingredients to form the pie filling.

• The pastry billets are either blocked in hoops or raised round a dolly or similar supports.

• The pie filling is divided into billets and placed into the pie base and the pre-cut or sheeted pastry lid is placed over the pie and crimped to seal. Some pies are hand raised and some pies are finished off with a decorative hand crimp.

• They are then ejected from their hoops and placed on to a baking tray without support. Some pies may be frozen in this state and stored to be baked later, or sold frozen to be baked elsewhere.

• The pies are glazed (if required) and then baked to a golden brown pastry colour, allowed to cool and jellied.

• The pies are then cooled to below 8 °C.

• The pies may then be wrapped and date coded for retail sale, or left unwrapped.

• The pies may be placed into a chill cabinet to await purchase. Some pies are sold warm within 4 hours of jellying.