Vinegar Pie Recipe – Little House Pioneer Recipe

While the name may turn some people off, the pie is actually quite tasty.  It was one of the more unusual pies that Ma made, with this one featuring as a Christmas Pie in Little House in the Big Woods.

Ma was busy all day long, cooking good things for Christmas. She baked salt-rising bread and rye ’n Injun bread, and Swedish crackers, and a huge pan of baked beans, with salt pork and molasses. She baked vinegar pies and dried-apple pies, and filled a big jar with cookies, and she let Laura and Mary lick the cake spoon.
– Chapter 4 Christmas – Little House in the Big Woods

Here is how you can make your own vinegar pie like Ma used to make.

Supplies:

• 1 c. sugar
• 3 heaping tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. cold water
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 6 tbsp. vinegar
• 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked

Instructions:

1. Mix sugar and flour in saucepan.
2. Add water, egg yolks (reserve egg whites), whole egg, butter and vinegar.
3. Cook until thick.
4. Pour into baked 9 inch pie shell.

For Meringue:

1. Beat reserved egg whites until stiff.
2. Add 4 tablespoons sugar, spread over pie.
3. Brown meringue lightly.