The Official Pasty Thread

[Guest]

1st we can follow MLive's search for Michigan's best -

What makes a great pasty? Plus, keep making picks for Things to Do, Eat and See in the U.P.

.GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- First of all, thanks for all the comments, emails and Facebook comments on our latest adventure -- the search for great tasting pasties, as well as Things to Do, Eat and See in the U.P.

Your "Yooper Love" is undeniable.

It won't be long before "Michigan's Best" reporter Amy Sherman and I hit the road to explore many of your recommendations.

Thanks again!

In the meantime, I sat down with U.P native -- and good friend Rob "Wob" Wanhatalo of The Mitten Brewing Co. -- to deconstruct the perfect pasty.

He learned to make them from his grandmother, and we talked about what makes the perfect pasty.

Check out the video above for the replay.

We also convinced Mitten Brewery server Lauren to take the plunge and taste her first pasty. Make sure to check the end of the video for her reaction.

For the record:

Wob says the perfect pasty must include a "good crisp crust, ground beef and must be seasoned well." And "as I was taught...more potato than rutabaga, more rutagaba than carrot, more carrot than onion, and just the right amount of seasoning."

Oh, he prefers ketchup with his pasty. But it's acceptable to have it with gravy or even butter.

[GRR Spartan]

Has to be beef.
Has to have carrots, rutabaga and potato in small cubes, tiny chopped onions in a tender crust made with lard and brushed a bit of butter to finish.
Always with gravy.

Chicken pasties are sacrilege and turkey pasties put you on the express train to Hell.

[Motown Spartan]

All of those things mentioned make a good traditional pasty but Irontown Pasties in Negaunee makes an AMAZING chicken pot pie pasty when you're not in the mood for the traditional and an even better spicy jalapeño cheddar pasty.

[Guest]

All of those things mentioned make a good traditional pasty but Irontown Pasties in Negaunee makes an AMAZING chicken pot pie pasty when you're not in the mood for the traditional and an even better spicy jalapeño cheddar pasty.

Poor Pantry is going to melt down reading this.

[The Pantry]

All of those things mentioned make a good traditional pasty but Irontown Pasties in Negaunee makes an AMAZING chicken pot pie pasty when you're not in the mood for the traditional and an even better spicy jalapeño cheddar pasty.

Poor Pantry is going to melt down reading this.

Naw.  He's talking about dishes that have little in common with a true pasty and were unfortunately mis-named by their illiterate creators to include the word "pasty".

[The Pantry]

All of those things mentioned make a good traditional pasty but Irontown Pasties in Negaunee makes an AMAZING chicken pot pie pasty when you're not in the mood for the traditional and an even better spicy jalapeño cheddar pasty.

Use to be a great pasty place in Negaunee called Red Onion. It closed and was supposedly reopened under the Dobbers name (based in Escanaba I think).

Just looked at a map. Irontown looks to be in the same location Red Onion was. What happened to Dobbers?

[Motown Spartan]

Poor Pantry is going to melt down reading this.

Naw.  He's talking about dishes that have little in common with a true pasty and were unfortunately mis-named by their illiterate creators to include the word "pasty".

Pasty is a meat pie with various fillings.

[tanfan!]

I've been looking pretty pasty lately.

[Floyd Robertson]

I've been looking pretty pasty lately.

Not enough sun on your recent vacay?

Wait, that doesn't even matter. It's gotta be impossible to get pasty living in FL.

[Motown Spartan]

All of those things mentioned make a good traditional pasty but Irontown Pasties in Negaunee makes an AMAZING chicken pot pie pasty when you're not in the mood for the traditional and an even better spicy jalapeño cheddar pasty.

Use to be a great pasty place in Negaunee called Red Onion. It closed and was supposedly reopened under the Dobbers name (based in Escanaba I think).

Just looked at a map. Irontown looks to be in the same location Red Onion was. What happened to Dobbers?

Not sure. The people that own Irontown bought it from Gramma T's in 2011 or 2012. I've only known it as Gramma T's and Irontown.

[DWags]

All of those things mentioned make a good traditional pasty but Irontown Pasties in Negaunee makes an AMAZING chicken pot pie pasty when you're not in the mood for the traditional and an even better spicy jalapeño cheddar pasty.

Onliest pasty I ever ate south of the bridge was my moms. If it ain't made north of the straights, I ain't eatin it.

[DWags]

I've been looking pretty pasty lately.

Tough call, take the lid off get sun on the face but burn the dome. Protect that bald dome and face turns a whiter shade of pale.

[The Pantry]

Use to be a great pasty place in Negaunee called Red Onion. It closed and was supposedly reopened under the Dobbers name (based in Escanaba I think).

Just looked at a map. Irontown looks to be in the same location Red Onion was. What happened to Dobbers?

Not sure. The people that own Irontown bought it from Gramma T's in 2011 or 2012. I've only known it as Gramma T's and Irontown.

My memories of Red Onion go back to the early 80's. Forget what street it was on but it was just a little south of US41 on the west side. IIRC there was a train overpass a little farther south of 41. Been a long time. Maybe it was a different north-south cross street...? Please be a sweetheart and research the history of the Irontown location for me...the owners probably know it.

They were a bit on the small side but Red Onion made awesome pasties. No fucking around with chicken or veggie pasties back then. No gravy or pot pie shit either. Not quite as good as Toni's Country Kitchen in Laurium but much better than Lehto's on US2.

Pasties light me up a little...pretty sure it's the rutabaga. Red Onion's were like no other. Stopped there on the way back from the Keweenaw one time and bought a bunch. Ate three (maybe four) on the road before stopping at a motel in Mackinaw City for the night. That night and rest of the trip down to Detroit the next day were awful. Couldn't stop farting and they smelled terrible. Kept the windows open most of the trip.

[The Pantry]

Has to be beef.
Has to have carrots, rutabaga and potato in small cubes, tiny chopped onions in a tender crust made with lard and brushed a bit of butter to finish.
Always with gravy.

Chicken pasties are sacrilege and turkey pasties put you on the express train to Hell.

Carrots are not necessary to the flavor. They are put in by pasty places mostly as filler.

Gravy = complete blasphemy. Pasties are meant to be eaten with your hands. Do you eat mashed potatoes and gravy with your hands?

[tGreenWay]

Fuck the rutabaga. It should stay in the ground like God intended.

[The Pantry]

Fuck the rutabaga. It should stay in the ground like God intended.

Love rutabaga. Staple at Thanksgiving next to the mashed potatoes, both covered with turkey gravy.

no rutabaga = not a pasty

[The Pantry]

All of those things mentioned make a good traditional pasty but Irontown Pasties in Negaunee makes an AMAZING chicken pot pie pasty when you're not in the mood for the traditional and an even better spicy jalapeño cheddar pasty.

Onliest pasty I ever ate south of the bridge was my moms. If it ain't made north of the straights, I ain't eatin it.

There's a couple decent pasty places down here. Barb's on Main Street in Clawson has been there long as I can remember. Weldon's has been at 15 Mile & Dequindre for at least 20 years. Pretty sure both have roots to the UP. They are still good but both have gone downhill. Pasties seem to get smaller, less meat in them...all while their prices keep jumping up.

I've become really tired of pasties that are mostly potato and crust. Have considered offering constructive criticism with them but figured it would probably fall on deaf ears.

[Watch Out Pylon!]

I like gravy on my chicken pasty when I'm up north in Clare.

[tGreenWay]

Fuck the rutabaga. It should stay in the ground like God intended.

Love rutabaga. Staple at Thanksgiving next to the mashed potatoes, both covered with turkey gravy.

no rutabaga = not a pasty

If I wanted to live like a pioneer, then I'd serve root vegetables at every dinner from November thru March. Fuck rutabaga. It's a piece of shit.

[Guest]

I like gravy on my chicken pasty when I'm up north in Clare.

You needed to slip a milk reference into this for the complete effort.

[WhiteBoyHatcher]

I like gravy on my chicken pasty when I'm up north in Clare.

[Watch Out Pylon!]

I like gravy on my chicken pasty when I'm up north in Clare.

You needed to slip a milk reference into this for the complete effort.

Aw shit. Completely forgot about milk. Skim only.

[WhiteBoyHatcher]

I see that tSwill twitter is promoting the Pasty thread. Roc must be bored.

[The Pantry]

You guys (except maybe DWags) suck and will never understand pasty.

Piss off. Pour tons of gravy and ketchup on your exceptionally shitty Albies pasty tomorrow

[tGreenWay]

You guys (except maybe DWags) suck and will never understand pasty.

Piss off. Pour tons of gravy and ketchup on your exceptionally shitty Albies pasty tomorrow

Mmm mmm mmm. Albies, now that's a good pasty. It's great with chicken gravy.

[GRR Spartan]

Has to be beef.
Has to have carrots, rutabaga and potato in small cubes, tiny chopped onions in a tender crust made with lard and brushed a bit of butter to finish.
Always with gravy.

Chicken pasties are sacrilege and turkey pasties put you on the express train to Hell.

Carrots are not necessary to the flavor. They are put in by pasty places mostly as filler.

Gravy = complete blasphemy. Pasties are meant to be eaten with your hands. Do you eat mashed potatoes and gravy with your hands?

Has to be beef.  
Has to have carrots, rutabaga and potato in small cubes, tiny chopped onions in a tender crust made with lard and brushed a bit of butter to finish.  
Always with gravy.

Chicken pasties are sacrilege and turkey pasties put you on the express train to Hell.

Carrots are not necessary to the flavor.  They are put in by pasty places mostly as filler.

Gravy = complete blasphemy.  Pasties are meant to be eaten with your hands.  Do you eat mashed potatoes and gravy with your hands?  

I'm told only once as an adult and I was really drunk.

I like a bit of gravy on the side to dip the beef pasty.   I am a fan of Roy's in Houghton.  Have inlaws in the UP who have friends who retired to Houghton.  They make a Roys run when they visit and request Roys when the friends come down from Houghton.

[DWags]

Onliest pasty I ever ate south of the bridge was my moms. If it ain't made north of the straights, I ain't eatin it.

There's a couple decent pasty places down here. Barb's on Main Street in Clawson has been there long as I can remember. Weldon's has been at 15 Mile & Dequindre for at least 20 years. Pretty sure both have roots to the UP. They are still good but both have gone downhill. Pasties seem to get smaller, less meat in them...all while their prices keep jumping up.

I've become really tired of pasties that are mostly potato and crust. Have considered offering constructive criticism with them but figured it would probably fall on deaf ears.

Tried the Clawson place once a while back, was dry, too much potato and the crust actually stuck to the roof of my mouth when I first bit into it.

[TheReal_LWS]

Has to be venison.
Has to have carrots, rutabaga and potato in small cubes, tiny chopped onions in a tender crust made with lard and brushed a bit of butter to finish.
Always with gravy.

Chicken pasties are sacrilege and turkey pasties put you on the express train to Hell.

FIFY

[TheReal_LWS]

1st we can follow MLive's search for Michigan's best -

What makes a great pasty? Plus, keep making picks for Things to Do, Eat and See in the U.P.

.GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- First of all, thanks for all the comments, emails and Facebook comments on our latest adventure -- the search for great tasting pasties, as well as Things to Do, Eat and See in the U.P.

Your "Yooper Love" is undeniable.

It won't be long before "Michigan's Best" reporter Amy Sherman and I hit the road to explore many of your recommendations.

Thanks again!

In the meantime, I sat down with U.P native -- and good friend Rob "Wob" Wanhatalo of The Mitten Brewing Co. -- to deconstruct the perfect pasty.

He learned to make them from his grandmother, and we talked about what makes the perfect pasty.

Check out the video above for the replay.

We also convinced Mitten Brewery server Lauren to take the plunge and taste her first pasty. Make sure to check the end of the video for her reaction.

For the record:

Wob says the perfect pasty must include a "good crisp crust, ground beef and must be seasoned well." And "as I was taught...more potato than rutabaga, more rutagaba than carrot, more carrot than onion, and just the right amount of seasoning."

Oh, he prefers ketchup with his pasty. But it's acceptable to have it with gravy or even butter.

Is that Jimmer Negamanee on the right?

Also, anyone that puts ketchup on their pastie should be shot.

[Watch Out Pylon!]

1st we can follow MLive's search for Michigan's best -

What makes a great pasty? Plus, keep making picks for Things to Do, Eat and See in the U.P.

Is that Jimmer Negamanee on the right?

Also, anyone that puts ketchup on their pastie should be shot.

That escalated quickly.

[DWags]

1st we can follow MLive's search for Michigan's best -

What makes a great pasty? Plus, keep making picks for Things to Do, Eat and See in the U.P.

Is that Jimmer Negamanee on the right?

Also, anyone that puts ketchup on their pastie should be shot.

If you have to put Ketchup on a pasty, you've bought the wrong pasty, or it just isn't good enough. But that's not as insane as the ketchup on a hot dog idiots.

[TheReal_LWS]

Is that Jimmer Negamanee on the right?

Also, anyone that puts ketchup on their pastie should be shot.

If you have to put Ketchup on a pasty, you've bought the wrong pasty, or it just isn't good enough. But that's not as insane as the ketchup on a hot dog idiots.

You and i have had our differences in the past, but to this I say AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Motown Spartan]

Not sure. The people that own Irontown bought it from Gramma T's in 2011 or 2012. I've only known it as Gramma T's and Irontown.

My memories of Red Onion go back to the early 80's. Forget what street it was on but it was just a little south of US41 on the west side. IIRC there was a train overpass a little farther south of 41. Been a long time. Maybe it was a different north-south cross street...? Please be a sweetheart and research the history of the Irontown location for me...the owners probably know it.

They were a bit on the small side but Red Onion made awesome pasties. No fucking around with chicken or veggie pasties back then. No gravy or pot pie shit either. Not quite as good as Toni's Country Kitchen in Laurium but much better than Lehto's on US2.

Pasties light me up a little...pretty sure it's the rutabaga. Red Onion's were like no other. Stopped there on the way back from the Keweenaw one time and bought a bunch. Ate three (maybe four) on the road before stopping at a motel in Mackinaw City for the night. That night and rest of the trip down to Detroit the next day were awful. Couldn't stop farting and they smelled terrible. Kept the windows open most of the trip.

Did some checking. Irontown used to be Gramma T's which used to be the Red Onion which was owned by the Homeire family. It's located on Teal Lake Ave.

[The Pantry]

You guys (except maybe DWags) suck and will never understand pasty.

Piss off. Pour tons of gravy and ketchup on your exceptionally shitty Albies pasty tomorrow

Mmm mmm mmm. Albies, now that's a good pasty. It's great with chicken gravy.

dick

[The Pantry]

Carrots are not necessary to the flavor. They are put in by pasty places mostly as filler.

Gravy = complete blasphemy. Pasties are meant to be eaten with your hands. Do you eat mashed potatoes and gravy with your hands?

Carrots are not necessary to the flavor.  They are put in by pasty places mostly as filler.

Gravy = complete blasphemy.  Pasties are meant to be eaten with your hands.  Do you eat mashed potatoes and gravy with your hands?  

I'm told only once as an adult and I was really drunk.

I like a bit of gravy on the side to dip the beef pasty.   I am a fan of Roy's in Houghton.  Have inlaws in the UP who have friends who retired to Houghton.  They make a Roys run when they visit and request Roys when the friends come down from Houghton.

Never heard of Roy's but haven't been to the Keweenaw since '97. How long has Roy's been there?

Next time up there, try the pasties at Toni's Country Kitchen in Laurium and let me know what you think.

[The Pantry]

My memories of Red Onion go back to the early 80's. Forget what street it was on but it was just a little south of US41 on the west side. IIRC there was a train overpass a little farther south of 41. Been a long time. Maybe it was a different north-south cross street...? Please be a sweetheart and research the history of the Irontown location for me...the owners probably know it.

They were a bit on the small side but Red Onion made awesome pasties. No fucking around with chicken or veggie pasties back then. No gravy or pot pie shit either. Not quite as good as Toni's Country Kitchen in Laurium but much better than Lehto's on US2.

Pasties light me up a little...pretty sure it's the rutabaga. Red Onion's were like no other. Stopped there on the way back from the Keweenaw one time and bought a bunch. Ate three (maybe four) on the road before stopping at a motel in Mackinaw City for the night. That night and rest of the trip down to Detroit the next day were awful. Couldn't stop farting and they smelled terrible. Kept the windows open most of the trip.

Did some checking. Irontown used to be Gramma T's which used to be the Red Onion which was owned by the Homeire family. It's located on Teal Lake Ave.

Thanks. Was pretty sure it was the same location.

Would love to have Red Onion's old recipe.

[The Pantry]

Is that Jimmer Negamanee on the right?

Also, anyone that puts ketchup on their pastie should be shot.

If you have to put Ketchup on a pasty, you've bought the wrong pasty, or it just isn't good enough. But that's not as insane as the ketchup on a hot dog idiots.

The truth

[The Pantry]

There's a couple decent pasty places down here. Barb's on Main Street in Clawson has been there long as I can remember. Weldon's has been at 15 Mile & Dequindre for at least 20 years. Pretty sure both have roots to the UP. They are still good but both have gone downhill. Pasties seem to get smaller, less meat in them...all while their prices keep jumping up.

I've become really tired of pasties that are mostly potato and crust. Have considered offering constructive criticism with them but figured it would probably fall on deaf ears.

Tried the Clawson place once a while back, was dry, too much potato and the crust actually stuck to the roof of my mouth when I first bit into it.

Agree with your assessment. The dryness is because they cut down on the amount of meat/fat. The ratio of meat to the rest of the ingredients is wrong. Weldon's is pretty much the same.

Still buy pasties from both when I have a craving. Have developed a method to put the fat back in and make them less dry. Cut them in half when hot or warm and apply thin slivers of cold unsalted butter before each bite.

[The Pantry]

Not sure if Barb's or Weldon's use lard in the dough...might use Crisco. Like GRR stated, the dough has to be made with lard.

[tGreenWay]

I might try creating an Asian-Yooper Fusion pasty this weekend. Tree fungus mushrooms, broccoli, pea pods, bean sprouts, chunks of some type of seafood or a fish that won't flake apart, or maybe go with a sliced tofu in fish sauce, then cover the dough with a soy/subghum sauce. Mmmmmmmmmm.... Olie would love it.

[Sponsored content]