My grandma's pie crust trick finally clicked after 40 years

She always said to use ice water and a fork, not your hands, but I never listened until last Thanksgiving. I kept getting tough crusts until I tried her method with frozen butter and a pastry cutter, and it actually made the crust flaky like hers. Anyone else have a family cooking rule they ignored forever?

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sarah_hart2mo ago

Did you try grating the frozen butter instead of cutting it? That's what finally made my crusts light and flaky, it mixes in way more evenly without melting from the warmth of your hands.

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victor_butler2mo ago

sarah_hart I read somewhere that grating frozen butter is actually a game changer because it keeps the butter pieces smaller and colder than chopping it. I tried it last month after seeing a chef on YouTube do the same thing, and it really did make a difference. The crust came out light and flaky without any tough spots. I still use a fork to mix the water in though, that part I learned from my mom years ago and it works for me.

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