Not there to see it but if I had any doubts, I would do it over. I do not have problems making my own but I will tell you, the Pillsbury ready made crusts are very good. I would be tempted to run out and buy some. A little egg wash on top and a sprinkling of sugar and one would never know. So easy!!

P.S. I should mention that I have many grocery stores within minutes from my house. That may not be the case for you. Also, I always use the tool (can't recall the name) one uses to cut in the Crisco, not the food processor.

Overworking pie dough is the biggest no-no. Overworking it makes it shrink and become tough.

I keep my Crisco in the cupboard so it's always room temp. I do cut it into the flour by hand, and don't know what recipe you are using but I doubt it's ruined.

Can you add your wet ingredients very cold? Then mix as little as possible after adding them, I'd take the flour and shortening mix out of the food processor and finish by hand.

I'm sorry you're having a problem. Mine aren't always perfect but I can always salvage them to come up with something usable. I've never bought one premade, and can tell instantly from the taste/texture when someone has.

This is the best and easiest pie crust ever (from a very old "Joy of Cooking" cookbook):

FIVE-MINUTE PIE CRUST

Sift into bowl: 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt (I also add 1 teaspoon sugar)

Pour over the top, all at once, without mixing: ý cup salad oil and 1/4 cup cold milk or water (I use water)

Stir ingredients until blended. Form them into a ball. Divide into 2 parts. Flatten them slightly. Roll the dough between sheets of waxed paper to the desired thinness. Patch tears, if any, by sticking them together or by adding a small piece of dough. Remove top paper. Invert rolled dough, paper and all, onto a pie pan. Remove paper. Proceed as with any pie crust. Prick both bottom and top crust with a fork. Fill the pie and place the top crust over it.

Thanks, G'smom! Well, I threw it out and started over again, with a pastry cutter. I knew I should have done that in the first place....I'm determined to make this crust!! It's for pumpkin pies which my dd is going to make later today. (She's very gluten-intolerant so doesn't want to mess with flour.) Thanks again for your advice.

I just now see the other posts--thanks one and all!

No....it's not ruined.

I make pie crusts like....often. :0) It's not 'overworked" until you add water and start mixing.....

Keeping crisco in the freezer or frig is a great idea. You didn't need to add anything or defrost it....use it chilled like I do. :0) It cuts in chilled just fine.

Do not over think this....:0)

And....since I make my own pie crusts I can tell the difference. Ready made tastes like cardboard....

Cooks Illustrated developed a very clever pie dough recipe that uses half water and half vodka.

Vodka has several advantages. Its presence provides moisture for the flour and other ingredients to be mixed but gluten doesn't develop in it so the dough doesn't get tough. Secondly, it evaporates quickly in the oven so that the pie crust can be flaky and not too wet.

The vodka evaporates completely, leaving no alcohol in the finished product. They also used other kinds of 80 proof spirits and found they worked equally well and left no flavor in the crust.

I've seen that one Snidely--yes, it looks interesting and makes sense, though I don't have an Vodka in the house. :) I'm using the recipe with vinegar.

Nicole--you sound like a pie expert! Well, I panicked and threw it out, but you answered the question I couldn't find an answer to: does the dough toughen if the flour and shortening ONLY is overmixed? I will remember this next time!

Thank you, both. Dough discs are in the freezer and I'll let you know how they come out when I cook them.

My MIL's flaky piecrusts used icewater, lard and butter, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. The dough was refrigerated before rolling. The crusts were baked at two different temperatures, then brushed with butter near the end of the baking time.

As I recall, there's very little liquid used. It's maybe 2 tbsp water and an equal amount of vodka.

Unless you're making a lot of pies, make sure to pick up orange juice and Bloody Mary mix at the store, so as not to waste what's left in the vodka bottle.

I've made pie crust in the processor and it works slick. It wouldn't have gotten tough without the liquid being added, and being rolled.

I bought a plastic non-stick pastry mat recently and it worked so well that I was rolling the heck out of it, having a great old time. That was the ONLY time that my pastry was tough. Lesson learned.

Edited to say that I keep my butter in the freezer and use the large holes on the box grater to mix with the flour. Shortening I keep in the frig. I work them between my fingers with the flour to blend it in.

Ooop, it's not pie crust that I work with my fingers, it's my biscuits. Sorry, big difference. A food processor or a pastry blender work well to mix in the fat.

This post was edited by jasdip on Thu, Nov 27, 14 at 7:25

You might want to try this one:

Mix in the Pan Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1 + 1/2 Cup Flour
1 + 1/2 teaspoons Sugar
1 teaspoons Salt
1/2 Cup Cooking Oil
2 Tablespoon milk

Instructions:

Mix flour, salt, and sugar in pie pan. While stirring, add milk.

Slowly add oil, still stirring and stopping with a good dough forms (may not need all of the oil).

Mix well with a fork and pat out to fit pan. Bake at 350 until brown, usually about ten minutes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Southern Plate dot com

Betty Crocker mix in the box, great, flaky, and so good! Just like mom's!

Not a fan of store bought when it's so easy to make. And about 10X cheaper. People want convenience.

I have used the one with lard, butter, flour and vodka........best pie crust I have ever had.
It is not heart healthy but a slice or two pie once a year balances out.

I have used the one with lard, butter, flour and vodka........best pie crust I have ever had.
It is not heart healthy but a slice or two pie once a year balances out.

DUPLICATE.....sorry.

This post was edited by carol_in_california on Wed, Nov 26, 14 at 23:40

If you overwork it, or it gets too warm and the fats in it melt, you can still use it but it won't be as flaky. With pie crust, you want to work it as little as possible and keep it as cold as possible.

If you can still see flecks of butter in the crust, it's fine. I use a food processor and freeze my butter and shortening for a little while before processing it in.

I use the vodka crust mentioned above. I keep the vodka in the freezer. I also refrigerate between steps as even the heat in your hands can start to melt the fat in the crust.

After cooking the pies, (note to self: don't use convection as it overcooks spots on the tops of the pies,) the crust looks great. The test will be this evening. Thanks again for all the great advice.

I've never heard of using vodka in pie crust. Very interesting, and I'll surely try it next time!

Well, I'd say my crust turned out great, crisp where it counts, and flaky. But I did miss the taste of butter, which I usually put into crusts so maybe I'll do half and half next time. Thanks again for all the help!!

sjerin, I use butter and lard. Sometimes all butter. Usually 3/4 butter and 1/4 lard. Nice and flaky and flavourful.

That sounds like a good ratio--will remember next time!

now if you can find the flour, I found this recipe....

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.marthastewart.com/925114/gluten-free-pie-dough