Made with an unusual ingredient – harp seal flippers, flipper pies are a Newfoundland tradition that come with a lot of controversy and history. The reason for the controversy is that the flippers used for these pies are real seal flippers, and the meat is said to taste simultaneously like rich game and fish, comparable to duck meat. The pie is similar to a pot pie in that the seal flippers are cooked with vegetables in a thick sauce and then covered with pastry.
Animal rights campaigners have criticized the seal hunts, so respectful hunts have been maintained for centuries. For this reason, it will be difficult to find a flipper pie outside Newfoundland.
So, if you find yourself there and you’re looking to try something tasty and unique, flipper pies may be the answer.