Making Mincemeat
Get Set for Christmas in England
Mincemeat, the mixture nowadays mainly associated with Christmas and Mince Pies, goes back a long way.
During the Middle Ages, before sugar was common, dried fruits and honey were used to add sweetness to dishes and spices such as ginger, cinnamon, cloves and anise were highly priced and much used in meat dishes as well as desserts.
Mincemeat would have been made from ground beef or lamb, chopped onion and dried fruit, flavoured with ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
Baked in a pastry crust, the spiced meat would be served as the centrepiece of a meal, delicious smells wafting through the room as soon as the crust was cut.
These days we prefer our pies less heavy and our meat dishes more savoury. So the meat has largely disappeared from the mincemeat and only the fruit and spices remain.
As for all traditional foods, recipes vary widely. Some are enriched with suet, some have honey added, some are heavier on the spices. Most contain some alcohol.
Below I've selected two recipes that illustrate this point. Mrs Beeton's recipe is rich but - surprisingly - needs no cooking. Rose Elliot's fat-free (and Vegetarian) recipe is moist and spicy. Try them both and see which one you like better!
Mrs Beeton's Traditional Mincemeat Recipe
It makes enough for many, many mince pies!
- 1 lb finely chopped suet
- 1 lb currants
- 1 lb raisins
- 1 lb chopped apples
- 1 lb caster sugar
- 1/2 lb sultanas
- 1/2 lb shredded mixed candied peel
- 2 lemons
- a good slug of brandy or rum (optional)
- 1/2 tsp each of ground nutmeg, mace and cinnamon
To prepare, pare the lemons thinly and simmer the rinds in a little water until tender. Then shred or chop very finely.
Mix all the ingredients together, pack into jars, cover and keep in a cool, dry place for at least a month until using.
Rose Elliot's Fat-free Mincemeat Recipe
This recipe is from Rose Elliot's book Vegetarian Christmas, which I've used / read / cooked from until it's almost turned to ragged shreds.
The number of ingredients looks dauntingly long, but don't let that worry you. Once you've chopped and added all the bits together, it's blissfully easy.
- 225g / 8oz dried pears
- grated rind of 1 lemon
- grated rind of 1 orange
- 450g / 1lb mixed dried fruit
- 100g / 4oz whole candied peel
- 100g / 4oz glace cherries
- 100g / 4oz dates
- 50g / 2oz flaked almonds
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 125ml / 4 fl oz medium sherry
- 90ml / 3 fl oz brandy
- 90ml / 3 fl oz water
Chop all the ingredients finely, then mix together in a large bowl and set aside for 1-2 hours for the flavours to blend.
Transfer to a casserole, cover and bake at 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4 for 1 hour. Cool, then store in an airtight jar until ready to use.
Beyond Mince Pies:
Other Uses for your Mincemeat
Mincemeat, once made, is not just useful as a filling for traditional mince pies. The fragrant, delicious mixture can easily do double and triple duty as impromptu pudding, crowd-wowing cake or even Christmas gift.
Serve a few dollops with vanilla ice cream and ginger snap biscuits as a light end to a heavy meal.
Dress up your jars of homemade mixture with ribbons and bows and give them away as presents to 'foody' friends.
Make a simply amazing-looking (and tasting!) cake, by lining a shallow pie dish with buttered sheets of filo pastry. Overlap the sheets and leave a good portion of each sheet hanging over the edge of the pie dish. Spoon the mincemeat into the middle of pie dish and smooth out. Fold the overhanging pastry sheets towards the centre, crushing them a little as you go. Paint the top with more melted butter and bake in a moderate oven until golden and crispy - approx 20 minutes.
Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with cream or (even better) vanilla ice cream. Heaven!
