Mincemeat I Food

MINCEMEAT LOAF

Steps:

• Beat the eggs, sugar and butter together.
• Stir in the milk and mincemeat.
• Combine the next 4 ingredients together and whisk.
• Pour it all at once into the liquid ingredients and stir completely. Pour into a well greased loaf pan.
• Bake at 350 degree for 50-60 minutes, until the loaf tests done.
• Remove and cool for 10 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and continue cooling on a wire cooling rack.
• Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over the loaf once it's completely cooled.

MINCEMEAT MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Line with cupcake papers for easy removal.
• Measure all 7 dry ingredients and sift into a bowl.
• Beat egg until frothy.
• Mix in oil, mincemeat and milk (or juice).
• Add to dry mixture.
• Stir to moisten.
• Batter will be lumpy.
• Bake approximately 20 minutes.

BEST TRADITIONAL MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except for the brandy and rum in a medium-sized pot and slowly bring to a simmer to prevent scorching. Reduce the heat to LOW and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, more towards the end to prevent burning. (If the liquid reduces too soon and the mincemeat starts to stick/scorch on the bottom, add a little bit of apple juice or water.) Stir in the brandy and rum. (Note: If you prefer to have the alcohol cooked out, add them at the same time as the other ingredients.)
• Spoon the hot mincemeat into sterilized jars (spooning it in the jar while hot will ensure the suet rises to the top to create a layer of fat). As the mixture cools the suet will harden, creating a seal to help preserve the mincemeat. *If you're including the beef be sure to refrigerate the mincemeat. If you're storing it for more than a couple of weeks follow the directions in the blog post for pressure canning the mincemeat for longer-term storage.See blog post for additional ways of storing your mincemeat.
• Makes about 1 quart. Feel free to double, triple, etc, as needed.
• Use this mincemeat to make Homemade Mince Pies! (click link for recipe)
• Note: Mincemeat is traditionally stored for several months before using to allow time for the flavors to deepen, however this mincemeat is also delicious eaten within just a few days.

MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• Place all of the ingredients except the crust into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 8 to 10 times. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for at least 3 days before using. Can be stored for up to 6 months.
• If you prefer a finer texture of mincemeat place the apples, dried fruit and suet into a meat grinder with a large die and grind. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. You may also finely chop the apples, dried fruit and suet by hand.
• Place the flour, cornmeal, 1 1/2 ounces sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Grate the cold butter on the large side of a box grater directly into the dry ingredients. Work together with your hands until the mixture is crumbly. Add the cider and water and stir with a spatula to combine. Knead the dough 5 to 6 times and spritz with additional water if the dough is dry. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Unwrap the dough and divide into 4 equal pieces. Place 2 pieces of the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and roll each out into a 1/8-inch thick round that is 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the mincemeat into the center of each round, fold up the edges of the dough in order to form a crust all the way around. Brush the edges of the crust with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Transfer the dough on the parchment to a half sheet pan. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• If you prefer 1 large pie, roll out the dough on a piece of parchment into a 15 to 16-inch round, about 1/4 to 1/8-inch thick. Trim the edges with a pizza cutter. Carefully slide the rolled out dough, still on the parchment paper, onto an upside down half sheet pan. Spoon about 1 1/2 pounds of the mincemeat onto the center of the dough, leaving a 2 to 3-inch margin around the edge of the crust. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the crust is golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 to 45 minutes before serving.

MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Put meat, suet, citron, peel, peeled and cored apples, lemon and orange through the meat grinder.
• Mix throughly with sugar, currants. rasins, spices, salt, brandy and sherry.
• Pack into quart jars and process or freeze.
• Every few months add a couple of tablespoons brandy, sherry or rum if the mix looks dry.

MINCEMEAT I

Steps:

• Place apples, golden raisins, currants, raisins, suet, allspice, cinnamon, brown sugar, citrus peel, almonds, lemon rind, lemon juice, brandy, ginger, and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Cover and store in refrigerator for 2 days to allow flavor to mature.
• Sterilize enough canning jars and lids to hold mincemeat.
• Pack mincemeat into sterilized jars, making sure there are no spaces or air pockets. Fill jars all the way to top. Screw on lids.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stock pot and fill halfway with boiling water. Carefully lower jars into pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between jars. Add more boiling water if necessary, until tops of jars are covered by 2 inches of water. Bring water to a full boil, then cover and process for 30 minutes.
• Remove jars from pot and place on cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press top of each lid with finger, ensuring that seal is tight (lid doesn't move up or down at all). Mincemeat should be aged 2 or 3 months before using, but can be stored up to a year.

MINCEMEAT SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/140Fan/gas mark 3. Grease and line a 20x20cm square baking tin.
• In a food processor whizz together the butter, caster sugar, plain flour, salt, ground almonds and orange zest, if using until the mixture comes together to make a dough. Divide the dough in half. Wrap one half in cling film and place in the fridge.
• Press the other half of the dough into the lined tin, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon or your hands. Try and get it as even as you can.
• Top the dough with the mincemeat and scatter over the dried cranberries if using. Get the second piece of dough out of the fridge. You can do this two ways - either roll the dough out on two pieces of baking parchment and lay on top of the mincemeat, or take pieces of the dough and lay them on top, trying to make sure the mincemeat is pretty much completely covered. This "patchwork" style (as I like to call it) isn't as neat but it works well for me. Doing this does mean that the mincemeat can ooze out a little over the top, but I quite like it.
• Sprinkle the top of the shortbread with the 1 tablespoon caster sugar and the flaked almonds. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is light golden. Start checking the shortbread after 30 minutes - if it looks like the top is beginning to burn or the almonds are becoming too brown, cover the top with a piece of tin foil.
• Remove the shortbread from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin before cutting into slices.

TRADITIONAL MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Soak the raisins and currants in the brandy and lemon juice for 1 hr until plumped up, then drain and set the brandy aside. Mix all the ingredients together in the order given, then pour in the brandy when everything else is well mixed. Spoon and press into sterilised jars, to exclude any air (the easiest way to sterilise jars is to run them through a dishwasher on its hottest setting). Cover and leave for at least a fortnight. Will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.

OLD-FASHIONED MINCEMEAT PIE RECIPE FROM 1798

Steps:

• If using ground beef, brown the meat in a saucepan over medium heat. If you are using other cuts of raw beef, boil the beef until it is cooked and then chop it into small pieces. Or, if you are using left over beef that has already been cooked, you can chop the meat into small pieces. After chopping the beef, add the salt to the meat.
• In a large bowl, combine chopped apples, chopped suet (or your suet substitute) cider, spices, and fruit. Add the beef and apple cider and mix well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. (If you want to be more authentic, you can chop up all of the ingredients together at this point to mince them finely.)
• Line a 9 inch pie plate with pastry and then pour in the mincemeat.
• Add the top crust, sealing the edges with a fork and cutting slivers in the top to let out steam. If you want an extra golden brown crust you can brush the top of the pie with some egg.
• Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes until the crust looks golden brown.

MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Combine cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice in a bowl. Reserve 1 heaped teaspoon for the mincemeat. Store the rest in a small jar for a later use.
• Inspect two 12-ounce jars for cracks and rings for rust, discarding any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water until mincemeat is ready. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Combine apple, sultanas, sugar, currants, raisins, and butter in a saucepan. Cook over low heat and stir gently until butter has melted. Stir in chopped almonds, orange zest, 1 teaspoon of mixed spice, and cinnamon. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and set mincemeat aside to cool down for 30 minutes. Stir in brandy. Spoon into sterilized jars.