Old Fashioned Mincemeat Pie Food

OLD TIME MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine beef and apple cider. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until meat is tender. Remove meat and coarsely chop, then return it to the pot.
• Stir in chopped apples, sugar, currants, raisins, citrus peel, butter and cherry preserves. Add ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Let simmer, uncovered, over low heat until mixture is very thick, about 90 minutes. Stir in cherries and remove from heat.
• Refrigerate tightly covered for at least a week before using.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Put filling in unbaked pie shell and place pastry on top. Crimp edges and poke several holes in top pastry. Brush top with cream and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

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.

MODERN MINCEMEAT FOR PIE

Steps:

• Grate the zest of the lemon and mix it and the lemon juice to the rest of the ingredients.
• Transfer the mixture to a 1-quart jar. Cover and refrigerate for at least two days and preferably two weeks.
• Make dough, prepare crust, and add the filling.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until golden, about 1 hour.

MOCK MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE PIE CRUST: Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl or in the work bowl of a food processor.
• Process or cut in the butter or lard until the fat is in pea-size pieces.
• If using a food processor, turn the mixture into a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk the egg, lemon juice, and 3 Tablespoons ice water together.
• Drizzle the liquids over the crumbly mixture.
• With a fork, mix until the pastry holds together in a ball, adding more ice water if necessary.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead once or twice, lightly, to shape the dough into a ball.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
• TO MAKE THE FILLING: Prepare the pie crust.
• On a floured surface, roll out half of the pastry to fit a 10-inch pie pan.
• Line the pan with the pastry.
• Preheat the oven to 425 F.
• In a large bowl, combine the apples, zucchini, carrots, nuts, raisins, and flour; toss to mix.
• In another bowl, mix the brown sugar and butter until blended and stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and lemon juice.
• Mix into the apple mixture.
• Turn the filling into the pastry-lined pan.
• On a floured surface, roll out the second half of the pastry and cut into 1/2-inch strips.
• Arrange on top of the filling in a lattice fashion.
• Trim and seal the strips to the bottom crust.
• In a small bowl, make the glaze by beating the egg and water together.
• Brush the mixture over the top and edges of the pie.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the pie is set and the pastry is golden brown.
• Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.
• The Great Holiday Baking Book.