Traditional Mincemeat Pie Food

CLASSIC MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Unroll pie crusts. Line ungreased 9-inch pie plate with one crust. Fill with mincemeat. Cover with second crust and seal edges. Cut slits in top crust to vent steam. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.

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 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.

TRADITIONAL MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• Mix ingredients well.
• Transfer to a 1-quart jar. Cover and refrigerate for at least two days and preferably for two weeks.
• Make dough, prepare pie crust, and add filling.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until golden, about 1 hour.

TRADITIONAL BRITISH MINCEMEAT FOR CHRISTMAS MINCE PIES!

Steps:

• Chop the nuts and candied peel finely.
• Peel, core and chop the apples into small pieces.
• Stir together with all the other ingredients and seal in sterilised jars.
• Keep for at least 2 weeks before using in mince pies, mincemeat cakes, mincemeat puddings and steamed puddings.

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.

MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• Make mincemeat:
• Stir together all mincemeat ingredients. Chill in an airtight container at least 3 days.
• Make pie:
• Put a baking sheet in middle of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining piece chilled) on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch round and fit into a 9-inch glass pie plate (4-cup capacity). Stir mincemeat, then spoon into shell. Chill pie while rolling out top.
• Roll out remaining disk into a 10-inch round on lightly floured surface. Cut into 10 (1-inch-wide) strips with a fluted pastry wheel or a knife. Arrange strips in a lattice pattern on top of filling and trim strips and edge of bottom crust, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Seal edges and crimp decoratively. Brush lattice and edge with some of egg and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake until pastry is golden brown, 50 minutes to 1 hour. (If pastry rim gets too dark, tent with foil.) Cool 2 hours before serving.