Very cool - thanks! I found this too
http://www.food52.com/blog/2728_the_real_mincemeat ________________________________ From: curtisdeltablues <curtisdeltabl...@yahoo.com> To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, December 10, 2012 1:35 PM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 12-12-2012 Sorry, I should have provided the link because some of the cut and paste characters came out weird. It is from Saveur: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Traditional-Mincemeat-Pie --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" <curtisdeltablues@...> wrote: > > Here is a recipe from my favorite food magazine > > > > Traditional Mincemeat Pie > This recipe for old-fashioned mincemeat pie, a version of one featured in the > classic 1861 volume Mrs. Beeton¡¯s Book of Household Management, was updated > in Jane Grigson¡¯s English Food (Macmillan, 1974). The mincemeat filling > should be prepared at least two days and preferably two weeks prior to the > making of the pies so that the fruit can soften and the flavors can meld. > Click here for step-by-step instructions for making the pie crust. > FOR THE FILLING: > > 2 cups finely chopped beef suet > 3⁄4 cup currants > 3⁄4 cup finely chopped rump steak > (about 3 oz.) > 1⁄2 cup raisins > 1⁄2 cup packed dark brown sugar > 2 tbsp. brandy > 1 1⁄2 tsp. chopped candied citron peel > 1 1⁄2 tsp. chopped candied lemon peel > 1 1⁄2 tsp. chopped candied orange peel > 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice > 1⁄4 tsp. grated nutmeg > 1 1⁄2 granny smith apples, cored and > finely chopped > Grated zest of 1⁄2 lemon > > FOR THE CRUST: > Pie Dough > > 1. In a bowl, combine beef suet, currants, rump steak, raisins, brown sugar, > brandy, citron peel, lemon peel, orange peel, lemon juice, nutmeg, apples, > and lemon zest. Mix well. > > 2. Transfer mixture to a 1-qt. jar. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days to 2 > weeks. > > 3. Make dough, prepare pie crust, and add filling, following the > step-by-step-instructions here. Heat oven to 350¢ª. Bake until golden, about > 1 hour. > > MAKES 1 PIE > > Here are some comments and modifications from the site that make sense. > > Ratings & Reviews (3) > noAvatar > by smcg720 on 2008-12-27 > I was surprised to see how close this is to my > great grandmother's (b. 19th century in Iowa) > recipe. She canned this, cooking the meat in the process. I braised the meat > with spices & ground it. She also added equal part apples when making the > pie. And bourbon & brandy. I cut fat to 3/4 c fresh lard. 2 C suet is too > much for today's tastes. > > by molliebryan on 2010-11-13 > Interesting recipe, definitely more fancy than Mrs. Rowe's. She always > insisted on refrigerating the mincemeat for at least 4 weeks before using it. > Also, Mrs. Rowe used local, fresh apple cider, unpasteurized. Regional > variation? > > noAvatar > by grandmadot93@... on 2010-11-15 > This is very close to my heirloom recipe. My mother taught me to make this > when I was 8 or 9 years old. I use ground round meat and just brown it and > drain off all the grease. I don't add any suet at all. I do add apples and > raisins, and of course the all important brandy or rum. I follow the recipe > also for not cooking the mixture. Just keep it in the fridge for a few days. > > ME: > I think modifying the amount of suet makes sense because the original purpose > was food preservation and I think it is a little like a confit where the fat > acts to smother bacteria growth. I also think it needs some of the sweet > spices and would have a heavy hand with the ginger both fresh and powdered if > I make it. I love the suggestion about browning the meat first. That always > improves flavor. I think it is the kind of pie that would be fun to tinker > with. I would like to try one with venison which goes very well with sweet > fruits. > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Michael Jackson <mjackson74@> wrote: > > > > It sounds mighty good > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: curtisdeltablues <curtisdeltablues@> > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > > Sent: Monday, December 10, 2012 10:34 AM > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 12-12-2012 > > > > > >  > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "salyavin808" <fintlewoodlewix@> > > wrote: > > > > > > A life without mince pies? My heart goes out to you, what > > > sort of backwards country you live in. > > > > Since I have been appointed as the resident hick here I can tell you that > > when I was growing up I dated a local girl whose mother made the real > > thing. Mince pies with meat, the old school real deal. Not this version > > with too much sweet and not enough savory. But the kind of put-up food > > that got farmers though the Winter. I've been toying with making some > > myself someday. Have you ever tried it? As I remember it she buried the > > mixture to ferment under the ground before digging it up and putting it > > into crusts. I'll have to do another Internet search on this I need to add > > this to my bucket list. I think the reason I was hesitant the last time > > was that if you don't get the temperatures right it might be the last item > > you check off your bucket list! > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Michael Jackson <mjackson74@> wrote: > > > > > > > > are mince pies actually good? I have never had one. Around here its > > > > unusual it even see pumpkin pie - its mostly sweet tater pie or pecan > > > > pie. > > > > > > A life without mince pies? My heart goes out to you, what > > > sort of backwards country you live in. I've eaten three since > > > lunch, but that's greedy even for me. But they are small-ish. > > > > > > These are good, see if they do international delivery: > > > > > > http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=257246799 > > > > > >