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Mincemeat ... meat-based recipes

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    Mincemeat ... meat-based recipes

    I was asked to share the recipes I have for real mincemeat, as in the spicy-tart-sweet mixture of fruit and real meat that is used for making pies, tarts and other treats.

    Mincemeat was a way of preserving cooked meat without smoking, curing, or salting. The spiced and sweetened minced meat was packed piping hot into a canning crock to exclude as much air as possible. The top of the meat was coated with a seal of wax and the jars stored in a cool cave or basement.

    My dad's mother -- my Grandma Goldie -- made real mincemeat pie a few times when I was little. It had a sweet-spicy and slightly tart flavor, but the savory meat base really mellowed and deepened the flavor. I thought it was definitely yummy, even though I was at the age when kids can be kinda particular about odd flavors.

    When I was older, someone gave me a slice of what they called mincemeat pie and ... ugh!!!! ... it was awful. It was a fruit based version of mincemeat. It had no depth of flavor to balance the sugar and spices.

    Later, in college, an English visiting professor invited our engineering class to his home for a holiday get together. His lovely wife made all kinds of traditional delicacies for us, including real mincemeat tarts that were utterly heavenly.

    Anyways, here are four recipes for real mincemeat using either beef or venison and one recipe (Fannie Farmer page 586) for a fruit based mincemeat that uses suet as the fat.

    My recollection is the meat was finely minced with a knife which gives it a slightly different texture than grinding the meat. But mincing by hand is tedious, so I'd probably grind the meat instead.

    The two newspaper clippings came from Grandma Goldie. Being an inveterate recipe collector, she would have clipped these out of the Des Moines (Iowa) Register newspaper, probably in the 50s or 60s. These recipes are based on ingredients typically stocked by small town grocery stores.

    The other slightly fancier versions are from my 1980 editions of the Joy of Cooking and the Fannie Farmer Cookbook. The clippings aren't too helpful on the procedure, but the more detailed cookbook recipes hopefully fill in any gaps.

    I'm a little uncomfortable with the idea of preserving mincemeat the old fashioned way, although I know it was often done and people survived the experience. I would either pressure can or freeze it.

    Click image for larger version  Name:	mincemeat newsclip1.jpg Views:	9 Size:	3.20 MB ID:	924707

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    Click image for larger version  Name:	mincemeat fannieFarmer1980 pg585.jpg Views:	8 Size:	2.62 MB ID:	924706

    Click image for larger version  Name:	mincemeat joyofcooking1980  pg586.jpg Views:	9 Size:	2.49 MB ID:	924709

    Click image for larger version  Name:	mincemeat joyofcooking1980 pg812.jpg Views:	8 Size:	2.55 MB ID:	924705
    Last edited by IowaGirl; October 16, 2020, 04:17 PM.

    #2
    This is fascinating -- thank you!

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      #3
      Thanks

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        #4
        One of my favorite pies! Thanks for sharing.

        Comment


          #5
          I believe I will go with #2.
          It is a manageable batch, and sounds like what I remember.
          Thank you @IowaGirl for those recipes.
          There will definitely be a mince meat pie on the table this year.

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          • IowaGirl
            IowaGirl commented
            Editing a comment
            I'm sure you could also halve or quarter any of these recipes if you only wanted enough for holiday baking. The vinegar in that second recipe would add a bit more of a tart note, which I also remember as an element in the flavor.

            I am intrigued by the use of brandy in several recipes -- I'm quite sure Grandma Goldie (a staunch member of the WCTU (Women's Christian Temperance Union) back in the day) would never have used it, but I'd give it a try.

          #6
          Mincemeat kolache, my Grandmother and Aunt's used to make soooo many years ago and I haven't had since. It was so very delicious......

          Comment


          • IowaGirl
            IowaGirl commented
            Editing a comment
            We have strong Czech and Norwegian influences in this part of Iowa, so you'll see kolaches and kringle (and lefse) sold year 'round, although local bakers turn these treats out in massive quantities near the holidays. A mincemeat version ~would~ be tasty.

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