Mincemeat pies--let's talk about them

In the UK we call them just mince pies. And I love them! 😊

Beef??

I'm not sure if we are talking about the same thing but mince pies here do not contain any meat. They are a sweet treat.


www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/mincemeat-recipes

Yikes, the mince pies that we have in Australia and NZ and the UK that are popular at Christmas do not, to the best of my knowledge, contain any actual meat whatsoever.

ETA: Okay I just googled:

What are Christmas mince pies made of?
Mince pie - Wikipedia
A mince pie (also mincemeat pie in North America, and fruit mince pie in Australia and New Zealand) is a sweet pie of English origin filled with mincemeat, being a mixture of fruit, spices and suet. The pies are traditionally served during the Christmas season in much of the English-speaking world.

So the "meat" part is actually suet, but I think they'd just use shortening these days. 

ETA Again: I just checked the ingredient list on the packet of the ones I usually buy, and there is definitely no meat and no suet. 

Just like Christmas pudding was traditionally made with suet.

My mom used to make mince pies at Christmas. I love them! My uncle and I had an on-going battle over who the pies were made for, him or me?

I voted never tried it. I remember my mother making them when I was a child but I don’t remember me actually even trying them. I would be open to trying them now if someone else made them.

My grandmother made her mincemeat in the laundry tubs in the basement. My cousins and I searched through everything to find her recipe with no luck. Recipe long lost now. I still use the original Tollhouse cookie recipe my grandmother made and my mother was able to save.

The ones I grew up eating had suet in them (beef fat) but otherwise sweet. My MIL makes it and sends us a jar every year. I love it and it's not Christmas until the mince shows up.

I'm sure I have her recipe and would be happy to share if anyone wants it. As long as she's willing to make it and send us a jar I'm happy to just enjoy and not make it.

I make mince pies every Christmas and, if I don't make my own mincemeat, I stir rum or brandy into a bought jar of mincemeat before using. These are the ingredients in Delia Smith's (well known UK cook) mincemeat

INGREDIENTS
1 lb (450 g) Bramley apples, cored and chopped small (no need to peel them)
2 oz (50 g) whole almonds, cut into slivers
4 level teaspoons mixed ground spice
½ level teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
6 tablespoons brandy
8 oz (225 g) shredded suet
12 oz (350 g) raisins
8 oz (225 g) sultanas
8 oz (225 g) currants
8 oz (225 g) whole mixed candied peel, finely chopped
12 oz (350 g) soft dark brown sugar
grated zest and juice 2 oranges
grated zest and juice 2 lemons

All you do is combine all the ingredients, except for the brandy, in a large mixing bowl, stirring them and mixing them together very thoroughly indeed.  Then cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave the mixture in a cool place overnight or for 12 hours, so the flavours have a chance to mingle and develop. After that pre-heat the oven to 120C/gas mark ¼. Cover the bowl loosely with foil and place it in the oven for 3 hours, then remove the bowl from the oven and don't worry about the appearance of the mincemeat, which will look positively swimming in fat. This is how it should look.

As it cools, stir it from time to time; the fat will coagulate and, instead of it being in tiny shreds, it will encase all the other ingredients. When the mincemeat is quite cold, stir in the brandy. Pack in sterilised jars (see below). When filled, cover with waxed discs and seal. It will keep in a cool, dark cupboard indefinitely, (I have kept it for up to 3 years), but I think it is best eaten within a year of making.
Vegetarians can make this mincemeat happily, using vegetarian suet. And if you don't want the full quantity, make half.

NOTE: To sterilise jars, wash the jars and lids in warm soapy water, rinse well, then dry thoroughly with a clean tea cloth, place them on a baking tray and pop into a medium oven, gas mark 4, 350°F, 180°C, for 5 minutes.

Just to throw a spanner in the works, there are mince pies and there are mince pies. Mince pies are made with ground beef, onions, gravy and pastry and served hot with potatoes and vegetables on the side. Mince pies are made with mincemeat and pastry and served warm or cold with cream or ice cream or custard or just stolen out of the tin and eaten before anyone spots there's one missing.

My mom used to make mincemeat pies at Christmastime - she and my Dad both loved it. I think she put a bit of brandy in, but can't remember for sure. I know she used the None Such brand from a jar, but I think my maternal grandmother made her own mincemeat and used that. I liked the mincemeat pie all right, didn't love it because the filling was just too sweet and concentrated.

Now, what my mom did that I LOVED was make mincemeat cookies. I think she used a base batter similar to what one would make for chocolate chip cookies and substitute the mincemeat for the chocolate chips...mmmm, so good! She probably had to adjust the flour and baking powder to balance out the increased liquid in the mincemeat. As a cookie, the mincemeat was not too strong/concentrated for my taste - it was just right, a little like spice cookies. Very Christmas-y!

christmas challenge unlocked! These sound amazing and I've found 2 recipes that look interesting.

They sound just like the ones I make Mystie although I use my Mum’s recipe and just adding a little slosh of something alcoholic 😉
I have them in the house throughout December and they get offered to anyone popping in who has a cuppa 😊

Mince pies are a must at Christmas here 😊

bethany102399 you must report back!

My dad loved them, but I have never tried them. It just doesn’t sound good to me.