SC - Mincemeat Pies

[WOLFMOMSCA at aol.com]

In a message dated 98-10-12 08:59:16 EDT, Tyrca wrote:

<< Did they really use meat in mincemeat pies in period?  Or is my family
  just an abberation?  Any recipes?  Anyone? >>

The Good Hous-wives Treasurie, 1588

To Make Minst Pyes

Take your Veale and perboyle it a little, or mutton.  Then set it a cooling:
and when it is colde, take three pound of suit to a legge of mutton, or fower
pound to a fillet of Veale, and then mince them small by themselves, or
together whether you will.  Then take to season them halfe an unce of Sinamon,
a little Pepper, as much Salt as you think will season them, either to the
mutton or to the Veale, take eight yolkes of Egges when they be hard, half a
pinte of rosewater full measure, halfe a pound of Suger.  Then straine the
Yolkes with the Rosewater and the Suger and mingle it with your meats.  If ye
have any Orrenges or Lemmans you must take two of them, and take the pilles
very thin and mince them very smalle, and put them in a pound of currans, six
dates, half a pound of prunes.  Laye Currans and Dates upon the top of your
meate.  You must take two or three Pomewaters or Wardens and mince with your
meate...; if you will make good crust put in three or foure yolkes of egges, a
little Rosewater, and a good deale of Suger.

Now, I dunno about y'all, but that looks to make into one humunguous pie.
Here's how I would do it.

1 lb. of cooked red meat (doesn't really matter what kind)
1/2 lb. suet
      Mince these up real small (rough grind if you've got a grinder)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt (if you wish)
       Mix this in with your ground meat.

2 hard-boiled egg yolks
2 Tbsp. rosewater
2 Tbsp. sugar
        Mash these together, then mix it in with the meat

Finely minced peel of 1/2 of a lemon (or orange)
8 prunes, finely minced
2 c. minced apple or pear
         Mix this in with the meat

Put the resulting mixture into a pre-baked pie crust.

Mince 1/4 c. of currants and 3 dates, then scatter across the top of the
mixture.  

Top with a crust if you wish, or simply cover the pie with tinfoil.  Bake at
350 degrees for about 45 minutes if using a top crust, or 35 minutes covered
with foil, then 10 minutes uncovered.

Serve hot.

I remember my Grandmother's first taste of a Dromedary mix mince pie.  She was
heard to complain bitterly that it wasn't mincemeat, it was mince fruit, and
how dare they lie to her on the box.  ;-)

Walk in peace,
Wolfmother
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