Olde English Mince Pies

Traditional Mince Pies used to contain meat, alongside the familiar fruit mixture found today.

Here is my Lancashire adaptation of Jeri Westerson’s recipe for the adventurous to try!

Ingredients:

1lb lean minced beef, boiled thoroughly until reduced to small strands

4 green apples, cored, peeled and cubed into bite-size pieces

1/4lb suet, processed into fine granules

12oz raisins

12oz currants

2 lemons, with rind grated, squeezed, and chopped into small pieces

4oz brown sugar

4 tablespoons black treacle

8oz cooking sherry

8oz cider

8oz brandy

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons mace

2 tablespoons allspice

2 tablespoons nutmeg

2 tablespoons ground cloves

4 tablespoons cinnamon

1lb pastry dough

flour to roll out pastry

1 tablespoon milk to glaze

nub of butter to grease pie dish

Method:

Heat the oven 375/ 190 /Gas 5.
Grease a large, deep pie dish.
Place the cooked beef in large bowl. Add the apples, suet, raisins, currants, lemons, sugar, black treacle, cider, salt, pepper, mace, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. Mix well.
Allow the meat to cool. Stir in the sherry and brandy.
Roll out half of the pastry on a floured surface and line the base of the pie dish. Pour in the meat mixture and press flat.
Roll out the lid and seal the edges. Cut steam holes in the top of the pie crust. Glaze with milk.
Bake for 30 – 45 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
Cool on a rack. Pies can be served hot or cold.

My version varies slightly from Jeri’s. Check out the original below:

(Picture: Public Domain)

Kit Perriman