Mincemeat Ingredients

Mincemeat is a combination of fruits and spices which is made with or without adding meat. The original recipe of mincemeat was made with ground beef, from which it has acquired its name. Earlier people made mincemeat as a preserve as it can be stored for a long period of time, without the fear of damage. The mincemeat was introduced in English cuisine, probably around 15th century and thereafter, it has undergone a variety of changes.

What is Mincemeat?

It is believed that the earliest mincemeat was made by mixing meat such as beef, venison or beef suet, fruits, wine and vinegar. However, later, probably in the 18th century, wines and vinegars were substituted with distilled spirits like brandy and rum. This was followed by the introduction of spices to the mincemeat which included nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, etc. Later with the addition of sugar, people began to use mincemeat in dessert recipes. This mincemeat became quite popular among people and became an integral part of the Christmas and Thanksgiving traditions. However, somewhere in the middle of the 20th century, mincemeat became a vegetarian dish where people stopped mixing the meat with the fruits and other spices. Mincemeat, made with meat as well as without using meat are used to make mincemeat tarts and pies on special occasions. Nevertheless, most people opt the commercial mincemeat preparations available in the market because they think that making mincemeat is a difficult task. However, it is not so and mincemeat can be made easily at home. Hence, let us take a look at the ingredients and the process of making mincemeat which you can then use for a mincemeat pie recipe.

What are the Ingredients in Mincemeat?

The ingredients in mincemeat will depend on the type of mincemeat you want to make. In other words, there are actually a variety of mincemeat recipes that one can prepare according to one's choice of ingredients. Here, we will take a look at the ingredients required to make various types of mincemeat.

Mincemeat Recipe #01

• Lean beef, minced, 24 ounces
• Citron, peeled and sliced, 2 ounces
• Apples, cored and minced, 2 quarts
• Moist sugar, 32 ounces
• Raisins, 32 ounces
• Small nutmeg, grated, 1
• Brandy, 8 ounces
• Candied orange peel, sliced, 2 ounces
• Currants, 48 ounces
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Beef suet, minced, 48 ounces
• Candied lemon peel, sliced, 2 ounces
• Rind of two lemons

How to Make

After slicing and mincing the fruits and meat as directed, place them in a large mixing bowl. Put in the spices and other ingredients, except the brandy and mix well. When all the ingredients are fully blended, pour the brandy and store them in an airtight container. Use the mincemeat only after two weeks.

Mincemeat Recipe #02

• Apples, peeled, cored and sliced, 48 ounces
• Cider, 2 quarts
• Dark brown sugar, 48 ounces
• Dried currants, 48 ounces
• Lean beef, chopped, 64 ounces
• Seeded raisins, 64 ounces
• Molasses, 16 ounces
• Citron, chopped, 8 ounces
• Ground cloves, 3 teaspoons
• Brandy, 1 quart
• Cinnamon, 3 teaspoons
• Nutmeg, 1 teaspoon
• Allspice, 1 teaspoon
• Salt, 2 teaspoon

How to Make

In a large cooking pot, take suet, molasses, beef, raisins, cider, currants and brown sugar. Place on medium heat and stir till the sugar and citron are fully melted. Add apples to the pot and cook till they become tender. This should be followed by cinnamon, cloves, brandy, mace, salt, nutmeg and allspice. Let it simmer for fifteen minutes, however remember to stir it frequently. Store them in airtight containers and place it in the refrigerator till the time of use.

Now that you know the ingredients and the process of making mincemeat, I hope that you will try to make some at home. If you are a vegetarian, there are several vegetarian recipes for making mincemeat in which you just substitute the meat and suet from the ingredient list with vegetable shortening.