In olden days what was the filling for mince pies?!
Answers: What shape was the pie?
Mince Meat Pie
From the 1894 recipe vault
INGREDIENTS
4 pounds good boiled beef, preferably tongue
1 pound suet (beef fat)
8 apples
2 pounds raisins
2 pounds currants
2 grated nutmegs
2 ounces ground cloves
1 pound citron cut fine
2 pounds brown sugar
2 Tablespoons salt
1 pint boiled cider
baked pie crust
grape jelly
butter
sugar
PREPARATION
Chop fine four pounds of good boiled beef, one pound suet, and eight apples; add two pounds of raisins (seeded), two pounds of currants, two grated nutmegs, two ounces ground cloves, one pound citron (cut fine), two pounds brown sugar, two tablespoonfuls salt, one pint boiled cider. This may be canned like fruit. When ready to bake pies, add a glass of grape jelly, diluted with water, a little butter, a few raisins, and sugar if needed.
Summer Mince Meat Pie, 1894
INGREDIENTS
2 teacups sugar
1 teacup molasses
2 teacups hot water
1 teacup chopped raisins
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vinegar
2 eggs
6 rolled crackers or bread crumbs
cinnamon to taste
allspice to taste
cloves to taste
nutmeg to taste
PREPARATION
Two teacups of sugar, one teacup of molasses, two teacups of hot water, one teacup of chopped raisins, one-half cup of butter, one-half cup of vinegar, two eggs, six rolled crackers or bread crumbs; cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg to taste.
**In honor of the birth of the Savior, the mince pie was originally made in oblong casings, (coffin or cradle shaped), with a place for the Christ Child to be placed on top.**
Mincemeat developed as a way of preserving meat without salting or smoking some 500 years ago in England, where mince pies are still considered an essential accompaniment to holiday dinners just like the traditional plum pudding. This pie is a remnant of a medieval tradition of spiced meat dishes, usually minced mutton, that have survived because of its association with Christmas.
These pies were not very large, and it was thought lucky to eat one mince pie on each of the twelve days of Christmas (ending with Epiphany, the 6th of January).
Over the years, the pies grew smaller, the shape of the pie was gradually changed from oblong to round, and the meat content was gradually reduced until the pies were simply filled with a mixture of suet, spices and dried fruit, previously steeped in brandy. This filling was put into little pastry cases that were covered with pastry lids and then baked in an oven.
it was round and it was a more savory dish than sweet.. minced meat and raisens... reminds me of East indian origin somewhat...
I guess it was more of like what you'd call a meat pot pie..
Same as today but with meat included and much more spice to disguise the taste of the rotting meat. They would have been a bigger pie but I suppose they were all different shapes.