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Mince Meat pie

Let’s take a trip back in time to set the stage for this classic recipe. We’re talking way back to the 1600’s, the time of the Crusaders in England. During that era, Shrid Pie was a big deal:  shredded meat combined with suet and dried fruits. The addition of spices was a gift brought back from the Crusades in the middle east, improving upon the much loved Christmas Pie that we enjoy today. Traditionally a gift given to the hierarchy at the time,  these pies were much larger and had a coffin shape to them. 

Fast forward, like way forward, to 1995. This is the first time that I truly remember making and actually enjoying these as a child. Once the holidays would come around in England, one could find these pies on every shelf, in every grocery store, corner store and gas station. But nothing compares to making them from scratch.

My family had just made the big move from Oxfordshire, UK to the States. One of the things we noticed is that we could not find Mince Meat Pies anywhere. When we asked for them, we were met with blank stares. Thus, the tradition of making them once a year began in our home.

As a kid, my biggest job was making sure the mix was properly stirred and shaken each day to make sure all the flavors did what they needed to do. Once they had sat in jars for the perfect amount of time, the hardest part was waiting for my mum to make the crust, pop in the filling, bake them, and let them cool long enough to not burn my entire mouth when taking that first bite.

Now that I’m older, I have taken up the mantle of holiday Mince Maker. My recipe, while staying true to the original family recipe that I was given by my mum, uses more fresh fruit in the mix with the addition of pear, which isn’t common.

Ideally you want your mix to sit for at least a week for the flavours to meld together, but I popped a few mini pies in the oven straight away and was pleasantly surprised at how well all of the flavours popped. The longer it sits though, the better they get. Every few months you just add a little bourbon, or brandy to “feed” your mix. We have even discovered jars of mince that are over a year old, sealed up in the garage that are amazingly fragrant when opened.

Our family Christmas will be smaller this year and that’s the reality for many families all over the world. I was happy to be able to share this tradition with our youngest son, and was very surprised at how much he seemed invested in watching what I was doing (as much as a 6 year old can seem invested).  With everything going on, now is the perfect time to focus on those around you, to make or build new traditions, or even to dust off an old family tradition that may have fallen by the wayside. Keep the spirit of the holidays alive, be safe, and eat well.

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The Recipe

Mince Meat Pie

  • 2 cups suet or butter, frozen
  • 2 Gala apples, diced
  • 2 Anjou Pears, diced
  • 3/4 cup dried currants
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 2 Tbsp Bourbon, Brandy or Dark Rum (we used West Fork Whiskey Co. The Colonel Bourbon)
  • 1 orange, zested and juiced
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground clove
  • 2 pie crusts (recipe below)
  • Egg wash (1 egg whisked with water)
  • Turbinado or Demerara sugar
  1. Grate frozen suet or butter.  Suet is preferred, but butter can be substituted for vegetarians. 
  2. Mix all ingredients with suet or butter.
  3. Refrigerate for at least one week to let all of the flavors marry.  Stir or shake daily.
  4. Pour into raw pie crust, top with lattice, egg wash lattice and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
  5. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until pie crust is baked.  Mince Meat Pie is usually served at room temperature.

Note: Suet can be found at most butcher shops.  We get ours at Joe’s Butcher Shop in nearby Carmel, Indiana.

Mini mince meat pies (as shown in the picture) are fun for holiday parties and entertaining.

Yield: 2 pies

Pie Crust

  • 2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 8 ounces unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup cold water
  1.  Cut butter into small cubes (about 1/2″ pieces) and chill.
  2. Place flour, cold butter cubes and salt in a food processor.  Pulse until the butter is mixed throughout in pea size pieces or smaller. 
  3. While the food processor is running, add the egg and cold water.  Pulse the dough until it is just coming together (will still be a little crumbly)
  4. Turn dough out onto plastic wrap and, using the plastic wrap, work the crumbs into the dough until smooth.  Wrap completely and chill.
  5. Once chilled, cut dough in half and place on a flour surface.  Roll dough out and place in pie dish (I use pan spray on my pie dish first to avoid sticking).  Repeat with other half.  Note: the key to rolling out pie dough is to make sure the surface and top of the pie crust are well-floured.  Using your rolling pin, roll diagonally a few times up to the right and then a few times up to the left.  Rotate crust a quarter turn and keep repeating (and flouring as necessary) until your pie dough is the right size.  This ensures that your pie dough stays in a circular shape.  The pie dough should not stick to your rolling surface.  Use more flour if this happens.
  6. Leave a small edge on the pie crust and crimp the pie dough with your fingers or use a fork for decoration. 

Yield: 2 pies crusts

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