Country Mince Pie

“He was gobbling mincemeat, meatbone, bread, cheese, and pork pie, all at once.” Maybe you remember reading this description in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. But wait, what is mincemeat anyway?

Mincemeat is essentially a mixture of chopped dried fruits, distilled spirits, a combination of spices, beef suet, and (traditionally) chopped meat which is usually used as a pie or pastry filling. Although this sweet-savory mixture has evolved a bit from its medieval origins, it’s still very much associated with the Christmas season.

Traditionally, the meat of mincemeat was usually beef or venison. The “mince” in mincemeat comes from the Middle English term, mincen, and the Old French mincier, which means “chopped finely.” According to The Christmas Encyclopedia, mincemeat pie — also commonly referred to as mince pie or Christmas pie — originated in England during the Middle Ages.

Of course, the biggest question for those who aren’t familiar with mincemeat pie is: Does it really contain meat?

Mincemeat pies are a fun holiday treat that will surprise everyone with how good they are. These are venison mincemeat pies — and yes, long ago, mince pies did indeed have meat in them — made with a Scottish flair.

Everyone knows the term mincemeat, and, technically speaking, it’s just a British term for what we Americans call ground meat; mince is another term you’ll hear over there. I grew up calling it “chop meat” in New Jersey.

Most people also “know” that mincemeat pies don’t have meat in them. They’re largely correct, as the standard mincemeat pie recipes over the past century have largely skipped the meat.

But venison mincemeat pies have an ancient heritage, dating to the 1100s even. During the reign of the Tudors — think King Henry VIII — in the 1500s, mincemeat pies included meat, and it was often venison.

The pies also got smaller over time, and this gets into my recipe for venison mincemeat pies. I love them as little personal “pie-lets,” teeny three- or four-bite wonders. And they are wonders, as I’ll explain in a moment. But to do that I went out and bought a mincemeat pie pan for $20 online.

Lest you think this is crazy, a) these pies are worth the effort, and b) you can make jam tartlets with the pan the rest of the year.

Or you can make your venison mincemeat pie a regular pie in a regular pie pan, which is a thing. Or you can use any small tart pan you happen to have. The standard issue mincemeat pie pan gives you that pretty little shape though.

We enjoy a good throwback, so in 2015 we re-created BA’s Thanksgiving menu circa 1974—Jell-O mold and all—and found a sleeper hit: this mincemeat pie recipe. Its crust is golden brown and flaky and the filling is deeply fruity and laced with warm spices.

And before you ask, no, you do not need to make it with meat. Mincemeat pie, more commonly called mince pie in the UK, boasts one of the more confusing recipe names out there. In the Middle Ages, chopped meat, liver, or fish, along with chopped hard-boiled eggs and ginger were tucked into small pastries called chewette, according to the “Oxford Companion to Food.” Dried fruits were commonly added and by the 16th century, the name changed to minced or shred pies, which were made for Christmas as they still are today. Fast-forward to the 19th century and meat had mostly disappeared from mincemeat.

Some traditional recipes still call for beef suet (fat from around a cow’s kidneys); but here we use schmaltz or butter—everything else is vegetarian. The mincemeat filling ingredient list is lengthy, but the steps are simple and if you don’t like one of the many dried fruits, you can easily replace it with more of the ones you do like. The filling produces enough for two pies. If you plan to make both at once, you’ll need four batches of this Actually Perfect Pie Crust so you can finish the pies with a lattice-top crust. Serve them warm with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy a slice at room temperature the next morning for breakfast.

Christmas without mince pies is unimaginable. Why? Mince pies have been eaten as part of a traditional British Christmas since as long ago as the 16th century. Then they were made of a spiced, sweet meat mixture but are now commonly made with sweet mincemeat, a mixture of dried fruits, sugar, spices, and brandy (and no meat). They are a notable part of the heritage of a British Christmas.

The recipe makes rich, sticky, sweet filling wrapped in pastry—you’ll see why they are so popular.

Click Play to See This Delicious British Mince Pie Recipe Come Together

“This is a simple pastry dough that results in a light and very flaky crust. Perfect for mincemeat or your favorite filling. The most time-consuming part is rubbing the butter into the flour. But your hard work will be paid off with lots of buttery flaky layers.” —Carrie Parente

For the Pastry:

(2 3/4 cups) , plus extra for dusting the work surface
(16 tablespoons) (or an equal mix of butter and lard), cold and cubed
, beaten
, cold, as needed

For the Pie:

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(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Make the Pastry

Gather the ingredients.
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Place the flour, butter, and salt into a large clean bowl.
Rub the butter quickly into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles rough sand.
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Stir the egg into the mixture using a cold knife.
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Add the cold water, a teaspoon at a time, and stir until the mixture binds but is not sticky.
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Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
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Assemble the Pies

Gather the ingredients.
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Preheat the oven to 400 F / 200 C / Gas Mark 6. Choose a muffin or bun tin for the size of the tart you want. Choose from a standard 12-cup muffin tin down to small canapé size. The number of pies will depend on the size of the tin you use.
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Dust a work surface lightly with a little flour and roll out 2/3 of the pastry to 1/8 inch thick. Cut circles to line the cups of your tin; don’t worry if the pastry doesn’t come to the very top.
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Fill the pastry-lined tins 2/3 full with mincemeat.
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Roll out the remaining pastry to the same thickness and cut smaller circles to fit as lids on the tarts or, to be decorative, cut stars or other fancy shapes.
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Dampen the edges of the tart bases with a little cold water and press the lids on. Make a small hole in the surface of each pie with a small sharp knife to allow the steam to escape.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes (15 minutes if making canapé-sized ones), or until golden brown.
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Let cool and sprinkle with the confectioners’ sugar.
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Serve and enjoy.
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Tips

Mince pies are delicious served hot or cold, on their own or with brandy butter, or with cream or even a good vanilla ice cream.
Mince pies will keep well if placed in an airtight tin for up to seven days. Sometimes they benefit from a gentle warming in the oven before serving.
The filling for the mince pies typically uses suet, which is an animal fat. If you don’t eat meat, look for a vegetarian version or make mincemeat using an alternative fat such as cold butter or shortening.
Shortcrust pastry (used in this recipe) is a traditional mince pie case, but some like puff pastry. You can make quick, flaky mince pies by substituting thawed, frozen puff pastry.

Is It Illegal to Eat Mince Pies on Christmas Day?

Oliver Cromwell banned festive Christmas celebrations including mince pies and puddings during his short reign in the 1650s. However, the rule didn’t last past his reign, and mince pies have long been a Christmas tradition in the U.K.

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Minced Beef and Onion Pies are a satisfying and comforting meal when served with mushy peas and mashed potato. This classic English/British meat pie is made with ground beef cooked with onions, carrots and delicious flavorings all wrapped in a flaky, homemade pastry.

With a double, top and bottom crust, these individual pies (or hand pies if you’re in the U.S) are just classic English comfort food.

If you’re familiar with British cuisine, you’ll know we like our savory meat pies and this is the perfect recipe that reflects this. You can make these pies ahead and freeze them.

Also known as savory mince pies (or savoury mince pies if you’re in the U.K.), different from the popular sweet mince pies (< click for recipe) that are served at Christmas time that are filled with a sweet mincemeat filling.

These pies are the typical pies that you will find in any high street bakery and are a popular quick, warm lunch on-the-go.

What is a British Mince Pie?

Mince pies in the UK are similar to savory hand pies in the US. They come in individual sizes (these are 5-inch/13 cm rounds) as they are a popular on-the-go lunch that are sold in bakeries, which is how I made them for this recipe. It can also be made family style in a 9-inch/23 cm pie pan. Just slice and serve.

How to Freeze Minced Beef and Onion Pies

Wrap the unbaked pies well in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and then into ziptop bags. Defrost in the fridge overnight and cook as instructed in the recipe. Serve with a side of mashed potato and mushy peas, it doesn’t get anymore British than this.

The filling is similar to shepherds pie. Starting with ground beef, chopped onions and carrots all cooked with a beef stock and tomato paste with Worcestershire sauce to make a rich beefy filling. Traditionally carrots are not added, but I like to add them for sweetness and it gives the filling some color.

After simmering the meat and vegetables, it’s important to strain any liquid and fat to prevent getting soggy pies. It’s also important to let the mixture cool before adding it to the pastry.

For this recipe I chose to make individual pies in 5-inch/13 cm round pie pans. There is pastry on the bottom as well as the top because in England we don’t serve the pies in the dish, they are removed and served right on the plate. Don’t forget to serve with a side of mushy peas (see pic below).

This homemade pie dough recipe is so light, so flaky and buttery. So easy to make and turns out perfectly every time. It is my go-to recipe for all my savory and sweet pastries like:

These pies keep so well refrigerated for about 3 days. Keep any leftover pies in the tin, that way you can re-heat at 350°F/177°F for about 20-25 minutes. The pastry will stay flaky and light and will be as if you had just made it.

Another popular side dish to serve with savory pies is British Baked Beans (picture below). Made from scratch using dried beans and baked in a flavorful tomato sauce.

Ingredients

For the pastry:
3 cups (450 grams) plain/all-purpose flour
2 sticks/1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, cubed and kept cold until ready to use
Small pinch of salt
1/2 cup (118 ml) cold water
1 large egg beaten to brush on pastry

For the filling

1 pound (453 grams) ground beef, I like 80/20
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 ounces (170 grams) yellow onion, finely chopped
5 ounces (141 grams) carrot, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup (59 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup (59 ml) beef stock (low sodium if possible) * see note
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

To make the pastry in a food processor: Add the flour, butter and salt. Pulse until you get the texture of fine breadcrumbs. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the cold water until it forms a ball. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and shape into a flat ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 10-15 minutes.
To make the pastry by hand: Add the flour, salt and butter to a large bowl. Using your fingertips (or a pastry cutter) rub the butter and flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Drizzle in the water and mix using a fork until the it starts to come together and holds together when pressed in your hand. You may not need all of the water.
For the filling:
Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.Butter 4-5 inch (12 cm) pie dishes (or 1, 9 inch/23 cm round pie dish).
Cut the dough in half and roll out onto a floured board. Cut out 4- 5 1/2 inch (14 cm) rounds out of the pastry, or just slightly bigger than your dishes. Refrigerate or freeze any leftover dough.
Put the pastry into the dishes and smooth evenly, allowing the excess to hang over the side. Add 3 tablespoons filling into each pie dish. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash.
Roll out the other half of the dough. Cut 4 more 5 1/2 inch (14 cm) rounds. Lay each round over each pie and seal the edges with a fork.
Brush all pie tops with egg wash.
Place them onto a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Depending on your oven.

Notes

If you are not using low sodium, you may want to adjust the salt amount.

Yield

1Amount Per Serving 37g 19g 1g 15g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

Beautiful meat pies are such wonderful comfort food. Buttery golden pastry and a hearty meat filling make this pie so tempting. Best of all, it’s economical, tasty, and easy to make.

Want even more tasty meat pies? You’ll want to check out our recipes for meat and potato pie and chicken and leek pie.

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Wondering what you need to make a delicious minced beef pie from scratch? Let’s talk about a few of the key ingredients!

Minced Beef: Use extra lean minced beef with a lower fat content, or if you’re using a higher fat content, drain off the extra grease and saute the veggies separately.
Veggies: Mirepoix (onion, carrot, and celery) along with mushrooms add a lot of flavor to this dish.
Spices & Flavorings: Since salt and pepper are the only spices in this dish, a little Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste add flavor as well.
Pastry: You can use homemade shortcrust or rough puff/puff pastry for a delicious crust.

How to Make

Prepare the vegetables and measure out the rest of the ingredients.

Brown the meat in a skillet. If there is a lot of grease, drain the meat to remove it. Pour the meat into a bowl and set aside.
Saute the onion, carrot, and celery, then melt the butter in the skillet and cook the mushrooms until brown. Stir in the meat, stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper and boil away the liquid until it’s nearly gone.

3. Brush the rim of a 9-inch dish with beaten egg and lay strips of puff pastry (or homemade rough puff pastry) on the rim.

4. Brush the strips of pastry with more beaten egg, then cut out a circle of pastry and lay it on top. Press the edges to seal, brush with more egg, and cut vent holes.

5. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown.

6. Serve while still hot with mashed potatoes, mushy peas and a slice of homemade bread.

Recipe FAQs

Is mince pie beef?

Yes, minced beef is the key ingredient in this savory pie, which is why it’s called “minced beef pie.” The traditional Christmas dessert called mince pies in the UK did contain meat in medieval times, but they no longer are made with it. These two pastry dishes are quite different!

What is the difference between ground beef and minced beef?

The only difference is the name! Beef that’s been very finely chopped or put through a meat grinder is called ground beef in North America, while in the UK, it’s called minced beef.

What is the difference between mince pie and mincemeat pie?

“Mince pies” in the UK are sweet tarts filled with a fruit mixture called mincemeat. However, the term “mince” in the UK can also refer to minced beef or any other minced meat. If you see a pie labeled as “minced beef pie,” it will be filled with meat and veg rather than sweet fruit.

Is minced meat pie actually meat?

Traditional mince pies do contain meat, but most modern recipes for mincemeat don’t contain meat. However, this minced beef pie definitely does contain meat, and is a savory dish for dinner.

Serve

I recommend serving minced beef pie with mashed potatoes and mushy peas for an authentic feel. You can also serve it with homemade bread as well.

Store

Make Ahead: Make the filling the day before and assemble the pie and bake the same day you want to serve it.

Leftovers: Leftover minced beef pie will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezing: You can freeze leftover minced beef pie for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven or microwave.

Expert Tips

Use lean meat to reduce the fat. If you’re using meat with a higher fat content, drain off the extra grease.
Cut the veggies in small pieces to provide a nice texture.
Cover the edges of the pastry with aluminum foil if they’re getting too dark while baking.
Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Store the leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Other Savory Pies You’ll Love

If you liked this recipe and found it helpful, give it some love by sharing!

The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated!

, 80 to 85% lean
unsalted beef stock
freshly ground black pepper

For the Pastry

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat, then let it continue to cook until almost all the fat is gone.
Saute the onion in the oil until it’s softened, then add the carrot and celery and cook over medium heat until the carrots begin to soften.
Melt the butter and saute the mushrooms until they’re brown.
Mix the meat, sauteed veggies, beef stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper into the mushrooms. Let the juices boil down until they have thickened and are nearly gone, but the filling is still moist.
Let the filling cool for 10 minutes off the heat.

Assembling & Baking the Pie

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Spread the filling in a 9-inch pie plate, then brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg.
Roll out the pastry until it’s a little larger than the dish. Cut out a circle of pastry large enough to cover the dish, using a dinner plate as a template. Set the circle aside.
Cut the remaining pastry into strips and stick them onto the rim of the pie plate. Brush the pastry strips with beaten egg. Lay the pastry circle on top, pressing the edges firmly to seal. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and cut several vent holes.
Bake at 400°F for 35-40 minutes, until the pastry is a rich golden brown. Let it cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes, then cut in slices and serve with mashed potatoes and mushy peas.

Use lean meat to reduce the fat. If you’re using meat with a higher fat content, drain off the extra grease.
Cut the veggies in small pieces to provide a nice texture.
Cover the edges of the pastry with aluminum foil if they’re getting too dark while baking.
Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Store the leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

Reader Interactions

This ground beef meat pie with a flaky puff pastry double crust pie is filled with delicious hearty ground beef (minced beef) cooked with vegetables and seasonings. It is the ultimate comfort food to make this season. Plus, this easy to prepare meal can be made ahead and is freezer friendly.

What is a Meat Pie?

A meat pie is just what it sounds like — a flaky pie stuffed with minced meat. It is typically also filled other savoury ingredients including vegetables such as potatoes and carrots and flavoured with delicious seasonings. It is also known as a tourtiere here in Canada and is a popular French-Canadian dish during the holidays, particularly for Christmas.

For a minced meat pie without a pie crust, try easy Skillet Shepherd’s Pie made with a mashed potato topping.

pie dough – you will need a 9-inch double crust pie dough for this recipe. You can make your own (see my easy double crust puff pastry pie dough) or use store-bought.
ground beef – 1 lb. of ground beef (also known as minced beef).
butter
onions
garlic
parsley
potatoes
carrots
Worcestershire sauce
dark soy sauce – adds a darker colour.
salt and pepper
Panko breadcrumbs
egg – for egg wash.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a skillet, a rolling pin for rolling out the pie dough, and a 9-inch pie dish.

How to Make the Best Ground Beef Meat Pie

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZOcn7Jmx7SM%3Ffeature%3Doembed

First, prepare the meat filling. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until the butter starts to sizzle and shimmer. Add in onions, garlic, parsley and ground beef. Stir well with a spatula and cook for 5-6 minutes until meat browns and is no longer pink.

Add in potatoes, carrots, Worcestershire sauce, dark soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir well to cook evenly for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in breadcrumbs until fully combined. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the meat filling cool down completely for about an hour, up to overnight.

Next, assemble the pie. Transfer the first dough disc onto a 9-inch pie pan and gently press down to form into the bottom pie crust. Slowly transfer the meat filling from the skillet into the dough-lined pie pan and use a spatula to spread them evenly across.

Carefully place the second dough disc over the filling as the top pie crust. Make sure it covers the pie pan entirely. Gently press the edges of the top crust and the edges of bottom crust together, and crimp with your fingers to seal. Make 5-6 slits on top of the top pie crust for ventilation.

Gently brush the egg wash over the top crust and edges. If your oven is not ready at this point, store the assembled meat pie in the fridge to prevent the pie crust from disintegrating (the butter in the dough melts quickly at room temperature).

Lastly, bake the pie in a preheated 400F oven for 20 minutes, until the edges of the pie crust turn golden brown. Then, reduce heat to 350F, and bake for another 40 minutes until the rest of the top crust is golden brown. Remove the pie pan from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Serve warm.

Tips for Storing Pie

How to store: This meat pie will last for 3-5 days in the refrigerator, covered with foil or plastic cling wrap.
How to freeze unbaked meat pie: You can freeze the entire unbaked pie to make things easier when you actually want to bake and serve this pie. I would recommend to initially prepare the pie in a disposable pie tin, for easier storage. Then, tightly wrap the unbaked pie in 3 layers of plastic wrap and then place inside a sealed freezer bag and store for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen but add an extra 5 minutes in the first baking step (so bake for 25 minutes at 400 F).
How to freeze baked meat pie: You can freeze baked pie for up to 3 months. To freeze, simply wrap the pie (or each slice) tightly with aluminum foil or plastic cling wrap. You can also place inside a heavy-duty freezer bag for storing. To reheat, thaw and then reheat at 350 F for 20 minutes.

More Beef Recipes

Ground beef meat pie with a flaky puff pastry double crust pie is filled with ground beef cooked with vegetables and seasonings. The ultimate comfort food.

butter
onions, finely chopped
garlic, minced
parsley, finely chopped
lb. ground beef
medium potatoes, peeled and grated
carrots, peeled and grated
Worcestershire sauce
dark soy sauce
salt
ground black pepper
Panko breadcrumbs
9-inch double crust pie dough
egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Prepare the Meat Filling

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until the butter starts to sizzle and shimmer. Add in onions, garlic, parsley and ground beef. Stir well with a spatula and cook for 5-6 minutes until meat browns and is no longer pink.
Add in potatoes, carrots, Worcestershire sauce, dark soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir well to cook evenly for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in breadcrumbs until fully combined.

Assemble and Bake the Pie

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Transfer the first dough disc onto a 9-inch pie pan and gently press down to form into the bottom pie crust. Slowly transfer the meat filling from the skillet into the dough-lined pie pan and use a spatula to spread evenly across.
Carefully place the second dough disc over the filling as the top pie crust. Make sure it covers the pie pan entirely. Gently press the edges of the top crust and the edges of bottom crust together, and crimp with your fingers to seal. Make 5-6 slits on top of the top pie crust for ventilation.
Gently brush the egg wash over the top crust and edges. If your oven is not ready at this point, store the assembled meat pie in the fridge to prevent the pie crust from disintegrating (the butter in the dough melts quickly at room temperature).
Bake the pie for 20 minutes until the edges of the pie crust turn golden brown. Then, reduce heat to 350F, and bake for another 40 minutes until the rest of the top crust is golden brown.
Remove the pie pan from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Serve warm.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZOcn7Jmx7SM%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Equipment used: measuring cups and spoons, skillet, rolling pin, and 9-inch pie dish.

How to store: This meat pie will last for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, covered with foil or plastic cling wrap.

How to freeze unbaked meat pie: You can freeze the entire unbaked pie to make things easier when you actually want to bake and serve this pie. I would recommend to initially prepare the pie in a disposable pie tin, for easier storage. Then, tightly wrap the unbaked pie in 3 layers of plastic wrap and then place inside a sealed freezer bag and store for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen but add an extra 5 minutes in the first baking step (so bake for 25 minutes at 400 F).

How to freeze baked meat pie: You can freeze baked pie for up to 3 months. To freeze, simply wrap the pie (or each slice) tightly with aluminum foil or plastic cling wrap. You can also place inside a heavy-duty freezer bag for storing. To reheat, thaw and then reheat at 350 F for 20 minutes.

20 minutes (+1 hour cooling time)
1 hour 10 minutes

ground beef meat pie, meat pie, tourtiere meat pie, canadian meat pie, aussie meat pie, savoury pie

This is an old school rendition of a British mincemeat pie, using meat and dried berries instead of raisins. I include a pie crust here, but you can use a store-bought crust if you want.

Appetizer, Dessert, Snack

DOUGH

brandy, rum or Scotch
lard, beef suet or butter
ground nutmeg or mace
baking apple, such as granny smith, peeled, cored and grated
Zest and juice of a lemon

TO FINISH

milk or cream
Turbinado, brown, or demerara sugar,

Make the filling first. In a perfect world, you would soak the berries in the alcohol overnight. If you can do this, it’s better. You then strain off the alcohol to use later. But you can skip this if you are short on time.
Put all the filling ingredients except for the Scotch or brandy in a bowl and mix well. Put this in a lidded pot and cook at 225°F for 3 hours. Pull it out and stir well several times as it cools, which helps distribute the fat in the mix. When it’s totally cool, add back the reserved alcohol. This mix can sit in a sterilized Mason jar for a month or so, or you can simply proceed with making pies.

If you are doing this all at once, make the dough while the filling cooks. Mix the salt and flour, then cut the fats into it with a cutter or your fingertips until the mix looks like a coarse meal. This will take a little while.
Mix in the egg and the ice water and work this dough into a nice ball. It’s not totally necessary to be gentle with it like a regular pie dough because you want the crust on these to be a bit sturdy, so you can pick them up and eat them. Regardless, refrigerate for no less than 20 minutes, and up to a day.

MAKING PIES

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a mincemeat pie or muffin tin, then dust it with flour.
Beat the egg with the milk or cream to make an egg wash.
Fill each tin with the bottom crust, then fill those with the filling. Paint the rim of a pie, set the top on, then crimp or pinch the edges all around to seal. Move on to the next pie.

You can use 125 grams of butter instead of mixing the fats. That equates to 9 tablespoons of butter. You can also use lard or Crisco instead.

The dough recipe makes enough for 12 pies in a muffin tin, but will be a bit more than you need for a proper mincemeat pie tin.
The filling recipe makes a lot, enough for several batches of pies. But since it keeps for weeks in the fridge, you’ll want to make lots of these.

Storage

Once made, venison mincemeat pies will keep about 10 days or so in the fridge, but it’s unlikely that any will be left after that long. You can freeze them, too.

To reheat, remember they’re already cooked, so a toaster oven is ideal. Maybe 10 to 15 minutes at 375F will do. I do like these pies at room temperature, but not actually cold.

What’s It Made Of?

Beyond the traditional ingredients — the dried fruit, spirits and spices, and meat and suet — other ingredients can be incorporated to add personality to the blend. Variations can include additions of simmered apples, cider, candied cherries, brown sugar, apricots, dried cherries, cranberries, currants, figs, and citrus.

Wait, What’s Suet?

Suet is a product made from an animal fat that is removed from the meat, clarified, chopped, and boiled. This process acts to remove impurities. When the boiled mixture cools the water and fat separate; the fat that remains is the suet.

In addition to mincemeat, suet is an ingredient used in many traditional British recipes. It is found in items like steamed puddings and various pastry confections. The suet is also used in hearty savory dishes to bring a deep umami flavor to dishes like meat pies.

Some modern recipes lean on vegetarian versions of suet, rather than using the traditional meat-based fat product. Vegetable suet is a solid fat made from refined vegetable oil. This vegetarian alternative to beef suet is perfectly suitable for use in mincemeat recipes. Vegetarian suet can be substituted in any recipe that calls for regular suet. It will not deliver the signature meaty flavor of beef-based suet, but will yield the desired texture.

Why Make Mincemeat Pies?

Because they’re made of awesome. No, seriously, there’s a reason people have loved them since the Crusades — and I am not kidding. It’s a sweet-tart-savory-fatty-crunchy thing. And I know of no member of the human race who does not like sweet-tart-savory-fatty-crunchy things.

You do have to get over the meat + sweet thing, but chances are, if you don’t tell someone that there is actual venison in their venison mincemeat pies, they won’t notice.

Why? Because you make the filling with almost equal portions of fruit and meat and fat. This gives the filling oomph without it screaming, “I’m chopped deer meat!”

I highly recommend you make these little mincemeat pies if you can, even with a cupcake tin if that’s what you have, because that ratio of pie crust to filling really shines with a small pie.

Fruit in Mincemeat Pies

All mincemeat pies, not just venison mincemeat pies, have fruit in them — usually dried fruit.

Most recipes will have you add raisins, sultanas, and “currants,” which in this context are actually still raisins. Go figure. Boring!

Instead, use dried berries. Several kinds if you can get your hands on them. This mincemeat recipe has dried lingonberries, dried blueberries and dried black currants. The real kind.

I chose this mix for depth of flavor and tartness. You will absolutely want to include lingonberries or dried cranberries, which are a lingonberry’s big cousin. Also, dried cranberries are way easier to find.

Other options that are good are chopped, dried apricots and dried blackberries, gooseberries, raspberries, huckleberries, mulberries or dewberries.

The one traditional mincemeat pie fruit I do use is fresh, grated apple. I use a granny smith, but any baking apple will do.

What Is Mincemeat?

Mincemeat is a combination of dried chopped fruits, warm spices (like cinnamon and nutmeg), sugar, nuts, distilled spirits — and traditionally, meat. So yes, mutton or beef is an integral element of the most traditional iterations of this English dish. The name “mincemeat” originally referred to a combination of ingredients that included meat in the recipe. Alcohol was incorporated into mincemeat to act as a preservative for the meat, along with the addition of sugar.

The mincemeat mixture also contained suet and was used as a pie or pastry filling. The pie filling ingredients could lean more sweet or more savory, depending on the recipe. Many present-day versions available at bakeries and for commercial sale replace the suet with vegetable shortening.

Other Meat Pies to Try

I have a wide selection of other fantastic meat pies you might want to try. Some are bready, others use pie crust, some use other doughs. Keep in mind the filling meat can really be whatever you have lying around.

Spices and the Filling

The history of mincemeat pies holds that the originals were made with lots of spices the crusaders brought back from the Middle East, and you still see that today. Cinnamon, clove, mace, nutmeg, and later allspice (a spice of the Western Hemisphere) all play a part.

The filling is all cooked together for a long time, then left to cool a bit, then, traditionally, mixed with brandy or rum. I, being of Scottish descent, use Scotch instead. Ideally you then refrigerate the venison mincemeat for, well, a while.

Its acidity, fat and salt content and the presence of hard liquor all help preserve the filling for weeks, even months. It is said to improve over time, to the point where some cooks make their mincemeat pie filling in October or November for Christmastime.

But yes, you can absolutely just make it, let it cool and fill your pies with the fresh filling, too.

Any decent pie crust, even store-bought, will work.

My recipe, as well as the inspiration for the filling recipe, is from the excellent book by Ben Mervis, The British Cook Book. It’s a pretty simple pie crust, only it adds an egg, which is unusual, at least in my experience.

You could use puff pastry, but that’s not traditional, and you could even use a British hot water suet crust, like you would in a game pie or pork pie.

So, What’s Mincemeat Pie?

Mincemeat pies were once a status symbol of wealth given the expensive price tags on meat and fruit. Notable Englishmen would throw lavish feasts around Christmas and made the pies a part of the menu.

English recipes from the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries typically include a fermented mixture of meat and fruit used as a savory pie filling. Early recipes included tart vinegars and wines for flavor. The 18th century versions included distilled spirits like brandy and the use of warming spices like clove, nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon. The pie filling eventually took on a bit more sweetness with the addition of sugar. Added sugar is what took the mincemeat pie from an overtly savory option to a dish that could have a flavor profile more like a dessert.

Later recipes list the lean beef, beef suet, along with raisins, currants, sugar, lemon and orange peel, as well as aromatic nutmeg and cloves simmered with brandy.

Mincemeat pies and tarts are frequently served during the Christmas holiday season to this day, though many modern-day recipes eliminate meat from the ingredient list. In the northeastern United States, mincemeat pies are considered a traditional part of the Thanksgiving holiday feast for many families.

If you’re ready to try this holiday delicacy for yourself, be sure to explore our entire collection of Mincemeat Pie Recipes.

Makes two 9″ pies

large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped

cup apple cider

cup candied red cherries

cup dark brown sugar

cup dried apricots, chopped

cup dried cherries

cup dried cranberries

cup dried currants

cup dried figs, chopped

tablespoon finely grated orange zest

cup fresh orange juice

cup golden raisins

cup schmaltz or unsalted butter

teaspoon ground allspice

teaspoon ground cinnamon

teaspoon ground ginger

teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

teaspoon ground cloves

teaspoon kosher salt

cup dark rum, divided

Pie and Assembly

tart apples, diced (about 2–4 cups)

tablespoon bourbon or brandy

Whipped cream (for serving; optional)

Preparation

Mincemeat FillingStep 1Simmer apples, apple cider, candied cherries, brown sugar, apricots, dried cherries, cranberries, currants, figs, orange zest, orange juice, golden raisins, raisins, schmaltz, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and ¾ cup rum in a medium pot over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all of the liquid is evaporated, 25–30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ¼ cup rum. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and chill 24–48 hours to let flavors develop.Do Ahead: Filling can be made 3 months ahead; freeze in an airtight container.
Pie and AssemblyStep 2If making a single pie: Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 400°. Mix half (2 cups) Mincemeat Pie Filling, 2 tart apples, diced, and 1 Tbsp. bourbon or brandy in a large bowl. Line a 9″ pie pan with one disc of pie crust. Fill with mincemeat mixture. Top with second crust cut to fit and slit the top; or slice into strips and arrange into a lattice top. If making two pies: Mix Mincemeat Pie Filling with 4 tart apples, diced, and 2 Tbsp. bourbon or brandy in a large bowl. Line a 9″ pie pan with one dish of pie crust. Chill and repeat with second pie pan and second crust. Divide mincemeat mixture between the two pie shells. Top each with another pie crust cut to fit and slit the tops; or slice into strips and arrange into a lattice top.Step 3Bake until crust is golden brown, 30–35 minutes. Serve pie warm with whipped cream, if desired.