Full
disclosure: I wouldn't eat this pie if it was the last pie on earth. But I do
fully appreciate the history and tradition of it—and Mrs. Rowe's approach,
which was meticulous and thrifty.
According to Grace Firth, author of "Stillroom Cookery"
(1977, EPM Publications), “Mincemeat is a salute to the triumph of nature and
humanity’s ingenuity in bringing it all together in pie.” Give it a
try and let me know how it goes. I won't be testing it though. I'll rely on
you, dear readers, to partake of that beef and suet.This pie recipe is published in Mrs. Rowe's Little Book of Southern Pie, Ten Speed Press/Random House 2009/
Pie
Makes one 9-inch deep-dish pie
1 recipe Plain Pie Pastry or Vinegar Piecrust (which you'll find
in the book) or premade crust
2 1/2 cups mincemeat (recipe below)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Fill the bottom crust with mincemeat and cover with the top crust,
crimping to seal the edges.Make several cuts in the top crust for steam vents. Place in the oven to bake for 35 to
40 minutes. Brush the top with melted butter. Cool on a rack. Serve at room temperature.
Mincemeat
This recipe makes about 3 quarts, way more than what you need for
one pie. But if you’re going to make this time consuming filling, it makes a
lot of sense to do it up right and have it on hand for the fall and winter season.
1 pound lean beef chunks
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 ounces beef suet
2 1/2 pounds peeled, cored and sliced York or Stayman apples
4 ounces citron
1 1/4 pounds seedless raisins
1 pound currants
1 pound brown sugar
3 cups apple cider
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground clove
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice Juice of one lemon Season the beef with salt and
pepper. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Simmer over medium-low heat
until tender. Remove from the heat and cool. Coarsely grind the beef, suet,
apples and citron. Place in a large bowl and stir in the raisins, currants, brown
sugar, cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and lemon juice.Pack tightly into sterilized jars. Refrigerate for at least four weeks
before using.
Store
up to six weeks in the refrigerator.
