• Welcome to the Receipts of the Blue & Gray. - The receipts you will find here are original Antebellum, and Civil War period receipts, as originally published between the years 1796 and 1880. One exception, is: Newspaper Clippings & Periodical Receipts are limited to a publishing period from 1858 to 1866.

    Some receipts from this era attempted to give medicinal advice. Many dangerous, and in some cases, deadly, "cures" were given, reflecting the primitive knowledge of that time period. Don't assume everything you read here is safe to try! Recipes and Receipts posted here are for Historic Research Purposes, enjoy them, learn from them, discuss them!

    ★ If you attempt to try one of these recipes / receipts, you do so at your own risk! ★

  • Welcome to CivilWarTalk, a forum about the American Civil War! - Join today! It's fast, simple, and FREE!

Sweet Baked Goods Mincemeat.

mincemeat
(from The Book of Household Management, edited by Isabella Beeton, 1861)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. raisins​
3 lbs. currants​
1-1/2 lb. lean beef​
3 lbs. beef suet​
2 lbs. moist sugar​
2 oz. citron​
2 oz. candied lemon-peel​
2 oz. candied orange-peel,​
1 small nutmeg​
1 pottle of apples​
2 lemons​
1/2 pint brandy​

Instructions:

1309. INGREDIENTS. - 2 lbs. of raisins, 3 lbs. of currants, 1-1/2 lb. of lean beef, 3 lbs. of beef suet, 2 lbs. of moist sugar, 2 oz. of citron, 2 oz. of candied lemon-peel, 2 oz. of candied orange-peel, 1 small nutmeg, 1 pottle of apples, the rind of 2 lemons, the juice of 1, 1/2 pint of brandy.​
Mode. - Stone and cut the raisins once or twice across, but do not chop them; wash, dry, and pick the currants free from stalks and grit, and mince the beef and suet, taking care that the latter is chopped very fine; slice the citron and candied peel, grate the nutmeg, and pare, core, and mince the apples; mince the lemon-peel, strain the juice, and when all the ingredients are thus prepared, mix them well together, adding the brandy when the other things are well blended; press the whole into a jar, carefully exclude the air, and the mincemeat will be ready for use in a fortnight.​
Average cost for this quantity, 8d.​
Seasonable. - Make this about the beginning of December.​
 
Last edited by a moderator:
We give a number of receipts for making mincemeat. The ingredients can be increased or lessened at the pleasure of the person making it.
mincemeat.
512px-Mince_Pie.jpg
(from Godey's Ladies Magazine, edited by L.A. Godey, Sarah J. Hale, 1863/1864)

Ingredients:

1 lb. of cooked undercut of a well roasted sirloin of beef, or...​
1 lb. of boiled fresh ox-tongue​
2 lbs. raisins (stoned)​
2 lbs. currants​
2 lbs. beef suet​
1 lb. apples​
2 lbs. moist sugar​
1/2 lb. candied orange peel​
1/4 lb. citron​
the grated rinds of 3 lemons​
1 grated nutmeg​
mace​
1/2 oz. salt​
1 tsp. ginger​
1/2 pint brandy​
1/2 pint sherry​
jars with bladders to cover​

Instructions:

There are various opinions as to the result of adding meat to the sweet ingredients used in making this dish. Many housewives think it an improvement, and use either the undercut of a well roasted sirloin of beef, or a boiled fresh ox-tongue for the purpose. Either of these meats may be chosen with advantage, and one pound, after it has been cooked, will be found sufficient; this should be freed from fat, and well minced. In making mincemeat, each ingredient should be minced separately and finely before it is added to the others. For a moderate quantity, take two pounds of raisins (stoned), the same quantity of currants, well washed and dried, ditto of beef suet chopped fine, one pound of apples, pared and cored, two pounds of moist sugar, half a pound of candied orange-peel, and a quarter of a pound of citron, the grated rinds of three lemons, one grated nutmeg, a little mace, half an ounce of salt, and one teaspoonful of ginger. After having minced the fruit separately, mix all well together with the hand, then add half a pint of brandy and the same of sherry; mix well with a spoon, press it down in jars, and cover it with a bladder.​


another way:
(from Godey's Ladies Magazine, edited by L.A. Godey, Sarah J. Hale, 1863/1864)

Ingredients:

6 lbs. meat​
3 lbs. suet​
6 lbs. raisins​
7 lbs. sugar​
9 lbs. apples​
1 pint of wine​
3 gills of brandy​
1/2 pint molasses​
1 pint rose-water​
essence of lemon​
1 quart of liquor from the meat​
1 cup salt​
1/4 lb. cinnamon, or orange-peel​
3 oz. of cloves​
12 nutmegs​
a touch of cider if desired​

Instructions:


Six pounds of meat, three of suet, six of raisins, seven of sugar, nine of apples, one pint of wine, three gills of brandy, half pint molasses, one pint rose-water, essence of lemon, one quart of liquor of the meat, one cup of salt, one-fourth of a pound of cinnamon, or orange - peel, three ounces of cloves, one dozen nutmegs; add a little cider if you wish before putting in the oven.​


mincemeat to keep.
(from Godey's Ladies Magazine, edited by L.A. Godey, Sarah J. Hale, 1863/1864)

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs. currants​
1 lb. best raisins, stoned​
3/4 lb. of almonds​
peel & juice of 1 lemon​
3 apples​
1 lb. citron​
1-1/2 lbs. suet​
1/8 oz. nutmeg​
1/8 oz. cinnamon;​
1/8 oz. mace,​
1/8 oz. cloves.​
wine or brandy to mix​

Instructions:

Take a pound and a half of currants; a pound of best raisins , stoned; three-quarters of a pound of almonds, cut very small; the peel of one lemon, minced small; the juice of one lemon; three apples, minced small; a pound of citron, minced small; a pound and a half of suet, shred very fine; an eighth of an ounce of nutmeg; the same of cinnamon; the same of mace, and the same of cloves. Put the whole into a jar, and keep it dry. When wanted, mix it with either wine or brandy.​


mincemeat without meat.
(from Godey's Ladies Magazine, edited by L.A. Godey, Sarah J. Hale, 1863/1864)

Ingredients:

1 lb. hard apples​
1 lb. currants​
1/2 lb. shred raisins​
1/2 lb. beef suet​
1/4 lb. moist sugar​
1 oz. lemon​
1 oz. citron-peel​
1/4 oz. cinnamon​
1 drachm mace​
rind of 1 lemon grated​
1 glass of brandy​
2 glasses of sherry​

Instructions:

One pound hard apples cut small, one pound currants, half a pound shred raisins, half a pound beef suet, quarter of a pound moist sugar, one ounce lemon and citron-peel, quarter of an ounce cinnamon, one drachm mace, the rind of a lemon grated, glass of brandy, and two glasses of sherry. Double the above for a large family.​


mincemeat.
(from Godey's Ladies Magazine, edited by L.A. Godey, Sarah J. Hale, 1863/1864)

Ingredients:

6 lbs. currants​
3 lbs. raisins stoned​
3 lbs. apples chopped fine​
4 lbs. suet​
2 lbs. sugar​
2 lbs. beef​
peel and juice of 2 lemons​
1 pint sweet wine​
1/4 pint brandy​
1/2 oz. mixed spice​

Instructions:

Six pounds of currants, three pounds of raisins stoned, three pounds of apples chopped fine, four pounds of suet, two pounds of sugar, two pounds of beef, the peel and juice of two lemons, a pint of sweet wine, a quarter of a pint of brandy, half an ounce of mixed spice. Press the whole into a deep pan when well mixed.​


another way.
(from Godey's Ladies Magazine, edited by L.A. Godey, Sarah J. Hale, 1863/1864)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. raisins​
3 lbs. currants​
3 lbs. beef-suet​
2 lbs. moist sugar​
2 lbs. citron​
1 oz. orange-peel​
1 small nutmeg​
1 pottle of apples​
rind of 2 lemons, juice of 1​
1/2 pint brandy​

Instructions:

Two pounds of raisins, three pounds of currants, three pounds of beef-suet, two pounds of moist sugar, two ounces of citron, one ounce of orange-peel, one small nutmeg, one pottle of apples chopped fine , the rind of two lemons and juice of one, half a pint of brandy; mix well together. This should be made a little time before wanted for use.​

Photo by Jmb, CC-3.0

These recipes for Mincemeat Pie are from Godey's Ladies Book. These pies were popular served for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Another pie to make is Bourbon Pie with Mincemeat. This is an adapted recipe from 19th century.

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup bourbon
1/4 cup rum
1 cup dry mincemeat
2 baked 9 inch pastry shells
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

Combine ice cream, bourbon, rum and mincemeat. Mix well until smooth. Spread the ice cream mixture evenly into pastry shells. Cover and freeze overnight.
Beat whipping cream until foamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream on pies. Serve immediately.

Makes two 9 inch pies.

From "The Southern Heritage Celebrations Cookbook."
 
View attachment 166074

This recipe for Mincemeat Pie is from Godey's Ladies Book. These pies were popular served for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Six pounds of currants, three pounds of raisins stoned, three pounds of apples chopped fine, four pounds of suet, two pounds of sugar, two pounds of beef, the peel and juice of two lemons, a pint of sweet wine, a quarter of a pint of brandy, half an ounce of mixed spice. Press the whole into a deep pan.
Thanks for posting the recipe for a holiday favorite!
 
So what does mincemeat taste like?
If you have meat in it, it tastes like a sweet ground beef pie. If there is not meat in it, it tastes like Christmas!
Seriously, if you like fruitcake and Christmas pudding you probably will like mincemeat. if you don't like those, you probably won't like mincemeat, as they contain a lot of the the same ingredients. I love it, and have been known to eat it from the jar with a spoon, but you can keep the meat, thanks all the same!
 
I read, long ago, that this type of pie was only for the holidays or a special occasion because it would take all day just to stone the raisins. I never thought about that before but that would sure be fiddly work.
 
My Mom and I make mincemeat from green tomato. It is quite good. I will have to find the recipe..it is called the poor man’s mincemeat! My Mom says she only has two more jars of her homemade mince..Gasp! I think next year I will have to go down and we will make and can some...it really is very good.
 
So what does mincemeat taste like?
It is sweet, at least the kind you get in the grocery..and a bit tart, because of the citrion..difficult to describe. We actually take mincemeat from the jar and put it on vanilla icecream. You get the flavor, without the big carb payload that a slice of pie would “cost” you. (My son is a T1-Diabetic, so trust me, I am the carb count queen).
 
Back
Top