Homemade Mincemeat

2 pounds lean beef or veal, chopped 4 pounds apples 2-1/2 pounds raisins 4 cups brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1-1/4 teaspoons nutmeg 1/2 cup molasses

1/2 pound suet, ground 1-1/2 pounds currants 1/4 pound citron, ground 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon mace 2 teaspoons salt Any fruit juice, apple cider, or water

Directions:
Peel, core, and chop the apples. Combine with the remaining ingredients, using enough juice, cider, or water to moisten the mixture as needed. Simmer until mixture is tender and flavors are blended.

Notes:
This list of ingredients comes from The Searchlight Cookbook, 1947 edition. I have changed the directions to eliminate the procedures the cookbook gave for canning the prepared mincemeat. They did not meet modern food safety standards. If you want to can it, ask a home extension agent about safe processing methods. If I were making it, I would probably freeze it.

Old-Time Mincemeat

2 pounds lean beef 1 pound finely chopped suet 4 pounds tart apples, chopped 1/2 pound chopped citron 3 pounds sugar 3 pounds currants 2 pounds raisins 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons mace

2 teaspoons nutmeg 1 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon allspice 1 Tablespoon salt 1 pint apple cider 1 pint any canned fruit juice Rind of 1 orange grated Rind of 1 lemon grated Juice of 2 oranges Juice of 2 lemons

Directions:
Combine all ingredients except orange and lemon juices. Cook for about one hour over low heat until apples are tender and meat is cooked. Then add orange and lemon juice and cook about ten more minutes.

Notes:
If I were making mincemeat, I would probably freeze it. Consult your home extension agent about safe processing methods if you want to preserve the mincemeat by canning it.

This recipe was collected by my mother, Doris Hill, who wrote it by hand on a recipe card for her files. I remember mincemeat pie at holiday dinners at my Grandma Barb's house, but I don't remember my mother ever making it.

Making a batch of mincemeat was one old-time way of preserving the meat after a beef was butchered. On a farm, people sometimes had a little slice of mincemeat pie at breakfast.