Pantry Essentials: All About Mincemeat (2024)

As a British expat who won't be traveling home for Christmas this year, I'm faced with a sad mince pie shortage. These rich, buttery, hand-held pies are a quintessential seasonal treat, delicious warm from the oven, but almost as good snatched from the tin in the cupboard and enjoyed late at night with a hot toddy. Back home, they're everywhere during this time of year. In North America, they're much harder to find.

The best mince pies are made from scratch, but the secret second-best option is to make a batch of pastry and have a giant jar of store-bought mincemeat in the fridge. Mincemeat isn't difficult to make, but it has a lot of ingredients, which can make it expensive to produce in small batches, and it requires at least a day's advance planning to let the ingredients sit. Buying it from the store is an acceptable shortcut during the busy holiday season.

"One: mincemeat is not actually meat. Two: it isn't necessarily vegetarian."

If you're unfamiliar with mince pies or mincemeat, there are two important points that need to be raised. One: mincemeat is not actually meat. Two: it isn't necessarily vegetarian.

The history of mincemeat is tied to the history of sugar and spice. We think of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg as warm winter spices, but their association with the season may have pragmatic roots. These ingredients came to the British Isles with the Crusaders in the 12th century and became more commonly available as the trade routes opened up from the 15th century onwards. The antimicrobial properties of spice offered a useful way to keep meat through the winter, and may also have disguised the flavor of old meat.

Early recipes for mince pies all feature meat—often beef tongue—minced with citrus peel, vine fruits, sugar and spices, plus beef fat (suet) to ensure a lustrous filling. I've tried a real meat-based mince pie, and it was a rich, satisfying experience, but I suspect the version my local butcher made was sweeter than the original recipe.

Cookbooks in the 19th century offered both meat-based and meat-free recipes for mincemeat, and thus mince pies transitioned from a main course to a dessert. Today, the default expectation is that mincemeat is meatless—but again, not necessarily vegetarian, because it may still contain suet. If you pick up some mincemeat in stores this winter, check the ingredients. If you're catering to vegetarians, make doubly sure there are no animal products in there.

Pantry Essentials: All About Mincemeat (1)

You're most likely to find suet in UK mincemeat brands, but at least one North American brand of mincemeat I looked at included beef as an ingredient, in an apparent concession to literal-mindedness. Even British mincemeat is now often made with vegetable suet, which is made from plant oils and rice flour. That's good news for vegetarians, but disappointing to me, because I believe that suet enriches mincemeat like nothing else.

If you're wondering what else should be on the label when shopping for quality mincemeat, the list is long. Vine fruits and apple provide much of the body. Candied fruit is important too—usually lemon and orange peel, but sometimes cherries. Ginger and prunes are welcome additions, too.

"The essential trinity of spices is cinnamon, clove and nutmeg"

The essential trinity of spices is cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, but the ingredient list may just say "spices," which isn't very helpful. I picked up a jar from an import shop that also lists cassia, coriander, fennel, and dill, and it's delicious. I will take this opportunity to confess that while writing this article, I've had a few samples with a spoon. This is not proper behavior.

Store-bought mincemeat can contain alcohol, and if it doesn't, here's my tip: add some. It will kick your mince pies up to the next level. Rum or brandy go especially well with the other ingredients.

You might wonder what mincemeat is good for besides mince pies (and eating with a spoon, which, again, is not proper). In truth, I've never needed to use it for anything else. However, I am reliably informed that you can stir it into a cobbler; add a cup to a muffin recipe; heat it up and spread it on your weekend pancakes or waffles; or use it in place of dates in a date square recipe. You could even serve it on a cheese plate as a very seasonal chutney.

Whatever you do with it, there's no rush; with all that fat and sugar, mincemeat lasts several weeks in the refrigerator. And let's be honest, there's no rule that says you can only have mince pies at Christmas.

Pantry Essentials: All About Mincemeat (2024)

FAQs

Pantry Essentials: All About Mincemeat? ›

Vine fruits and apple provide much of the body. Candied fruit is important too—usually lemon and orange peel, but sometimes cherries. Ginger and prunes are welcome additions, too. The essential trinity of spices is cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, but the ingredient list may just say "spices," which isn't very helpful.

Does Borden still make none such mincemeat? ›

Our condensed mincemeat is returning. We appreciate your patience while we focus on production. Please click here to enter your email to be alerted as soon as our boxed condensed version is available for order online or in a store near you for the 2024 season.

Can you eat mincemeat straight from the jar? ›

Mincemeat is traditionally cooked then cooled whilst stirring so it should be fine to eat "raw".

Why can't I find none such mincemeat? ›

None Such Mincemeat has seasonal distribution throughout the United States. If you cannot find None Such Mincemeat in your grocery store, please notify the store manager.

When did they stop putting meat in mincemeat? ›

By the 18th century it was more likely to be tongue or even tripe, and in the 19th century it was minced beef. It was not until the late Victorian period and early 20th Century that mince pies dropped the meat and had all fruit fillings (albeit with suet). Even today there are traditions associated with mince pies.

Is none such mincemeat discontinued? ›

Unfortunately the company who bought it has decided to discontinue! Get it while you can-the cookie recipe is on the box and they're awesome. Sadly you cannot replicate the cookies properly using the jarred minced meat/they do NOT come out well. Pricey but worth it!

Why is mincemeat so expensive? ›

Mincemeat isn't difficult to make, but it has a lot of ingredients, which can make it expensive to produce in small batches, and it requires at least a day's advance planning to let the ingredients sit.

Why do you stir mincemeat clockwise? ›

Traditions, folklore and superstitions

Stirring the mincemeat was quite an event, and English tradition dictates that it should only be stirred clockwise. Stirring the mincemeat anti-clockwise would lead to bad luck and poor fortune in the coming 12 months.

How long will an unopened jar of mincemeat keep? ›

The high sugar content of mincemeat, enhanced by fat and perhaps alcohol, means mincemeat can be stored at a cool ambient temperature for many months. Once opened it will keep for even longer refrigerated.

Why does my mincemeat taste bitter? ›

Mincemeat over time does deepen in colour but the bitter taste may be that you pressed too hard when the citrus zests were grated!

Does Costco sell mincemeat pie? ›

The Kirkland signature mince pies from Costco.

Why were mince pies banned? ›

The tradition comes from the time of Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s, when mince pies were banned at Christmas, along with other tasty treats. Cromwell wanted to tackle gluttony in England. He also argued that Christmas contained too many superstitions of the Roman Catholic Church, which he hated.

What is the ingredient in none such mincemeat? ›

Ingredients: Water, Corn Syrup, Raisins, Dried Apples, Molasses, Corn Starch Modified, Distilled Vinegar, Dried Orange And Lemon Peel, Salt, Spices, Beef, Fruit Pectin, Natural Flavor.

Why do they call it mincemeat? ›

Mincemeat is a combination of chopped dried fruits, spices, sugar, nuts, distilled spirits, a fat of some type and sometimes meat. The name is a carryover from 15th century England when mincemeat did indeed have meat in the mix; in fact, the whole point of mincemeat was to preserve meat with sugar and alcohol.

How long does mincemeat last once opened? ›

The containers you use must be scrupulously clean, so I like to use jars straight out of the dishwasher or I sterilise them in the oven. What is this? If you store it in a cool dark place the mincemeat will last for up to 1 year unopened. Once open store in the refrigerator and use within 3=4 months.

Why does mincemeat go brown? ›

Oxygen exposure changes meat colour

When myoglobin comes in contact with oxygen, it forms oxymyoglobin, which has the bright, red colour of beef. After several hours or days of exposure, the oxymoyoglobin can convert to metmyoglobin, which has a brown-grey colour.

Who makes none such mincemeat pie filling? ›

The Merrell-Soule Company, manufacturer and distributor of canned goods, successfully introduced condensed mincemeat under the None Such® brand name for Borden.

Do they still make mincemeat? ›

Nowadays, it's easy to find mincemeat pies still made with beef suet and a small amount of minced meats (usually beef). All-vegetarian mincemeat pies are readily available as well, especially if you purchase a premade jar of mincemeat filling.

When did Borden go out of business? ›

Similar to Dean Foods, Borden had a turbulent history of various food products, many of which were divested and sold off. Yet, they also went bankrupt in 2020 and sold their assets to New Dairy Opco LLC owned by a former CEO of Dean Foods, Gregg Engles, and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR).

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