Meat the Sweet Side - Uncovering the Tradition to Mince Pies

Mince pies are a huge thing around the holidays in London. Mince pies are not a traditional dessert for me and I didnt really take notice of them until moving to the UK. Now that I see them everywhere, it's hard to ignore their tempting allure. Unfortunately (as in most cases), there are no “paleo mince pies” on the market which gave me the push I needed to create my own version.

I knew I had to try and recreate this to a version that I could enjoy! And yes, I took the traditional approach which entailed using ground beef and suet. Don’t worry, if you are not into having meat in your dessert, I have a meat free option but I do highly recommend giving this dessert a chance.

Mince pies were first served in the early middle ages. They were filled with a mixture of finely minced meat, chopped up fruit and a preserving liquid. Mincemeat originally came about as a good way of preserving meat, without salting, curing, smoking or drying it. Today's versions may have evolved, but the essence remains the same – a delightful amalgamation of dried fruit, sugar, and preserving liquid encased in a flaky pastry crust.

Crafting the filling demands a bit of patience, but the reward is a heavenly mixture that can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks or frozen for two months. While the filling is delightful on its own, encasing it in a pie elevates the experience to a whole new level.

I ended up testing this recipe with a pie crust recipe by Alanna Taylor-Tobin and it was really good! I made a few tweaks to her recipe but not much. This pie crust seemed to work perfectly with the minced pie filling!

The minced pies are filled with a heartwarming blend of spiced fruits, featuring a medley of currants, cranberries, apples, and citrus, all wrapped in a perfectly flaky and tender crust. Not only are they gluten-free but they are free from

• grains

• refined sugar

• eggs

• nuts

• soy & legumes

Hopefully you'll find these mince pies are irresistible as I do and they will become a part of your holiday traditions!

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traditional mince pie

makes 12 mini ones or 1 - 9" big pie

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INGREDIENTS

Filling

Meat Version:

• 300g British beef mince

• 225g coarsely grated apple

• 260g sultanas

• 260g currants

• 190g coconut sugar

• 225g beef suet

• Zest & juice of 2 oranges

• Zest & juice of 2 lemons

• 1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 heaped tsp ground allspice

• 1 whole nutmeg, grated

• 200 ml brandy, rum, or port (can use apple juice or orange juice)

Filling

Meat- Free Version:

• 300g extra dried fruit or nuts

• 225g coarsely grated apple

• 260g sultanas

• 260g currants

• 190g coconut sugar

• 225g coconut oil, butter, or ghee

• Zest & juice of 2 oranges

• Zest & juice of 2 lemons

• 1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 heaped tsp ground allspice

• 1 whole nutmeg, grated

• 200 ml brandy, rum, or port (can use apple juice or orange juice)

Crust:

• 5-6 tablespoons ice water

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• 135 g cassava flour

• 28 g tapioca flour

• 15 g finely ground flax seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 115 g cold, unsalted butter sliced ¼-inch thick (or chilled ghee, lard, or palm oil)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First to make the filling, combine all ingredients except for the brandy (port or rum) in a medium-sized pot and slowly bring to a simmer to prevent scorching.

2. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. (If the liquid reduces too soon and the mincemeat starts to stick/scorch on the bottom, add a little bit of apple juice or water).

3. Stir in the alcohol you are using. Note: If you prefer to have the alcohol cooked out, add them at the same time as the other ingredients.

4. If you are not making the pie crust right away or just want the mince pie filling, spoon the hot mincemeat into sterilized jars (spooning it in the jar while hot will ensure the suet rises to the top to create a layer of fat). As the mixture cools the suet will harden, creating a seal to help preserve the mincemeat. Store in the fridge or freezer.

5. To make the crust, in a small bowl stir together stir together 5 tablespoons of the ice water and the apple cider vinegar, set aside.

6. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cassava, tapioca flour, ground chia seed and salt.

7. Scatter the butter pieces over the top but don't run the mixer just yet!

8. Open the feed tube and gradually pour in the ice water/lemon mixture as you pulse the mixer until all the liquid is incorporated. Open the lid and give the dough a squeeze; it should hold together easily, with lots of butter chunks the size of large peas. If the dough is dry, replace the lid and drizzle in more ice water by the teaspoon while pulsing the mixture until the dough is evenly moist but not sticky. Take care not to over mix the dough.

9. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disc, and wrap in plastic wrap, a plastic bag, or beeswax wrap. Chill until firm. This will take about an hour or you can make it 3 days ahead.

10. When you are ready to make the pies, preheat your oven to 180C / 390F. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin or mini tart tins.

11. Roll the pie crust out in between two pieces of parchment to about 1/8 inch thickness. Using a circle cutter that is slightly bigger than your tin, cut circles out. Make sure you have enough circles for the bottom and top of your pies. For the top crust, you can use a smaller circle cutter, star shape cutter, or any other shape to create a design. If you are not cutting out any shapes for the top, cut a little slit in the pastry to allow the hot air to escape.

12. Once you have an even number of bottoms to tops, line your tins with the bottom crust pieces. Poke a few holes into the dough and bake for 10 minutes.

13. After 10 minutes, take the pies out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Scoop your mince pie filling into each cavity until they are full. Carefully top each mini pie with the top crust pieces and press into the bottom piece. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until they are slightly golden brown. Take out of the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes.

14. Mince pies are best served gently warmed. If you want you can sprinkle some powdered sugar on top. Even better, spoon some vanilla ice cream on top and enjoy!