Mincemeat is a combination of fruits and spices, which is made with or without adding meat. The original recipe was made with ground beef, from which it has acquired its name. Earlier people made it as a preserve, as it can be stored for a long period of time, without the fear of rotting. It was introduced in English cuisine, probably around the 15th century and thereafter, it has undergone a various changes. What is Mincemeat? It is believed that earlier, mincemeat was made by mixing meat such as beef, venison or beef suet, fruits, wine, and vinegar. Later, in the 18th century people started using distilled spirits like brandy and rum instead of wines and vinegars. This was followed by the introduction of spices to the mixture which included nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, etc. Later with the addition of sugar, people began to use it in dessert recipes. It became quite popular amongst people and became an integral part of the Christmas and Thanksgiving traditions. However, somewhere in the middle of the 20^th century, it became a vegetarian dish where people stopped mixing the meat with the fruits and other spices. Mincemeat, made with meat as well as without using meat are used to make tarts and pies on special occasions. Nevertheless, most people opt for the commercial preparations available in the market because, they think that making it at home is a difficult task. However, it is not so and we can prepare it easily at home. Hence, let us take a look at the ingredients and the process of making this filling which can be used for making pies or tarts. What are its ingredients? The ingredients will depend on the type of filling you want to make. In other words, there are actually a variety of recipes that one can prepare according to one's choice of ingredients. Here, we will take a look at 2 recipes which show us how to prepare uncooked and cooked variations of this filling. Uncooked Filling

• Lean beef, (minced) 24 oz.
• Citron, (peeled and sliced) 2 oz.
• Apples, (cored and minced) 2 quarts
• Moist Sugar, 32 oz.
• Raisins, 32 oz.
• Small Nutmeg, (grated) 1
• Brandy, 8 oz.
• Candied Orange Peel, (sliced) 2 oz.
• Currants, 48 oz.
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• Beef Suet, (minced) 48 oz.
• Candied Lemon Peel, (sliced) 2 oz.
• Rind of 2 Lemons

How to Make After slicing and mincing the fruits and meat as directed, place them in a large mixing bowl. Put in the spices and other ingredients, except the brandy and mix well. When all the ingredients are fully blended, pour the brandy and store them in an airtight container. Use it only after two weeks. Cooked Filling

• Apples, (peeled, cored and sliced) 48 oz.
• Cider, 2 qt.
• Dark Brown Sugar, 48 oz.
• Dried Currants, 48 oz.
• Lean Beef, (chopped) 64 oz.
• Seeded Raisins, 64 oz.
• Molasses, 16 oz.
• Citron, (chopped) 8 oz.
• Ground Cloves, 3 tsp.
• Brandy, 1 qt.
• Cinnamon, 3 tsp.
• Nutmeg, 1 tsp.
• Allspice, 1 tsp.
• Salt, 2 tsp.

How to Make In a large cooking pot, take suet, molasses, beef, raisins, cider, currants, and brown sugar. Place on medium heat and stir till the sugar and citron are fully melted. Add apples to the pot and cook till they become tender. This should be followed by adding cinnamon, cloves, brandy, mace, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. Let it simmer for 15 minutes, however, remember to stir it frequently. Store them in airtight containers and place it in the refrigerator till the time of use. Now that you know the ingredients and the process of making this filling, I hope that you will try to make some at home. If you are a vegetarian, there are several recipes in which you just substitute the meat and suet from the ingredient list with vegetable shortening.