Maine Venison Mincemeat Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED MINCEMEAT PIE RECIPE FROM 1798

Steps:

• If using ground beef, brown the meat in a saucepan over medium heat. If you are using other cuts of raw beef, boil the beef until it is cooked and then chop it into small pieces. Or, if you are using left over beef that has already been cooked, you can chop the meat into small pieces. After chopping the beef, add the salt to the meat.
• In a large bowl, combine chopped apples, chopped suet (or your suet substitute) cider, spices, and fruit. Add the beef and apple cider and mix well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. (If you want to be more authentic, you can chop up all of the ingredients together at this point to mince them finely.)
• Line a 9 inch pie plate with pastry and then pour in the mincemeat.
• Add the top crust, sealing the edges with a fork and cutting slivers in the top to let out steam. If you want an extra golden brown crust you can brush the top of the pie with some egg.
• Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes until the crust looks golden brown.

VENISON MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Simmer venison neck or roast in unsalted water until tender.
• Cool and remove meat.
• Run meat, suet, raisins and currents through meat grinder with a fine blade attached.
• Combine all the ingredients.
• Place in a roasting pan.
• Stirring occasionally, cook at 325F until the apples are tender and mincemeat is hot.
• Pack in hot pint jars and seal.
• Place in hot water bath for 10 minutes.
• Makes 10 pints.

MAINE VENISON MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Boil the deer neck in enough water to keep it covered, for 4 hours or until the bones come out clean.
• Whilst the neck is boiling, peel, core and chop the apples.
• Let pot of meat cool overnight.
• Grind the meat, and 1 cup solid suet that forms on top, through a fine plate, quarter and grind the lemon and orange (peel and all)
• Combine everything except 1 pt of cider in a large pot.
• Simmer over very low heat, stirring with care not to burn on. I cook mine on a wood cook stove. A hot top also works well.
• Adjust the consistency with the cider, depending on how much juice the apples produce.
• Simmer for 45 minutes or so, until the mixture is bubbling, but apples are still mostly whole.
• Add brandy to taste.
• Pack into quart mason jars hot, or plastic containers cool and freeze for pies.