Mince Pyes
From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1725
Unknown Author
Mince Pyes
"Take a Jreat's Tongue, beat It Then half boil It, blanch It, & take only the Topt of the Meat. besure not the hard Skin. Kornels or Root. Shred It small, & to every P. of Meat, put 1 Pd. & 2 Ozes. of Suet, shred very fine. mix the Meat, & Suet together. If a Tongue be 1 P. & half, put in 3 Pd. of Currants, pick'd & wash'd, & 1 Pd. of Raisins of the Sun ston'd, & shred, a 2d. pd. or more of Naples Biskit grated, a or 4 large sharp Apples shred, The Rinds of 3 large Lem= ons grated, & the Juice to your Taste. Season all with Mace, Cloves, Cinnamoun beaten fine, & a little Jamaica Popper. 2 or 3 Nutmegs grated. mix all well together. Then put in Sack to your Taste. a little of the best Brandy, & some red Port Wine. Put in at last some candied Lemon Pool, & Citron, & deep Orange Peel. your Currants must weig= gh 3 Pds. after They are wash'd, & pick'd. Try It in a Ladle or Sauce Pan. before you use It, for Then you may atter It by making what Addition you please.. Note. after you have mixd all your Meat, Put It up close in a Pan, & bake It with Houshold Bread, lea= ving out the Sweet Meats."
Note on the Original Text
The technical language of the recipe is typical of early 18th-century English manuscripts: measurements are given in pounds (often abbreviated 'Pd.'), ounces, and sometimes based on the main ingredient's weight. Ingredients like 'Naples biscuit' and 'Raisins of the Sun' reflect contemporary terminology: Naples biscuit is a type of dry rusk, and 'Raisins of the Sun' are sun-dried raisins. Spelling and punctuation are inconsistent ('Jreat' for 'great', 'Kornels' meaning sinewy root, 'besure' as 'be sure'), and quantities are adjusted by taste, with frequent use of 'to your taste.' The directions assume familiarity with kitchen processes, so the recipe encourages tasting and adjusting, a practice still central to great cooking today.
Title
Cookbook of 1725 (1725)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1725
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful window into 18th-century kitchens, this historical culinary volume whisks readers away with its charming recipes and savory secrets from a bygone era.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe for Mince Pyes hails from early 18th-century England, circa 1725. Mince pies at that time were rich, elaborate affairs, mixing savoury meats (commonly tongue or beef) with fruits, spices, and alcohol. Such pies were associated especially with festive seasons like Christmas, reflecting both the wealth and the culinary extravagance of households able to afford them. The use of suet, dried fruit, candied peel, spices, and alcohol showcases both the global trade connections of the era and the era's love for complex, long-keeping foods. 'Naples biscuit' refers to a dry, hard Italian rusk used similarly to modern ladyfingers or sponge fingers.
In an 18th-century kitchen, cooks prepared this recipe using large iron pots for boiling meats, heavy wooden chopping boards, sharp knives for mincing, and sturdy mortars and pestles for grinding spices. Fruit would be picked and washed by hand. Mixing was done in broad wooden or earthenware bowls, and the mixture stored in covered pans. Baking occurred in a brick oven, often alongside other items like household bread to economize on firewood.
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings
16
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb salted beef tongue (or beef brisket as a substitute)
- 1 3/4 lb beef suet (finely chopped, or use vegetarian suet if needed)
- 3 lb currants (washed and picked)
- 1 lb raisins (stoned and chopped)
- 9 oz Naples biscuits (or savoiardi/ladyfingers, grated)
- 3–4 large tart apples (approx. 1 lb total, peeled and finely chopped)
- Zest and juice of 3 large lemons
- Ground mace (1 tsp)
- Ground cloves (1/2 tsp)
- Ground cinnamon (2 tsp)
- Ground allspice (1 tsp, substitute for 'Jamaica Pepper')
- 2–3 whole nutmegs (grated)
- Sweet sherry (e.g. 3–4 tbsp, substitute for 'sack')
- Brandy (2 tbsp)
- Red port wine (2–3 tbsp)
- Candied lemon peel (1 oz, chopped)
- Candied citron (1 oz, chopped)
- Candied orange peel (1 oz, chopped)
Instructions
- Begin by obtaining a salted beef tongue (about 1 1/2 lb), soak if needed, then lightly boil it until halfway cooked.
- Remove and peel off the tough outer skin.
- Discard any hard or gristly bits, and finely mince the best, tender meat.
- For each 1 lb of tongue, combine with 1 1/4 lb of finely chopped suet.
- Mix well.
- Add 3 lb currants (make sure these are weighed after washing and picking out stems), 1 lb raisins (stoned and chopped), and 9 oz grated dry sponge fingers (as a stand-in for Naples biscuit).
- Mix in 3 to 4 tart apples (such as Bramley or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and finely chopped.
- Grate the zest of 3 large lemons and squeeze in their juice to your taste.
- Season generously with ground mace, cloves, cinnamon, a little allspice (for Jamaica pepper), and 2–3 grated nutmegs.
- Stir in a few tablespoons of sherry or sweet white wine (for 'sack'), a dash of good brandy, and a splash of red port wine.
- At the end, add some finely chopped candied lemon, citron, and orange peel.
- Stir thoroughly.
- Test the mix by heating a spoonful in a saucepan and adjust any spices or sweetness as desired.
- Once satisfied, pack the mixture tightly in a covered container and bake it slowly alongside bread, omitting the candied fruit (sweet meats) until it’s time to use in pies.
Estimated Calories
520 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing and chopping ingredients takes some time, especially the meat and fruit. Cooking involves boiling the tongue, then slowly baking the mincemeat mixture. Each serving contains a lot of fruit, suet, and some alcohol, all adding to the energy value. The recipe makes enough mincemeat for about 16 standard pie servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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