Victorian Mincemeat With Actual Meat

[@TastingHistory]

Days before Christmas and so close to One Million Subscribers! Thank you all for your support.

[@cgefkens4065]

You deserve all those subscribers max! I love your tone of voice and pleasant demeanor

[@jidrawzstuff]

We love your work Max ! You deserve it :)

[@ronkierstead]

I thought I WAS subscribed!!! I enjoy your shows, the first one being diet of the Roman legionary which I thought was both entertaining and educational. Keep up the good work! And, here is a video on exactly what I told the family at the table when my girlfriends mother Esther served us mince meat pie. There were the letters "TM" cut into the pastry. "What does TM stand for?" "Either "'Tis Mince" or "Taint Mince" If you don't like mince, there is a 50% chance you will like this pie. :D Esther and I are the only lovers of mince, so we each got half a pie to savour over the next few days.

[@critical7401]

We, and with that I mean you, have really come a long way. To the next million! Cheers!

[@mylesjude233]

@@critical7401 Oh yeah, can't wait to see that hallmark 🤩

[@camillet9883]

My grandmother died more than 20 years before my grandfather. Many years after her death, they found a jar of mincemeat she had made. My aunt made it into a pie for her dad, my grandfather. I always wondered how bittersweet it was for him, one last gift from his beloved wife.

[@2degucitas]

Awww.

[@onesunnyday5699]

We still have a jar of pickled watermelon rind that my husband's grandmother made many decades ago. I always grabbed it when we moved & it resides under the sink in the dark cupboard. Of course it's inedible now, but it's a reminder of a favorite snack from his childhood.

[@zlinedavid]

I was waiting for the twist at the end where your grandfather admits “I never did like that stuff”. 😂 Similar thing happened with my grandmother. Many, many good qualities but the woman could not cook to save her life. But for every holiday, family gathering, etc. she had one dish she’d make: 7 bean salad. The lunch we had after her funeral was the first time said bean salad wasn’t present that anyone could remember. I was the brave one who spoke up and admitted that I never had the heart to tell her I really didn’t like it. My dad smiled and said “Son, nobody did.”

[@2degucitas]

@onesunnyday5699 I made sweet pickled watermelon rinds once. I ate every jar myself! They're delicious!

[@caro1ns]

I love old laws that never get repealed. There is a story of a student back in the 1970s at some old English university (Oxford I think) who in the middle of his exam stopped writing and demanded a mug of ale and some bread and cheese. When asked why he thought he could demand such a thing, he produced a copy of some ancient by-law saying that all students could demand this during an exam. The examiners conferred and someone was sent to get it for him. Later he got a letter from the examiners board saying that he had failed the exam because, quoting another ancient by-law, "he had forgotten to wear his sword".

[@ellehan3003]

I reeeally hope this is a true story

[@Cara-39]

Massachusetts has some odd laws: In Boston, duels to the death are permitted to take place on Sundays on Boston Common but only if the Gov attends and it's illegal to eat peanuts in church. Also, it is illegal to detonate a nuclear device in the city of Marlboro and a law in North Andover prohibits the use of space guns.

[@Ithirahad]

Aren't there less-ancient laws saying he can't carry a sword around Oxford whether he intended to or not? Can hardly fault him for breaking a university's bylaws in favour of the laws of the land.

[@DIEGhostfish]

@@Cara-39 The heck is a Space Gun?

[@sooter26]

@@judeirwin2222 This just in: Woman Declares War on Fun

[@threestrandsministry6319]

This is how my grandmother made mincemeat pretty much exactly. I never touched it but my grandpa was all about that life every year for Christmas. I think it is oddly neat that my grandma's way of making it matches this, it kind of shows how things get passed down. She was born in 1929, so likely some elder in her life taught her how, and they would been from the victorian era. Neat!

[@sarahwatts7152]

Someone used to make moosemeat mince pies for church suppers; most people passed it up, but a bunch of people (I'm guessing all hunters) really enjoyed it.

[@Sh4peofmyheart]

My mom also made mincemeat like this. She was born in 1926, and I'm guessing she learned the recipe from her mother, who learned it from her mother, etc. I remember that it was delicious.

[@heatherjones4034]

You really missed something. It’s delicious ♥️

[@heatherjones4034]

@@Sh4peofmyheart my grandmothers one born 1900 and the other 1898. It’s so good.

[@vlmellody51]

My mother's recipe was similar, but she used ground venison instead of the moose.

[@Controlled_Insanity_003]

Watching this almost 3 years later, you said that you're almost at 1 million subscribers back then, but now you're almost at 3 million

[@hannakinn]

My Southern grandmother always made some mincemeat pies for the holidays, along with all of her other fabulous baked goods. I haven't had any mincemeat pie in at least 50 years. My grandmother was what many might describe as a simple farm wife, matriarch of a large family of seven. If she'd been born in a different decade I feel certain she'd have been a famous baker or a famous fashion designer. People in her community hired her to make their holiday baked goods because they were so perfectly delicious, often made with goods grown on her farm, cream from their dairy eggs from their chickens, flour milled from their wheat, home churned butter, etc.. I used to love to watch my grandmother make biscuits which she did at least once a day every day of the week except for Sunday. She'd made biscuits so many times that watching her make them was almost like watching someone dancing. There was a Grace and real beauty in watching her do that simple task. There wasn't one wasted movement and it was so effortless the way she flicked the circles of dough up into her palm after she'd used the biscuit cutter and how her well worn hand laid them in perfectly spaced sequence on the baking trays. Just beautiful. My grandmother could sew anything she could envision or that anyone showed her a picture of. Her daughter's had fabulous outfits all through the 30s and 40s, clothing that they still talked about well into their 80s. Clothing that was handmade. Sewn on a beautiful treadle sewing machine or sewn by hand with teeny tiny little stitches. My grandmother loved fabrics of different textures colors and weights.. when she passed away she had an entire closet full of unused fabric. It's interesting to think how her life might have been different if she'd have been born in a different decade however she had a full and happy life, was well loved and respected which is actually much more important than ever having been famous. RIP Granny J, love you still.

[@theresaconley5930]

Oh my! You brought back wonderful memories of my own Mother. It sounds as if they were so much alike. I had to take a second look to see which one of my sisters commented. Thank you.

[@maryloumawson6006]

Your description was so visual and evoked such homey, nostalgic feelings that I have to wonder if you're employed as a wordsmith of some sort? You write like your grandmother baked! Very well said, indeed!

[@zer7n8]

I am 78 years old, when I was maybe 5 ,6 years old I remember my Grandmother making mincemeat pies with ACTUAL MEAT in them. My Grandparents were farm people and had lived through the great depression and used every part of the cows they raised and slaughtered so mince meat provided a practical means of all they had going as far as it could.

[@geekogen]

Amazing story of an amazing lady. Thank You for sharing ❤

[@josephmclaughlin9865]

Wow, your writing pops off the screen. I "watched" your grandmother baking and sewing. Thanks for a wonderful little story.

[@elizabethwadsworth5167]

Years ago, my father and brothers cleaned out a house that had belonged to a recently deceased great-uncle. Along with the usual antiques, etc, one of the things they brought back was a jar of c. 100 year old mincemeat. Everyone was terrified of eating it except my father, who was renowned for eating absolutely anything, and he proceeded to bake it into a pie and devour the whole thing while the rest of the family sat around anxiously waiting for signs of incipient demise. Supposedly it was the best mincemeat ever, and the copious amounts of alcohol it contained rendered it harmless even after a century or more.

[@HaydenX]

Well, at least as harmless as anything with "copious amounts of alcohol" can be...

[@mellie4174]

It's not just the alcohol that preserves it. People today really lack understanding of food preservation. It's a combination of fat, sugar and alcohol that does it. The fact blocks out the oxygen and prevents bacterial growth. The sugar is am acid (antibacterial) and the alcohol is an antibacterial.

[@blacknote6945]

@@mellie4174 though the sugar drys out the bacteria like what honey does

[@HannibalFan52]

Rumtopf, mincemeath, and similar foodstuffs only improve with age.

[@AspasiaB]

I kinda want to shake your father's hand.

[@micaylabirondo836]

Oh yay!! Last December I requested a mincemeat episode and you wrote back, saying it would have to wait till next Christmas season. You didn't forget. Here it is! 😊 I love your channel. I'd subscribe thrice more to get you to a million. 💗

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

It's a Christmas miracle!

[@davidthedeaf]

I didn’t get a write back, but I asked for it as well. I am glad he did.

[@kristinhuddle4659]

@@davidthedeaf Yea

[@ablindgy]

Something I've noticed is that, not only is max killing it with the historical aspects of these videos. But his delivery is just outstanding! Not only are these videos interesting. They're just fun to watch as well.

[@hrtxspc]

Accurate 🏵️🔥

[@bustedkeaton]

He's a star, I wish him all the good things in life

[@DaemonPrimarch]

On the re-watch "half a boiled lemon, though you'll need to boil a full lemon" with the sudden cut to a lemon being boiled just... tickled me utterly pink.

[@veiledmaid4029]

Folks, with all the negativity we're inundated with, isn't it truly refreshing to 'Taste History' with Max Miller? The great fun, and some times unexpected culinary results, are purely entertaining! This is my favorite KZbin channel! Thank you Max Miller!

[@ItKnowsYou]

The best mincemeat I ever had was an old neighbour of mine who kept her mincemeat for years and every year added another cup of brandy. It was magnificent.

[@TastingHistory]

Smart neighbor 🤣

[@kayerin5749]

@@TastingHistory Reminds me of the original State Fair movie with Jeanne Crain. Her mother ( played by Fay Bainter ) was a teetotaler, but her husband definitely was not. She grudgingly made the Christmas dish for the state fair exhibition, with a modest amount of alcohol. Unfortunately her husband Able (Charles Winniger) wasn't convinced his wife would honor her commitment, so he added his own jigger of rum on several (several times!) The upshot was, she won the ribbon, and all the judges were *very* happy to taste it all! Even though I loved the later edtion with Pat Boone (I'm a child of the 50's -60's) I love this original version the best.

[@jamieb3318]

@@kayerin5749 I was thinking about that movie as well.

[@rainydaylady6596]

@@kayerin5749 Didn't their kids add some as well? I liked that movie as well. Wasn't the daughter played by Jean Teirny (sp)?

[@RestingBitchface7]

This is what I grew up making. It’s called “friendship mince,” and we keep it in five gallon crocks.

[@hoosierjonny336]

My grandfather and I used to make mincemeat every year together for the holidays. In truth the only flaw this has if you asked my grandfather would be that there is a recipe. The recipe varied each year by what was cheapest in the store and what sounded good to try. He would make it all the way back in the 30s and 40s with his mother and I had the special privilege to make it with him. Honestly it's been two years since his passing and we haven't made it for three years but I just kind of want to do it again for the simple joy and thrill of the memories.

[@chellarose4272]

You should definitely do it! Start the tradition off again!

[@LOLOsugoi]

Do it! The best way to grieve a person is to take care of their heritage, or at least the parts that make you smile :)

[@EleanorCasson]

Delia Smith (UK cooking legend) has a great modern recipe on her website.

[@anngrimm6599]

Do it! As a teacher, I would have my students build ofrendas for Días de los Muertos. They had to spend real time thinking about the loved one they built it for, and reviving happy memories. Food is so much a part of our memory, and frequently the most joyful.

[@teresakirby8827]

@@EleanorCasson I make it about every three or four years, because it's lasts so long. She cooks it separately and stores it in sterlised jars - but it's the brandy that offers the keeping qualities!

[@Lauren.E.O]

The tudors always look vaguely disappointed in their portraits I appreciate their honesty

[@TastingHistory]

🤣 by the time the painter got to the face, they’d been sitting for hours.

[@KittyOfChess]

I'd be disappointed too, if my dynasty only lasted three generations after everything I'd done to make an heir

[@IndigoAwakener]

😂😂😂

[@zlinedavid]

That’s not disappointment. That’s “Hurry up, I need to drop a deuce”

[@JupitersEuropa1]

@@zlinedavid🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jecejka]

Max takes the expression “Dinner and a show” to a new stratospheric level! Thank you for showing us the connections between what’s on our plates and world history!

[@IanSlothieRolfe]

I live in a care home, and one of the cooks here is clearly of some middle eastern ancestry, and he made mince pies a few weeks ago for us, and they had a high meat content. It tasted quite odd and first, but I persevered and really enjoyed a second one... the flavour sort of resembled a not very sour sweet and sour meatball. While I enjoy the traditional English version that is meat-free (well, apart from the suet) this new version was a pleasant change. Were I ever to go back to cooking for myself I will try making some for myself! I was told by my mother years ago that if you can't get suet, then a 50-50 mix of lard and butter frozen and grated works as a substitute. Although in the US you can get "Atora" brand suet from stores that supply the British ex-pat community and Amazon!

[@TrailRat2000]

My nan use to make her mincemeat about a week into the new year. She'd bottle it up, seal it with wax and leave it in the airing cupboard near the water heater. Then she'd ignore it for about two years. That's how she'd rotate it and any mincemeat left over would go in to the next batch. Best mincemeat I ever had, I wish I had that recipe but she never wrote anything down.

[@KickyFut]

That is such a shame!! In my family, we ask anyone who has a consistent recipe so we can put it on an index card/paper with their name and just put it in a recipe book. It's devastating how many ingenious recipes disappear along with their creators...😓

[@dianethornhill3651]

My paternal grandmother never measured anything she cooked, other than in handfuls or the palm of her hand. I learned baking at her elbow, so I pretty much cook the same way.

[@TrailRat2000]

@@judeirwin2222 - I think because of where the water heater was in the house, the temperature remained constant all year round. And the nature of the insulation we had around the water heater meant it never really got overly warm in that cupboard. Nothing ever soured though, so I guess my Nan knew what she was doing.

[@chrisinnes2128]

My nana was the same after she died i had to try to recreate her recipes for memory

[@2degucitas]

​@@TrailRat2000 That's what I was thinking.

[@billbliss7407]

I love that you keep managing to throw in the word "bedight." It always makes me smile! Thanks for all the work you do to educate us about food history!

[@clareselgin3208]

I think "bedight" is the past perfect of either "bedeck" or "bedew." I need to check the OED!

[@DavidMarvin]

We need a bedight counter.

[@philipjacobs394]

This recipe was almost exactly what my grandmother prepared every fall right after the beef and hog butchering were completed on their farm. She canned the results, and made pies for the next year from the results.

[@joyfulsongstress3238]

My Grandma, who was born in London in 1886, taught my Mother how to make Christmas pudding and mincemeat. In both cases the fruit was put through a meat grinder so that everything blended together really well. Suet is still something that can be had here in Canada. You could probably ask your butcher for some, but remember to grind it well!

[@dinacox1990]

I am 63 and remember minced pie being a consistent feature on our holiday menu. I am not at all sure when Mom stopped making it. Happily, Mom is still very much with us and I will be asking her in our next phone call. This episode served to bring up a nice childhood memory and lend to sharing with Mom which I especially love! Thank you!

[@SimonJ57]

"Featuring a mother giving her child a sip of wine" to the modern day Uncle giving you a sip of beer or your dad with a sip of Whiskey, some things never change...

[@ErebosGR]

Yup, child endangerment is timeless.

[@trublgrl]

@@ErebosGR Wow, we jumped straight from "sip of wine" to "Call Child Protective Services!" pretty quick there.

[@TuckerSP2011]

My grandpa gave me a small glass of wine every Sunday and dipped a piece of Tuscan bread in wine for me and my cousins too.

[@andieshepherd899]

@@RyanGaryLeTomo Exactly this :) I let my child taste wine, whiskey and beer as a youngster and she hated it. Now as a teenager she's still repulsed. I'm ok with this until she's 21!

[@yeowch1073]

Yeah I got a sip of wine bc I wouldn’t stop bugging my parents about having some. Gross as fuck, and then I never asked them again. Also if y’all have ever taken Catholic communion….

[@JohnNathanShopper]

“If you ever read a recipe that begins ‘they’re safe to eat,’ make something else!” We love you, man!🤣

[@christopherreed4723]

Damn' good advice, too.

[@viktoria86]

Also summed up last two years perfectly 😂😂 history really repeats itself...

[@TinaNewtonArt]

My mom always made it with spices, meat, apples and raisins. When I started eating it premade I was surprised to find the lack of actual meat.

[@theresaconley5930]

Exactly my take on the modern mincemeat pie. I'm so glad someone else had the meat version of this delightful treat.

[@RIMARISA]

My great Grandmother recipe is with meat. And that is all I have ever eaten, I will be making some tomorrow. :D

[@susan9522]

My mother always started with a chuck roast and added the spices and apples and raisins the same way you would add seasoning and vegetables to a savory roast. At the end she would add apricot brandy. Two crusts and real whipped cream as topping.

[@chrisd5964]

Even back in the early 1980's my mum still made mincemeat with beef suet (ie beef fat) in it. I miss both her and her mince pies so much.

[@macylouwho1187]

I still have some of that in my cabinet right now from last year! It keeps for a long time due to how much booze I put in it though 😂. I do use beef fat from the butcher’s in it. Try to keep it more old school like that. Condolences on your loss though, hugs 💕

[@lawriefoster5587]

Chris...I know. Watching these brings back memories of my Mother and all of the baking she would do at Christmas. Isn't wonderful that we have those memories??

[@gillianrimmer7733]

Mincemeat bought in the shops in the UK 8:17 still has suet in it - it's what makes it juicy. You can buy it with a vegetarian version, but it's not as good.

[@laurenrzempoluch2569]

Sorry for your loss! Two kinds of people in this world, those of us who've lost our mums & those who've no idea what's to come. The holidays are very tough for me but so are lots of other things. You just want your mum to be there for everyday type things. Sorry my dear

[@2degucitas]

The suet was in the mince filling as well as the crust?

[@dawnconner6123]

i did living history for a time(nearly 10 yrs.), and your channel is SO fun. i can make a pound cake in a dutch oven, Max!! i really can. ive baked numerous types of pies the same way. and i chose to message you today, because not only is victorian my favorite era, but, my mother in law also made her own mincemeat. she used a pork roast. her mother however, used the pigs head. MIL used to say 'she boiled the snot out of it'. AND SHE MEANT THAT LITERALLY!! keep up the good work. love you to pieces for all youre doing for history!!!

[@HerLadyship1800]

Congratz Max on closing in on one million subscribers. Can't wait to see you reach it!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you 😊

[@WatersEdge337]

It's sad that Max was so careless as to eat so much of a mince pie at once. Doesn't he know how dangerous those things are? He will be fondly remembered.

[@JerryB507]

I'm quite sure he ingested some Michigan Bay Sand before consuming such.

[@foxyfoxington2651]

It's OK they're round and don't have any corners.

[@rhichi11]

@@foxyfoxington2651 Would have been better if they were boat shaped.

[@anngrimm6599]

@@JerryB507 does it count WHEN you consume the sand? I’ve certainly ingested plenty over my lifetime.

[@rickcoona]

@Fox Foxington That's because everybody knows that "pi R Square" is incorrect. Pi(e) R round. Cornbread R Square! 😈

[@stevenduvall2549]

Max Miller is an amazing and entertaining teacher because he brings his own genuine awe and curiosity to every topic he posts. And although I'm not really a cook, the wonderful history and etymology keep me addicted to this great channel.

[@2615ParkAvenueAssociates]

Hello Mr. Max! It is December 2022 and I have just discovered your posts which are delightful because you make them so. My Victorian grandmother made mince pies with meat--beef or venison--and suet much like your original receipt which called for a pound of this and a pound of that which she canned. In the last ten years, I have made it with this recipe and found that rather than canning it can be frozen or even refrigerated with no ill effect. I know this recipe was her great-grandmother's so it must go back tot he Civil War. Thanks for your posts, those on the Titanic recipes were great fun and I note that you have replica dinnerware from that historic ship. Thanks again, your new fan, Edward.

[@Deatheater4444]

"The Puritan hated bear-baiting, not because it gave pain to the bear, but because it gave pleasure to the spectators." -Thomas Babington Macauly, also explaining why Cromwell hated those perfidious mince pies.

[@vanessamoore5621]

The Bible says The Lord loves a cheerful giver , and make a joyful noise to praise Him , so WHY was Oliver such a sour-pussed grouch ?!?! 😂

[@russellwall1964]

“… I bedight mine with powdered sugar.” Yes Max, not only have you helped to bring that word back, you’ve got me using it too! Thanks for another wonderful video!

[@Nikkimommyof4]

He always makes history seem so much more interesting than what we learned in the classroom. If only actual classes could be this interesting. More kids would be engaged in the topic.

[@jacquelyns9709]

Nikki Well researched and written historical novels (not historical romances; most aren't researched deeply enough) are a great way to get kids interested in history. Unfortunately I can't recommend current titles. I'm in my 70s and have lost touch with current kids' authors.

[@cipher3966]

I prefer channels like this because you can learn more about the daily lives and how they thought back then. At least when I was in school it was facts and dates and how well you could memorise them

[@IonIsFalling7217]

(Breathes deeply, trying not to hype homeschooling)

[@ttt5020]

exactly! I cant stand history, least favorite subject by miles. but here i am subscribed to this channel!

[@NODnuke45]

I learned a lot, and was inspired to learn a lot more, from playing video games, believe it or not. Games with plots involving scientific and science fiction plot points inspired me to learn about the actual science they were based on. Games with stories involving history and politics and sociology made me want to learn about those topics, etc..

[@cassmacdonald-perfectlyimp2486]

If you’re planning on keeping the mincemeat for a long time, with or without meat, it’s important to slowly warm the mix up to melt the suet so it covers all the fruit - especially the apples - to seal it all in, before putting it into sterilised jars. If the fruit isn’t sealed in suet, it will ferment and go off. I take this from Delia Smith’s Christmas recipes 😁

[@maidenminnesota1]

That "Chicago" reference and song just earned you a new subscriber! My mom would make modern mince pie for Thanksgiving because my grandpa loved it. We, as kids, couldn't stand it, but we'd eat it anyway because that's how we were raised. You ate what was put in front of you, and you didn't argue or complain. The last time she made one, she was taking it out of the oven, and as she turned to put it on the table to cool, it upended out of her hands and onto the floor. She sat down on that floor in the middle of the sticky mess and cried and cried! I felt so bad for her. She never made another one after that. Mind you, mom had polio when she was a child, and had a lame right leg. She could walk, but not well, and would lose her balance easily. My guess is the act of turning caused her to feel she was going to fall, and she dropped the pie in order to regain her balance. Poor mom. God, how I miss her.

[@andyleighton6969]

Not just Victorian, my Mum was a Scot and as kids when we had a "proper" High Tea she'd often do a big lattice topped tart with real mince

[@lhfirex]

I don't think I'd actually like living in Victorian times, but boy do their images make me think of Christmas more than any other historical era.

[@gothicc6544]

I want the aesthetic and prescribed cocaine back, but not the values.

[@elizabethfortunato3371]

I had my husband subscribe to help get you to a million. We love this channel. Side note on Mincemeat and Plum pudding: My mom and grandmother prepared the mincemeat and pudding on the 1st Sunday of Advent. This gave both enough time to develop flavor. In time, it became my job to make the pudding while mom made the mincemeat. My mom was a nurse and never bought my granny's assurances that with enough brandy would render it safe for year to year. So she only made enough for the holidays. I stopped making both after mom passed away. You've made me nostalgic. Think I'll give it a go! Merry Christmas Max!

[@gothicc6544]

@@elizabethfortunato3371 Heads up, you replied to someone else instead of directly to Max's channel.

[@seraiharper5553]

That's mainly because they're the ones who invented what we think of as "Christmas". It was a different kind of holiday in the centuries before that. Pretty much everything we think of connected to it came from Victoria's family and the German influence of her husband Albert.

[@Tea_and_Crafts]

@@gothicc6544 or the poisonous milk, the bread so white you have to wonder if it's actually mostly plaster (it's definitely plaster) or the very real danger of being blown up or electrocuted by any of the 'appliances'...... Yeah I have to agree with you, the aesthetics were cool.

[@tamaraandersson2532]

The enigmatic deity that is *the Algorithm* recommended this channel as far back as the third episode, and boy am I glad it did! Since then, I've been so happy and impressed to see how much it's grown (and a tiny bit proud, because I've sent links to basically everyone I know!). Looking forward to the 1 million subscibers episode, Max!

[@TastingHistory]

Thanks for sticking with me!

[@tamaraandersson2532]

@@TastingHistory My mother taught me both how to cook and how to spot a keeper! ❤ Happy holidays to you and yours!

[@adamhutchings4023]

I started watching you back before 100k in June 2020, it's SO CRAZY to see you almost at 1M subs so fast! You definitely deserve all of the recognition though, your videos are amazing!

[@millicentryan7580]

My mom always makes a mincemeat pie for my dad at Christmas (none of the rest of us eat it). It was something that his family always had but instead of beef, they made it with minced venison.

[@kirstenpaff8946]

Some American mincemeat brands (especially None Such, which is one of the more common brands of mincemeat) actually still use meat (generally just listed as beef) in their filling. Always double check the ingredient list for store bought mincemeat if you are feeding it to vegetarians.

[@lenabreijer1311]

That is probably the suet.

[@davidthedeaf]

Vegetarians can eat apple pie. Mincemeat ought to be made right or it isn’t mincemeat.

[@frenchfriar]

Nonesuch carries meatless mince too.

[@oO0catty0Oo]

To be fair pie crust usually has lard which vegetarians can't eat. And most mincemeats have lard as well. Mostly vegetarians know what they can and can't have just keep the ingredient list handy for them to check.

[@pablodelsegundo9502]

I'd so be here for this if any other dried fruit but raisins were used. Apricots and cherries sound like FAB substitutes. Live deliciously, Max!

[@TastingHistory]

Nobody will mind if you change the fruit, I promise 😄

[@revmaillet]

I use apricots and dried cranberries in mine with either beef tongue or sirloin.

[@adedow1333]

I used a huge combination of dried fruits and beef for my mincemeat. I also changed out the alcohol for other juice and it was really yummy

[@abracadaverous]

Try it with actual dried blackcurrants.

[@DIEGhostfish]

Craisins are nice too. And SOME raisins are nice.

[@egrettacaerulea]

My mom makes this. She uses candied ginger, dates, a variety of dried fruits, and smoked beef, plus most of the expected ingredients. Also, recently, she's taken to adding cranberry juice and fresh cranberries -- much to the dish's detriment. Though it may add to the preservative effect.

[@morealias]

i like the ginger... I think I'm a gonna yoink that idea from your Mom... and I think I'll try smoked meat, that sounds like it'll add a nice kick.

[@3asianassassin]

Tell her to keep the cranberry juice out of it, that stuff is loaded with sugar and is not healthy at all. Actually, most fruit juices sold on the market hold more sugar than most sodas.

[@egrettacaerulea]

@@3asianassassin "Tell" her? I prefer my head on my shoulders lol Additionally, 1) Pretty sure she uses undiluted cranberry juice (i.e. former health aisle tiny glass jar stuff), and 2) That early 2000's stuff diluted with apple/grape/pear might be appropriate for a semi-sweet pie, and be less intense -- though still not needed.

[@owlislike]

Oooh. Smoked beef sounds amazing. I will have to try that.

[@toeknee5464]

the filling would get better the longer you leave it like a salami, a lot of these kind of heavy spiced fermented stuff was a way to preserve without a fridge but almost by accident they are also tastier because of the fermentation, like salamis that hang at room temp or cheese stored outside of a fridge just gets better, I do it

[@charlesewan8096]

This is a classic recipe! My dad loved this stuff! He was a butcher by trade and earned extra money every fall by processing wild game. He saved elk and deer necks expressly for making mincemeat. He actually preferred this portion of the animal for this purpose. Every year he'd put mincemeat up in jars and he'd have mincemeat pies all year. He often used preserved mincemeat that was several years old and never suffered ill effects. I tried it many times but couldn't stand the stuff and still won't eat it. Thanks Max! This brought back some great memories! I love your channel!

[@abracadaverous]

That mincemeat pie defense is just a turn-of-the-century Twinkie defense.

[@RaccoonRecluse]

Properly made mincemeat last longer than any Twinkie you can't change my mind. XD

[@qhomee4594]

lol, it's probably outlawed in San Francisco

[@edithsmom6140]

My 78 year old aunt says she used to make mince meat in the 1960s with some deer meat her husband processed and her mother before her. I'm all for modern mincemeat Borden's None Such in the jar!

[@jep9092]

Wait.... she put mother into the pie?!?!

[@rejoyce318]

I grew up on the Borden's myself.

[@melbrod3868]

@@jep9092 Maybe this was a misprint--I imagine it was her husband's mother who ended up there.

[@midoriya-shonen]

That shot of the mincemeat surrounded by Christmas imagery as music played in the background ignited such a strong feeling of nostalgia that you would've thought I grew up in the Victorian Era. What a feeling. Props to both you and Jose for the great work this video!

[@MREmusique]

Mincemeat tarts/pies have always been a part of my family's Christmas tradition, surprisingly since we're French-Canadian. We have anglo ancestors on my dad's side, which is, I guess, where we got the habit of eating mincemeat pie. So I loved this video very much, and now am tempted to try your recipe! By the way, I guffawed at the Chicago excerpt. Only you, Max, only you could pull that off. 😄

[@leeannemyers4104]

This is also the way my grandmother and mother made mincemeat.... however, what I'm asking is, would you please make Eccles cakes? My mother in heaven had always looked for a recipe for them and I would like to make them with my sisters in her memory. Love your shows! Thank you

[@beowulfbelmont2578]

If anyone deserves to hit the million mark it's you, Max!

[@elizamccroskey1708]

Two years later and he's not far from a much deserved 3 million subscribers! 🥰

[@thefiddleronthegreen]

My grandma used to have my family over for Christmas dinner every year, and every year she'd make mincemeat tarts. I'm pretty sure they were meatless, although I do distinctly remember her mentioning using suet. She isn't able to do this anymore, and I've been thinking a lot about her and these tarts lately. Thank you for this reminder of some wonderful times that I miss dearly.

[@DarkPatu]

Finally back on schedule! Fun story about mincemeat (and spoilers for anyone playing Curse of Strahd), there's something in the adventure called 'dream pies' that has a mincemeat filling. I made a round of these for our players using veal, pork and beef, bing cherries, cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, chopped walnuts and molasses. They came out exceptionally well and it's been added to my rota!

[@FriendlyKitten]

oh yes :3 Puffin Forest, I watched their story on Strahd. The group I play with is ready to venture into Borovia soon!

[@DarkPatu]

@@FriendlyKitten is no fun, is no Blinski!

[@1234bobfox]

Dream pies made by hags were not made with... Traditional meats.

[@DarkPatu]

@@1234bobfox ...hence the veal.

[@liwiathan]

But were they good?

[@ArtemisDalmasca]

I love how much of what we consider beautiful, traditional Christmas items, be it food, decorations, carol's, caroling outfits and apparently even cards, came from the Victorian era.

[@Amanda-mf3dr]

I went to a wedding about 13 years ago between two people in their 90s. They told the story of how they'd met. Jim having been widowed twice, and missing some good home cooking, was shopping alone. He approached a woman and her friend and asked where he might find mincemeat. One of the women, Dorothy, took pity on him and directed him not only to the jar in question, but also to her home where she made him a pie, and they fell in love.

[@StonedtotheBones13]

That's so cute 🥺💜

[@kelseyhancher7237]

And Dorothy is okay still, right?

[@Amanda-mf3dr]

@kelseyhancher7237 that's a bit of an odd question, but may be in relation to the video, which is don't remember very well. They actually both passed away several years ago.

[@robind.2290]

They still make "real" mincemeat where deer hunting is a thing. I come from the northeast and have eaten mincemeat pie ( containing vension). My friends would make alot from the neck of the deer and would can it for later use.

[@rebeccacopp8000]

Every time my dad got a deer, mom made mincemeat with it and would freezer it. She learned from her grandmother. My dad's family would also make it and there is a story of my dad and his cousin going on a road trip in their younger days, my dad waking to the sound of the last of HIS mincemeat being scraped from the bottom the container.

[@AG-mt3xs]

I made homemade mincemeat one year, and you're so right. Beef suet is hard to find! The grocers where I live are pretty stingy because they use the beef suet for some of their ground meat. I found a small mom & pop grocer who ordered a pound for me. Super cheap, too!

[@SimonJ57]

Beef suet seems much more of a British thing. We have a company called Atora who has two Suet products. I pop down to my local "Asda" and find them in the home-baking section. One being a classic shredded Beef suet, the other being a vegetable suet, lord knows how it's achieved. Supposed to be good for making Dumplings, the kind you boil in a stew.

[@AG-mt3xs]

@@SimonJ57 I am pretty sure you're right. We mainly use suet for ground meats like hamburger or even sausage. I know many of our big game processors use beef suet when processing deer and very lean game. It's sad, really. The mincemeat pie was labor-intensive but fun to make, and it received high marks from my step-dad (whose mother was from London)....though he preferred the jarred stuff because it's what his mom always used. Lol

[@mothturtle7897]

@@SimonJ57 suet dumplings are amazing. A great winter comfort dish.

[@darriendastar3941]

@@SimonJ57 I tend to use vegetarian suet in things like Christmas puddings and any other kind of suet pudding or pie. The end result is a not as rich as the beef variety, but it's a lot lighter and more digestible. And freshly made dumplings are the dog's wotsits!

[@neilbarnes3557]

@@SimonJ57 Atora Beef Suet is the canonical British suet - and as you say it makes very good dumplings. Surprisingly, I can very occasionally find it in Berlin!

[@marjoriedonnett5467]

Mincemeat pie was my father's favorite pie at Christmas and my mom had to make one every year. My mom was a wonderful Southern cook and everything she made was heavenly.

[@ZealPropht]

I knew I wasn’t crazy! People kept insisting that mince meat pies have no meat, but I could have sworn I’d seen a recipe where it did. Thank you so much for proving me right! I think this might be my favorite episode!

[@brokendad2222]

My Mothers Mom was a first generation german immigrant. She made the best mince pies in the world. She also kept peach brandy on hand and was once accused of dosing a couple of unruly great grandchildren with said brandy. I have heard Puritians described as unhappy people that gleefully forced their grief on others.

[@jeff-crankyxer1931]

"Ox tongue or roast sirloin...I know which one I'm choosing..." Agreed, ox tongue is delicious. Fergus Henderson would approve!

[@bigjohnsbreakfastlog5819]

It's a real "Mountain Dew or crab juice" dilemma.

[@krankarvolund7771]

I thought exactly the same XD Although, I eat more pork tongue, ox tongue is a little expensive and big for one person ^^'

[@HellecticMojo]

@@bigjohnsbreakfastlog5819 "EuAGH! I'll take the crab juice"

[@melhawk8045]

Ox tongue is tasty, but I find the texture a little odd! Makes a good sandwich!

[@cipher3966]

@@bigjohnsbreakfastlog5819 I would consider trying crab juice as some sort of seafood sauce or gravy. It could be nice used that way

[@joannshupe9333]

I've been making "real" mincemeat for many years, with venison when I can get it, but I cook mine for about an hour before storing it in 1 qt freezer bags. 4C makes a pie, but lately I've been making tarts instead. I should mention that mincemeat, if cooked first and if sherry and brandy are added, does not really freeze and small amounts can be spooned out when desired. Also, for those who find it funny that people who won't eat a slice of mince pie will gobble it down when mixed in to other things, please try adding it to muffin and pancake batter; also to your favorite brownie recipe.

[@SombreroPharoah]

Made mincemeat cookies a few days ago. Cannot recommend it enough!

[@dkbjorn]

My grandmother used to make her mincemeat with venison. Usually a family friend would offer her the neck from the deer if they had a successful hunt. That was the preferred part of the dear as the meat would be pretty much in shreds after it was cooked and thus very easy to chop up. (No sense using perfectly fine steaks and roasts for something like that) I started making mincemeat when I was in high school and I would use green tomatoes along with a little suet rather than meat.

[@DrDoom-ph4gi]

My mother has made the “Mock Mincemeat” pie recipe from The Joy of Cooking every year for Christmas and Thanksgiving since 1987. Since 2011, I have made one as well, and we’ve had my uncle judge between them (except for last year obviously). It stands at 17-2 currently, not in my favor. I’m making my Christmas pie with more booze though this time…

[@marcowen1506]

"If in doubt, add more brandy" wise words from an elderly relation of mine, both of us from the country where mince pies originated. You can win anything if the judge loses the ability to stand up. Merry Christmas!

[@annas.770]

I've looked at that recipe myself when tempted to make mincemeat, but I'm always put off by the addition of crushed soda crackers. I'd much rather add butter. I mean, you need some fat to carry the flavours and cut the sugar a wee bit. Maybe try that? But make a test run first before the big showdown. And yes, I would at least double the amount of brandy. Good luck!

[@DrDoom-ph4gi]

@@gwennorthcutt421 yes, I think that’s it, but I call it a few rude names when I take it out of the oven to be sure 😝

[@DrDoom-ph4gi]

@@annas.770 when we were little my mom never put brandy in the pie. The soda crackers are a pretty minor addition, and I think they kind of just serve as a binder, it kind of blends in with everything else. I’ve forgotten them before with no major I’ll effects. I will try adding some butter on my next run, just to see how that works… I wonder if maybe giving the apples a bit of a sauté in some butter before adding the cranberry juice…. I’m going to have to make 2 pies. My plan for next weekend is set.

[@FRRobyn]

I once saw an elderly lady open an oven, slide out the rack, and pour 2 fingers of bourbon over the pecan pie she was baking. Then, and then only did she move the pie to the countertop. The odor of toasted nuts, fiery heated bourbon and caramelized sugar was truly divine.

[@anngrimm6599]

I have always made mincemeat as my mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother did (of Scottish descent on all sides) with lean meat (beef and/or venison) roasted in a slow oven in apple cider and minced, suet, apples, golden raisins, candied citron and lemon peel, a little sugar and salt, and all the spices you wish. I use cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg , mace, and allspice. It’s much moister than your recipe, because there is nearly twice the minced apple to the minced meat, and the remainder of the roasting cider is incorporated. I do both open and double crust pies, as well as miniature tarts, which in a good homemade crust are the perfect amuse-bouche. I grew up in good Scots Protestantism, which (by the time they reached Michigan) precluded spirits, but I’m willing to be persuaded. I absolutely prefer using a combination of currants with the raisins, but both currants and mace are increasingly difficult to find.

[@Ari-do2ks]

Sounds delicious

[@chrisanderson5317]

Mincemeat pies are one of my favorites. Unfortunately, they are hard to find anymore, at least on the west coast. Hot mince pie with vanilla ice cream is delightful.

[@pennycooks1389]

Very popular in Canada I just made a batch all homemade

[@regular-joe]

Winco grocery stores had frozen ones this last Christmas, but they sold out fast. Up until 20 years ago or so they were in all the stores during the holidays. Have never found out why they mostly disappeared.

[@nunyah9151]

Thanks Max! My wife made these and they were delicious! I had a bizarre daydream about fending off a giant snake and woke to my wife having been strangled, but that just means more mincemeat pies for me. Cheers!

[@TheCj126]

As Robin Williams once said about the Puritans, "how uptight do you have to be for even the English to say, "get the f*ck out" Keep up the good work as always!

[@TastingHistory]

🤣 so true

[@Beedo_Sookcool]

It was their hardline "no fun of any sort" standpoint that did it. We're not allowed booze? Take your buckle-heavy clothing and bugger off!

[@leaf900]

Hey! We only got slightly Puritanical during the Victorians. Before then we were having none of it ahahahaha (see how long we lasted under Cromwell before we in tears begged the Monarchy to come back and bring back parties)

[@EphemeralTao]

@@Beedo_Sookcool Funny thing was, the Puritans that got booted out to the "new world" weren't even the buckle-obsessed version. The various paintings and prints of the American Puritan "pilgrims" wearing the big fancy buckles are anachronistic. American Puritans did not wear any sort of buckle at all; only the English Puritans wore those, and even they did not wear the big fancy buckles at the time -- those did not became fashionable until decades later. There were multiple sects of Puritans, and the ones we got here in the states were basically yeeted out of merry old England by the rest of the Puritans, for being too fanatical even for them.

[@Beedo_Sookcool]

@@EphemeralTao We've still got an enclave of the Plymouth Brethren, back in Devonshire.

[@LarkusMalarky]

That *CHOMP* in the subtitles at the end is the cherry on top of another delightful episode!

[@thesleeperhasawakened7833]

I still make mincemeat from aa recipe now three generations old. For meat, it uses venison, usually from the neck, which is either boiled until tender or cooked in a pressure cooker. The meat is already in long 'shreds' as it is from the neck and is simply cut into shorter 'shreds'.. The recipe calls for an assortment of fruits from cherries, apples, raisins, and currants to candied rind and a whole lemon and orange that are ground up ( in an old-fashioned hand grinder) and mixed with sugar, wine, spices, and either brandy, rum, or sherry and then put into quart jars and canned. I usually only make 1 pie per year since only a few like it. Last year's pie was made from a batch my father made some 20 years ago, so yes it ages well, once sealed. This year will be from the first batch I made in 2006. The recipe makes about 14 quarts. 1 quart makes a 10" pie, and it is our tradition to do a lattice top crust, rather than no crust or a full crust. I was raised in rural Pennsylvania, so deer hunting was/is and annual event. The neck was always used for mincemeat. It's stringy texture made it less desirable in other dishes, but perfect for mincemeat.

[@simplyme8009]

You are in rare form today. Have giggled along with your story telling. Thank you for the history and the smiles.

[@marknesselhaus4376]

"She had it comin" Oh my, now I am laughing my backside off. This has to be one of your greatest videos :-D

[@poop696969poop]

The voice he put on was on point for "They both reached for the gun"

[@karriestewart2224]

I know! Bout fell off the couch laughing at that reference!

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Max really ought to break into showtunes more often.

[@ZipplyZane]

I loved it because it was exactly what I was thinking about as he read that. It sounded so much like the spin they give in that musical.

[@rochudek]

I actually came back to that part once after I finished watching the video. Sincere LOL moment

[@TessLikesStuff]

"She had it comin'!" - this is why we 💗 you Max 😂

[@Sniperboy5551]

I don’t get it

[@jaycee330]

@@Sniperboy5551 You'll have to watch the musical "Chicago" to get it.

[@jaycee330]

"They both reached for the pie."

[@4thGloriousReich]

Thanks!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you!

[@billweare2146]

I remember my grandma making mince pie during the holiday season when I was a child. I always thought that it was strange that she added left over minced pot roast to the pie. And I also remember that the pie was wonderful. Now 50 years later I find myself trying to re-create the pie that she made. Thank you Max for your efforts to continue tradition. It proves that history is not only important intellectually but can be delicious ! Merry Christmas!

[@mistertaz94]

Max: Who knows why they really hated them. Me: The Puritans hate everything. It's no special case.

[@e.urbach7780]

It was because mince pies tempted people to gluttony, which is a sin. There was always a reason behind the Puritans being against something!

[@gabbonoo]

@@e.urbach7780 Such aspirations! they are commendable in their discipline but it distracts from the priorities of Christianity. It's the same spiral the legalistic teachers arguing with Christ had.

[@fillhixx]

Because, like all who get caught up in their own doctrine, Puritans and evangelicals get so lost in the minutia they lose the plot and purpose of the original idea.

[@acreymundo]

😂 I had the very same thought!

[@PortmanRd]

Sorry for the Pilgrim Fathers America. 😂 🇬🇧

[@coryart]

"Which is why she's making like a wheelbarrow full of mincemeat" That cracked me up. LOL

[@goldenknight578]

I have fond memories of my grandmother's mincemeat pies from when I was a kid. How you described the taste of yours sounds very similar to what she made, but she was very secretive about the recipe so I have no idea how hers were made. What I probably remember most about them, though, was that she always put smiley faces in the top crust.

[@ksully6551]

Max, I love all the fooling around you do in this narrative, (and Chicago is my favorite musical), it's nice to see the sweet old kitchen too. We have mincemeat pies at Thanksgiving and Christmas here in New England in spite of our puritan, but perhaps because of our colonial past. My mom has a recipe for green tomato mincemeat to use up all the unripened tomatoes. It's pretty yummy, but I think I'll try this recipe this year. So glad you have been so successful and I am still learning history and good recipes from you every week, but couldya, wouldya go back to being a little more goofy?

[@toomiepal]

Fascinating episode! Always wondered about how actual meat was in mincemeat. And great to hear your singing voice. My mother would can green tomato mincemeat at the end of the growing season. The meatless recipe includes apples, raisins, spices, etc..She would use it to make pie size pies and a curried chicken dish. I still can her mincemeat when I have enough green tomatoes. Just introduced my cousin to your wonderful channel. Getting closer! Best wishes for hitting one million! And a beautiful, tasty season!

[@WaterZer0]

When you mentioned suet and preserving the food, this reminded me of pemmican. Obviously not quite the same, but it has a similar idea.

[@TigerlilyWarrior]

WOW! Max, you were my favorite new channel that popped up during the pandemic. The little show that could. And now here you are, almost at 1 million!?! Congratulations. Great job!

[@ActressNikiHart]

I was today years old when I realized Little Jack Horner was eating a mince meat pie, lol. One of a million reason I love this channel.

[@siiri2052]

i substitute suet with grated coconut fat (not oil, the solid type) as my sister is allergic to animal protein. it works quite well.

[@suegeorge998]

Max, thank you for choosing to do your channel instead of Disney! Our gain and I have already told my husband that for my birthday I'd like your upcoming Cookbook!

[@Jimmyinvictus]

Who knew the long, tasty road to a million subscribers would start (at least for me, and I suspect I'm not alone) with garum? You've got this Max!

[@GavinPetty]

This is the first channel that's large that i've been watching early on. glad to have been able to watch this channel grow and improve!

[@eledatowle7128]

Best episode ever, Max! So funny we were laughing til there were tears! I fondly remember my great aunt's mincemeat pies! Every hunting season, the successful men "donated" the neck meat from their deer to her and she used them for mincemeat. She'd make up big batches in large mason jars, and then at Christmas, her pies were in high demand. There's nothing like it. Thanks for bringing back that memory... Now I have to find a relative who has her recipe so I can try my hand at it!

[@Susan-j9z]

My mother was born in 1901. She made mincemeat with deer meat or beef. Venison is so lean she said she added more suet. Over the years she changed to modern mincemeat but, she always said mincemeat with meat was the best!

[@carolinea3899]

I’ve never had mincemeat pie and always wanted to. I’m glad I watched this video so now I know that todays mincemeat has no meat 😭 the way you describe the one you made is exactly how I imagined it tasting, I’ll have to try it out. :) I love savory sweet spiced things. :)

[@rosswebster7877]

Damn Max, you're just killing it this Holiday season!

[@dawn5227]

One of my favourite memories of Christmas was baking mince pies on Christmas eve with my mum. However my mum never bothered with making her own mince meat. Beef suet is quite easy to get here in the uk, nothing compares to real suet.

[@blanchequizno7306]

BTW, in French, a terminal "s" is *typically* not pronounced, but in a couple of examples - "cassis" and "fleur de lis", the terminal "s" IS pronounced. "Cass-eess" and "fleur de LEESS".

[@blueberrypanquakes]

My grandmother always made her mincemeat with venison. There really is no beating that.

[@krissielongknife1479]

I think my grandmother also used venison. Lol , I don't eat minced meat but my husband and I were just talking about it. We made a fruit cake. We were wondering it it was the same type of fruit. They are close enough, im going to try

[@benthrasher9739]

Max, have you ever tried beef tongue? It's actually very delicious. A favorite of mine when I hit the mom and pop taco shop on the other side of town.

[@thecook8964]

Get an insta pot. Lengua tacos in no time, but tongue is now pricey

[@marleneclough3173]

After it has boiled and skin removed curl it up in a all round tin put a plate and weight on top and put in fridge next day you can slice it lovely in sandwiches and salad

[@dianebekel9326]

Beef tongue is terrific when it is corned…use a corned beef recipe to make it. 👍

[@kakarikiyazoo]

I used to go to a deli that had the most delicious tongue sandwiches! Sad when they closed down.

[@Ursulla55555]

This video is so extra with the acting and I love every second of it. One excuse to use the hardtack clip and it would be my favourite episode so far!

[@AianaRaven]

I was drinking when made the "have you eaten your sand today?" joke and I spluttered all over my keyboard.

[@vaprebluemike7520]

Every episode is pure delight! You really deserve more than a million subscribers. Thank you for all the delicious wonderful history and all the effort you invest. Hope your Christmas and holidays are joyful!

[@banana9106]

Years ago I had some traditional mincepies. They had half minced lamb and half fruit with a very litle clove and considerably more nutmeg/mace. They were delicious.

[@saradovale9918]

"Idolatry in crust!" OMG loved this. Absolutely adore this channel and how much I learn from you Max! Keep up the amazing work 🙌🏼❤

[@CZPanthyr]

I love this channel, and have been subscribed since it was in its infancy. I highly recommend it to everyone and share your recipes all of the time. I was already aware of Eliza Acton's cookbook, and this particular recipe, from watching both Victorian Farm and Victorian Farm Christmas. I highly recommend those two series.