Perfect Mince Pies | Fruit Recipes | Jamie Oliver Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why should you stir mincemeat clockwise when making mince pies? ›

Traditions, folklore and superstitions

Stirring the mincemeat was quite an event, and English tradition dictates that it should only be stirred clockwise. Stirring the mincemeat anti-clockwise would lead to bad luck and poor fortune in the coming 12 months.

If you are wondering what the difference is between a mince pie and a mincemeat pie, wonder no more—they are the same thing.

We prefer to bake, cool and freeze. Then defrost and warm as and when needed. However you can freeze them uncooked. Open-freeze the mince pies in their oven trays then knock them out and store them in polythene bags for up to 3 months.

Heat a pile of mincemeat in a pan with sugar, orange and lemon juice, orange peel, half a cinnamon stick and brandy, wait for it to thicken and then stir in some whipping cream.

Prebake your crust

Prebaking provides insurance against soggy bottoms during a low and slow bake, which custard pies demand.” A preheated baking stone helps your pies brown on the bottom.

It has been claimed that eating the snack is illegal in England if done so on Christmas Day. The tradition comes from the time of Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s, when mince pies were banned at Christmas, along with other tasty treats. Cromwell wanted to tackle gluttony in England.

The mince pie was originally filled with meat but it's believed that it wasn't until the late Victorian period and the early 20th century that mince pies shifted to a pie made from fruit fillings. Is it still illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas day?

By the 18^th century cheaper cuts of meat such as tongue and tripe replaced the traditional mutton, pork, or beef, and around the middle of the century an even more important change occurred, the transformation of mince pies from a savoury to a sweet dish.

Brush the top of the mince pies with beaten egg to get a golden glaze. Bake the mince pies in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Leave the mince pies to cool in tthe tin for 10 minutes, and then carefully remove to cool fully.

Add chopped onions and seasonings. Basic spices are garlic, onion powder, salt pepper and paprika. For Italian style flavor add Italian seasoning, basil, oregano and thyme.

Why does my mincemeat taste bitter? ›

Perhaps you pressed too hard when you grated the zest? Sugar will counteract bitterness but as mincemeat contains a lot of sugar perhaps a few drops of vanilla extract would help.

Introducing our Minced Meat Spice Mix – Garden Herbs, specially crafted to enhance the flavour of your favourite Meat Dishes. With a perfect blend of aromatic herbs and spices like garlic, onion, paprika, and oregano, this seasoning ensures that every bite is bursting with savoury goodness.

English tradition demands that the mince meat mixture should only be stirred in a clockwise direction. To stir it anticlockwise is to bring bad luck for the coming year. Another English custom is for all the family to take a turn in stirring the mincemeat mixture whilst making a wish.

Episode 9: Dumpling Tips and Tricks Tip #1: Mix the filling in one direction. This helps create myosin which is a protein structure that helps the filling stick together and to make it more tender when cooking.

Adding too much meat will reduce the temperature of the pan and the meat will not brown. It will release all of its liquid becoming tough, stewed and grey. Avoid over-stirring the mince as it fries. Allow the mince to develop a good brown colour before breaking it up and turning.