Caribou Mincemeat Pie
Submitted by ivona
Old-fashioned mincemeat pie with ground caribou, apple cider, raisins, currants, and warm spices, spiked with brandy. A lattice-topped holiday classic with a wild game twist.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
3 hrsREADY
4 hrsThis is mincemeat the way it was meant to be made, with actual meat in it.
Ground caribou simmers for hours alongside apple cider, raisins, currants, chopped apples, and a full lineup of warm spices: cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.
A splash of brandy or dark rum goes in after it cools, and then the whole mixture sits overnight so the flavors meld into something deeply rich and complex.
Pour it into a pastry crust, weave a lattice top, and bake until golden and bubbling.
Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’ve got a pie that connects you straight back to the old traditions.
Chef Tips
- Make the mincemeat filling well ahead. It improves with time and can be stored in a crock for up to two weeks, or frozen for months.
- Stir occasionally during the long simmer and add water as needed to prevent sticking. The mixture should be thick but not scorched.
- Use a tart apple like Granny Smith so the filling isn’t cloyingly sweet against all that dried fruit.
- The filling also works in tarts, turnovers, or spooned warm over ice cream if you don’t want to fuss with a full pie.
Ingredients
Directions
In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine cider, raisins, and currants.
Cover and heat to boiling over high heat.
Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add apples, caribou, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and allspice.
Simmer 2 hours longer.
Add water as necessary to keep mincemeat from sticking to saucepan.
Cool mincemeat to room temperature, add the liquor and let sit at least overnight before making pies.
Mincemeat can be kept in a cool place in a stone crock for 2 weeks, canned or frozen.
If frozen, thaw mincemeat before making pie.
Prepare pastry and refrigerate until ready to use-at least 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Divide pastry; roll out bottom crust and roll out and cut strips for a top lattice.
Carefully spoon mincemeat into crust-lined pie plate.
Place pastry strips one at a time across mincemeat to create a woven grid.
Lift edge of bottom crust over ends of strips.
Pinch together and flute edge.
Bake pie 50 to 55 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and filling bubbles.
Cool 10 minutes on wire rack before cutting.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.
Comments
