Home  |  Recipes  |  Diet Recipes  |  Dinner Party Menus  |  Food History  |  Culinary Dictionary  |  Diet, Health & Beauty

During the Depression in the 1930s, my grandfather used to call venison "land salmon" because the deer that he killed were out of season. He hunted deer all year long to feed his family. My mother said that he always shared it with his neighbors.

Learn more about mincemeat
 

4 pounds venison, elk, or beef
Water
2 1/2 cups suet, finely chopped
7 1/2 cups chopped tart apples
3 cups liquid which venison or elk was cooked in
5 cups sugar
3 cups apple cider
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3 cups raisins
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons ground allspice
2 tablespoons ground nutmeg
Juice of 2 lemons
Juice of 2 oranges
1 cups brandy or sherry

Trim fat from meat. In a large heavy pan over medium heat, place meat; cover with water and simmer until the meat is tender. Remove from heat and refrigerate meat in cooking liquid overnight. Remove from refrigerator and remove meet from liquid. Remove all fat from top of liquid; reserve liquid. Separate meat from ones, discard bones. Chop cooked meat into small cubes.

In a large pot, combine meat cubes, suet, apples, reserved liquid, sugar, apple cider, molasses, cider vinegar, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, lemon juice, and orange juice; simmer for 2 hours. remove from heat. Add brandy or sherry and mix together.

Refrigerate or pack in hot sterile jars and seal.