Mince Meat. (No. 1.)

Six pounds of beef (the round is the best piece). Put it on to boil in hot water enough to cover it; salt it and take off the scum as it rises; let it boil until tender, take from the fire, and let it stand over night to get thoroughly cold; pick bones, gristle, or stringy bits from the meat, chop very fine, mincing at the same time two pounds nice beef suet; seed and cut four pounds raisins, wash and dry five pounds of currants, slice thin one pound of citron, chop some tart apples; take one-third meat and two-thirds of apples, mix all the ingredients in a large pan, add two ounces of cinnamon, one of cloves, one of ginger, three nutmegs, the juice and grated rind of two lemons, one tablespoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of pepper, and five pounds of sugar, one quart of boiled cider, one pint of currant or grape juice (canned when grapes are turning from green to purple), one pint of molasses, and if you have any syrup left from sweet pickles, add some of that; two pounds of French prunes stoned and cooked before adding. Put all in a porcelain kettle and simmer all day on the back part of the range. You can double this recipe, and can it up in glass jars for the next year, and you will find the mincemeat greatly improved as well as convenient.

The above is a good formula to use, but, of course, may be varied to suit different tastes or the material at hand. If too rich, add more chopped apples. Good preserves, marmalades, spiced pickles, currant, or grape jelly, canned fruit, dried cherries, and strong green tea, may be used. The mince meat is better to stand several days, before baking into pies, as the materials will be more thoroughly incorporated.

Mince Meat. (No. 2.)

One bowlful each of chopped meat and suet, six bowlfuls of apples, two pounds of raisins, four pounds each of currants and sugar, one quart of boiled cider, one pint of molasses, one tablespoonful of salt, one-half teaspoonful of black pepper, one teaspoonful of cloves, three tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, two of allspice, one of mace and nutmeg, one-half pound of citron if you like. Mix the mince meat well and boil it all day on the back of the range. When you make the pies add one lemon to six pies.

Rich Mince Meat. (No. 3.)

Boil beef tongue until tender (pickled); when cold chop it fine, and add to it two pounds of zante currants, twelve large apples, chopped fine, two pounds of suet, chopped fine, two pounds of raisins, four pounds of sugar, the grated rind of one and the juice of two oranges, a cupful each of strawberry and raspberry jam, a cupful of quince preserves, two cupfuls of strong, green tea, three-fourths pound of citron, shreded fine, two tablespoonfuls of ground cinnamon, one tablespoonful of nutmeg. Moisten it with the spiced vinegar from the sweet peach pickle jar, add the juice and grated rind of four lemons. Mix all together well, and simmer slowly for three hours on the back of the range.

Mock Mince Pie

Six soda crackers, rolled fine, two cupfuls of cold water, one cupful of molasses, same of brown sugar, one-half cup of vinegar, one cupful of boiled cider, one and one-half cupfuls of melted butter, one cupful of raisins, seeded and chopped, one cupful of currants, two eggs, one tablespoonful cinnamon and allspice mixed, one teaspoonful of nutmeg, cloves, salt, and black pepper. This quantity will make four pies.