MINCE MEAT.
This inevitable Christmas luxury is vastly improved by being mixed some days before it is required for use; this gives the various ingredients time to amalgamate and blend.
Peel, core, and chop fine a pound of pippin apples, wash and clean a pound of Zante currants, stone one pound of bloom raisins, cut into small pieces a pound of citron, remove the skin and gristle from a pound and a half of cold roast or boiled beef, and carefully pick a pound of beef suet; chop these well together. Cut into small bits three-quarters of a pound of mixed candied orange and lemon peel; mix all these ingredients well together in a large earthen pan. Grate one nutmeg, half an ounce of powdered ginger, quarter of an ounce of ground cloves, quarter of an ounce of ground allspice and coriander seed mixed, and half an ounce of salt. Grate the yellow rind of three lemons, and squeeze the juice over two pounds of fine sugar. Put the grated yellow rind and all the other ingredients in a pan; mix well together, and over all pour one pint of brandy, one pint of sherry, and one pint of hard cider; stir well together, cover the pan closely, and when about to use the mince meat, take it from the bottom of the pan.