If you have ever munched a mince pie, you will know that they don’t contain any actual mince. They are as central to the festive season as Christmas decorations – but why on earth are they called mince pies?
A mince mystery
The festive fave that we call the mince pie is a sweet treat, not a savoury one. The filling is a mix of dried fruits like currants, sultanas and raisins, plus citrus fruits such as orange or lemon zest and grated apple.
Mince pies also contain suet, spices and a sweetener. This blend is referred to as mincemeat, but as you will note, mince is nowhere to be found.
History, not mystery
Actually though, the answer is rather simple – it’s all about history. The mince pie dates all the way back to the Middle Ages. At that time, the filling consisted of chopped fruits and meats that had been minced very finely. Suddenly, the name starts to make a lot more sense.
Mincing the meat was viewed as an alternative to drying, curing or salting as a way of keeping it fresh. The pies continued to feature minced meat until near the end of the Victorian era. Early in the 20th century, meat was dropped from the recipe and the pies changed from a blend of savoury and sweet to just the latter. The modern mince pie took its place at the heart of Christmas. For some reason though, no one thought to give it a new name!
