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Shakespearean Meat Pies

Professor Ken Albala shares his take on Funeral Baked Meats, Elizabethan Era Meat Pies from Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 45 mins
Total Time
3 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 333 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Pastry Ingredients
  • 4 cups pastry flour (use pastry flour for a flakier result)
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup water
  • 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
Filling Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound veal shoulder meat (weight should not include bone)
  • 1 pound suet (or raw beef fat - suet preferable, finely chopped but not into a paste)
  • 1/4 pound dried currants
  • 1/4 pound dates
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon mace
  • 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 tablespoon ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large pot, cover the veal with cold water. Cover pot with a lid and simmer until tender, about 1 ½ hours. 
  2. Drain and allow the veal to cool. Then chop it finely with the chopped suet or beef fat. Note that suet will produce a better texture result; beef fat will make for a greasier pie, but it is easier to locate than suet so we add it here as an alternative. Add in currants, chopped dates, sugar and spices. Set aside.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.To make crust, first melt the butter in 1 cup of water. Heat just until the butter is melted, do not boil.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, make a well in the center of the 4 cups of flour. Mix in water/melted butter mixture until well combined. Let sit until it reaches room temperature. Mix in egg yolks. The dough should come together as a ball.
  5. Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes, then divide into 4 equal portions. 
  6. On a floured surface roll the dough to 1/16 inch thickness, then cut out 24 4-inch circles. Roll out remaining dough and cut into 24 3-inch circles.
  7. Place the larger dough circles into the bottoms of a greased muffin tin, then spoon in 2 tbsp of filling. 
  8. Top with the smaller dough circles, pressing down to make sure that there are no air pockets between the dough and the filling. Use a fork to crimp the top and bottom edges together.
  9. Make a vent in the top by cutting a small “x” in the center.
  10. Place muffin tins on a baking sheet, then bake for 1 hour rotating the pan halfway through, till golden brown and baked through.
  11. If you open the oven and see that fat is draining from the pies onto the baking sheet, don't worry, this is likely to happen (especially when using beef fat in place of suet) and will not ruin the pies.
  12. Serve warm or at room temperature (we preferred them warm). They are similar to sweet mince pies. Note they tend to get greasy after sitting for prolonged periods of time; keep pies separated by layers of parchment or wax paper when storing.

Notes

  • You will also need: 2 muffin tins (1 dozen each tin), mixing bowls, large pot with lid, small saucepan, 4 inch biscuit ring, 3 inch biscuit ring, sheet tray, rolling pin, flat surface for rolling, fork, knife
  • Adapted from The Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchen

Nutrition Information

Calories 333kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 27g (9%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 23g (35%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Cholesterol 46mg (15%) Sodium 93mg (4%) Potassium 180mg (5%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 12g (24%) Vitamin A 140IU (3%) Vitamin C 0.2mg (0%) Calcium 19mg (2%) Iron 1.1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 333

% Daily Value*

Calories 333kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 27g 9%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 23g 35%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Cholesterol 46mg 15%
Sodium 93mg 4%
Potassium 180mg 4%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 12g 24%
Vitamin A 140IU 3%
Vitamin C 0.2mg 0%
Calcium 19mg 2%
Iron 1.1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.