Mincemeat
Mincemeat was originally a way of preserving meat without using the smoking or salting methods. Today, mincemeat is a mixture of fruits, mostly dried, preserved in alcohol and sugar. The only reminder of the past is the addition of suet. Pot and cover mincemeat in the same way as jam.
Vegetarian Mincemeat
Vegetarian ‘suet’ is now available from supermarkets and can be substituted for beef suet in any of the following recipes.
Mincemeat-Making Problems
Fermentation: This is usually marked by oozing out of the jars, and is generally caused by lack of care in preparation, eg. mixing on a floury board, insufficient sugar, not enough lemon juice, unsuitable apples, or poor storage conditions. Possibly the most frequent cause is using insufficient sugar, or the inclusion in the mixture of too large a proportion of soft sweet or semi-sweet apples instead of a measured quantity of hard sour apples. It is important not to introduce excess flour, but small amounts of flour, such as are contained in packaged suet, do not seem to cause trouble. If fermentation has occurred, boil the mincemeat in a saucepan, and re-pot in sterilised jars. This will spoil the natural appearance, but will not affect the taste of the finished product. Fermentation should not, however, be confused with the juiciness which develops once the sugar has begun to form a syrup. This syrupy condition is a sign that the mincemeat is maturing well.
Drying after storage: If mincemeat becomes dry with keeping, stir in a little of the type of alcohol used in the original mixture.
Recipes for mincemeat
Mixed Fruit and Nut Mincemeat
7.6 kg (3 ½ lb) dried mixed fruit
225g (8 oz) cooking apples, peeled, cored and grated
100g (4 oz) blanched almonds, chopped
450g (1 lb) dark brown sugar
175g (6 oz) shredded suet
5 ml (1 tsp) grated nutmeg
5 ml (7 tsp) ground cinnamon
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
grated rind and juice of 1 orange
300 ml (½ pint) brandy or sherry
Put the dried fruits, apples and almonds in a large bowl. Add the sugar, suet, spices, lemon and orange rinds and juice and brandy or sherry, then mix all the ingredients together thoroughly. Cover the mincemeat and leave to stand for 2 days. Stir well, put into jars and cover as for jam. Allow at least 2 weeks to mature before using.
Note: For mincemeat that will keep well, use a firm, hard type of apple, such as Wellington; a juicy apple, such as Bramley’s, may make the mixture too moist.
Cherry and Nut Mincemeat
175g (6 oz) currants
175 g (6 oz) seedless raisins
175g (6 oz) sultanas
225g (8 oz) glacé cherries
225g (8 oz) cooking apples, peeled, cored and grated
100g (4 oz) walnuts, chopped
100g (4 oz) shredded suet
350g (12 oz) demerara sugar
5 ml (1 tsp) ground mixed spice
300 ml (½ pint) brandy or rum
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well together, cover and leave for 2 days. Stir well, put into jars and cover as for jam. Allow at least 2 weeks to mature before using.
Eliza Acton’s Mincemeat
4 lemons
350g (12 oz) currants
350g (12 oz) seedless raisins
350g (12 oz) chopped mixed peel
350g (12 oz) apples, peeled and cored (prepared weight)
350g (12 oz) shredded suet
450g (1 lb) sugar
5 ml (1 tsp) ground mace
5 ml (1 tsp) ground cloves
5 ml (1 tsp) ground ginger
5 ml (1 tsp) salt
about 300 ml ( ½ pint) rum or brandy
Put the lemons in a saucepan of water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. Meanwhile, mince the fruit and suet and mix well together. When the lemons are soft, cut them open, remove the pips and mince the rind and pulp. Add to the rest of the fruit with the sugar, spices, salt and rum or brandy (using more if liked). Mix well, put into jars and cover as for jam. Allow at least 2 weeks to mature before using.
Note: This mincemeat improves with storing and keeps for 1 year. If necessary, add a little more rum or brandy to moisten.
Apricot and Orange mincemeat
225 g (8 oz) dried apricots, soaked overnight
grated rind and juice of2 large oranges
225g (8 oz) seedless raisins
225g (8 oz) currants
225g (8 oz) sultanas
100 g (4 oz) chopped mixed peel
450g (1 lb) demerara sugar
100g (4 oz) blanched almonds, chopped
225g (8 oz) shredded suet
30 ml (2 tbsp) marmalade
10 ml (2 tsp) ground mixed spice
2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
60 ml (4 tbsp) sherry
100 ml (4 fl oz) rum
Drain the apricots, pat dry with absorbent kitchen paper and chop. Mix the grated orange rind and juice, the dried Fruit (including the apricots), mixed peel, sugar, almonds, suet, marmalade, spice and salt thoroughly together. Cover and leave for 24 hours. Add the sherry and rum and stir well to mix, then pot and cover as for jam.
Almond Whisky Mincemeat
100 g (4 oz) blanched almonds, finely chopped
100 g (4 oz) no-soak dried apricots, finely chopped
50 g (2 oz) dried jigs, finely chopped
50 g (2 oz) stoned dried dates, finely chopped
350 g (12 oz) cooking apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
225g (8 oz) sultanas
150 g (5 oz) seedless raisins
175g (6 oz) shredded suet
5 ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
5 ml (1 tsp) grated nutmeg
pinch of ground allspice
100g (4 oz) dark brown soft sugar
300 ml (1/2 pint) whisky
finely grated rind and juice of 2 oranges
finely grated rind and juice of 1 small lemon
Put the almonds, apricots, figs, dates and apples in a non-metallic bowl with the next eight ingredients. Stir in the grated rind and strained juice of the oranges and lemon, Cover and leave to stand overnight. Stir well, pack tightly into jars and cover as for jam. Store in a cool, dry place for about 6 weeks before using. (Will store for a further 3 months.)
Citrus Mincemeat
100 g (4 oz) each dried apricots, raisins and flaked almonds
350g (12 oz) sultanas
225g (8 oz) carrots, peeled and grated
175 g (6 oz) shredded suet
100g (4 oz) dark brown scf sugar
7.5 ml (1 1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon
2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) grated nutmeg
6 whole green cardamoms
finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime
45 ml (3 tbsp) Grand Marnier
150 ml (1/4pint) medium sherry
Snip the apricots into small pieces and place in a bowl with the roughly chopped raisins, almonds and sultanas. Stir in the carrot with the suet, sugar and ground spices. Split the cardamoms and remove the seeds. Crush the seeds, using a pestle and mortar or in a strong bowl with the end of a rolling pin. Add to the fruit with the orange, lemon and lime rinds and 90 ml (6 tbsp) strained mixed juices. Pour in the Grand Marnier and sherry and stir well to mix. Leave to stand for about 1 hour, then pack tightly into jars and cover as for jam. Store in a cool place for at least 2 weeks before using.
Apricot, Walnut and Cointreau Mincemeat
350 g (12 oz) no-soak dried apricots, chopped
225g (8 oz) sultanas
100g (4 oz) chopped mixed peel
175g (6 oz) walnut halves, chopped
225g (8 oz) stoned dried dates, chopped
15 ml (1 tbsp} ground mixed spice
10 ml (2 tsp) ground cinnamon
100g (4 oz) dark brown of sugar
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
300 ml (1/2 pint) Cointreau
175g (6 oz} shredded suet
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and leave in a cool place for 2 days, stirring occasionally. Stir again, then pot and cover as for jam. Allow at least 2 weeks to mature before using.
Quick Mincemeat
225 g (8 oz) cooking apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
450g (1 lb) seedless raisins and currants, mixed, or
450g (1 lb) sultanas
100 g (4 oz} chopped mixed peel
100g (4 oz) demerara sugar
225g (8 oz) seedless green grapes, skinned and chopped
grated rind of 1 orange and 1 lemon
15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
5 ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon or mixed spice
a pinch of salt
This is a quick, fruity mincemeat, not suitable for long keeping, but popular with those who do not like suet. Mix the apples, dried fruit and peel in a large bowl. Add the sugar and mix well together. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, pot and cover as for jam. Store in a cool place for no more than a week.
Spicy Carrot Mincemeat
225g (8 oz) cooking apples, peeled and cored
100g (4 oz) carrots, peeled
450g (1lb) suItanas
225g (8 oz) currants
grated rind and juice of 1 orange
100g (4 oz) shredded suet
pinch of salt
100 g (4 oz) demerara sugar
60 ml (4 tbsp) sherry
5 ml (1 tsp) grated nutmeg
5 ml (1 tsp) ground cloves
5 ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
5 ml (1 tsp) ground allspice
Finely grate the apples and carrots. Place in a large bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Mix well together. Put into jars and cover as for jam. Allow 2 weeks to mature before using
Mixed fruit Mincemeat
100g (4 oz) dried apricots
100g (4 oz) dried flgs
100 g (4 oz) chopped mixed peel
225g (8 oz) currants
225 g (8 oz) seedless raisins
225g (8 oz) sultanas
225g (8 oz) shredded suet
175 g (6 oz) chopped mixed nuts
450g (1 lb) demerara sugar
30 ml (2 tbsp) orange marmalade
finely grated rind and juice of 1 medium orange
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
45 ml (3 tbsp) rum
45 ml (3 tbsp) sherry
Snip the apricots and figs in small pieces into a large bowl. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix together. Stir in the marmalade with the finely grated orange and lemon rinds. Add the orange and lemon juices with the rum and sherry. (If the mincemeat is to be stored for more than 6 weeks, add an extra 45 ml/3 tbsp each of rum and sherry.) Mix well. Pack into warmed jars and cover as for jam. Store for at least 1 week before use.
____________________________________________________________________
If you require a high quality printout of this article, just click on the printer symbol next to ’Share and enjoy’, and we will do the rest. This site is hosted by (click on the graphic for more information)
Return from mincemeat to Home Page
If you want to increase your site popularity and gain thousands of visitors – check out these sites THEY ARE FREE. Spanishchef more than doubled its ‘New Visitors’ last month simply by signing up to these sites:
Follow spanishchef.net on TWITTER