Thought I'd share my family mincemeat recipe

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mcduff1979

Assistant Cook
Joined
Nov 15, 2016
Messages
28
Location
London
hi all,

Well as were a month and change away from Xmas, I thought id share a mincemeat recipe passed down in my family for at least 90 years, most likely longer.

Ingredients are:

1 ½ lbs Raisins
1 lb Peel
1lb Sultanas
1lb Currants
2lb Bramley Apples
1lb Suet
1 ½ lbs Brown Sugar
2 lemons (Zest and Juice)
2 Oranges (Zest and Juice)
2oz Mixed Spice
1 Nutmeg (Grated)
½ lb Almonds (Chopped)
½ Pint Brandy

Method is very simple, take a large bowl, add all the ingredients, mix well, and cover with a tea towel (I peg mine to the bowl rim), return to the mincemeat every few days and give it a stir, after a week or 2 return once more stir it and then put into preserving jars.

Gets better with age!

I have some that's at least a few years old
 
My mom was Canadian, and would often talk about mincemeat made with suet. One of the ladies at our church would make it with ground beef. I liked the stuff in the jar.

Thanks for an authentic recipe!
 
I found an old jar of Crosse & Blackwell Mincemeat hiding at the back of a shelf in the cold room. It was almost empty. Made some tiny tarts with it and still delish. Bought the store brand to finish the shells with - what a mistake! It is runny, there is no rum or brandy in it, so now I'm looking for how to fix it up.

What does your 'Peel' consist of?

and your Mixed Spice?

If I didn't have this jar I would do your recipe in a flash. Even have the suet - that's how my mom and grandma made it.
 
Mixed spice is bought straight from the shop (in UK) and peel is shop bought also

http://www.dan-d-pak.com/products/mixed-peel-orange-lemon/

And mixed spice is

Ingredients

Here is a typical blend of spices used to make mixed spice:1 Tbs ground allspice.1 Tbs ground cinnamon.1 Tbs ground nutmeg.2 tsp ground mace.1 tsp ground cloves.1 tsp ground coriander.1 tsp ground Ginger.



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You can substitute beef suet for the veggie counterpart, but I find beef suet freshly minced tastes best.

The above link is I hope from Canadian supplier. I'm from UK so I can get it all from super market.

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Thanks! I sort of thought that's what it was, just wanted to check.

Yes, that is common at our grocer's too. We usually refer to it as 'Candied Peel'. We also get it in cherries, pineapple and I'm sure other things. Peel, red/green cherries often used in Christmas Cakes. (along with a gazillion other things)
 
That was only version I could find, the stuff I use isn't candied

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Are these like fruit cakes longevity wise? Put in enough booze and they can be regifted for years.:ROFLMAO:
 
yeah all good, I make my xmas cake in august of every year and feed the hell out of it for xmas

Our first Christmas and I wanted to impress my English born husband with a food from his homeland. So I got out my JOC and found an old fashion Fruit Cake. I made it in June, faithfully drenched the cheesecloth each month, and by Christmas, you could get drunk alone on just the fumes. I never did taste it myself, but he brought it down to the bar he frequented, to share. It was gone in just a few minutes. He did have the sense to bring back the empty tin.

The next year everyone was asking if I was going to make another one. Sorry folks. Never again. Just too much work.
 
I too have made it only once. The list of ingredients for my recipe was daunting. I don't even remember the procedure but I know it took me all day. It made a huge amount, had more than enough to give and a couple of years worth to keep. We did give it at Christmas to family and it was certainly 'OK', but nothing to rave about.

Have never made it since. When I do buy it I get that red & white pkg, has a horse and carriage on it? from Georgia? Clayton's? would recognize the pkg. and name if I saw it. VERY expensive but well worth the price.
 
I have a xmas cake recipe if you want to try it, warning its a family recipe so may not be to your liking
 
I used to make fruitcake as a teen. Lots and lots of stuff in it. I didn't put any booze in it, shopped for all the ingredients myself. Too young to buy booze then. Had to bake it forever! It was really good, rich and dense, and full of dried fruit. Made it every year for 4 or 5 years. Haven't made it since.

While Mom was alive, I got her fruitcake from some monks every year. She LOVED fruitcake. She froze it so she could hack off a piece throughout the year. Christmas was easy for me to shop for her.
 
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A modern/lazy way to get your mincemeat fix is to heat a jar of mincemeat, flame it with a little brandy or rum and spoon it over premium vanilla ice cream. I prefer to use None Such bottled mincemeat. None Such also makes a compressed mincemeat that is great in cookies.

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2Q==



The Collins Street Bakery in Texas makes a great fruitcake and they are available by mail. Warning if you buy one you will receive a constant barrage of junk mail for several years. It's worth it though they make a great fruitcake for less money than it costs to make one.

https://www.collinstreet.com/

Happy Holidays!
 
I liked the None Such bottled mincemeat too. I just ate it plain, straight out of the jar. Some brandy would have knocked it out of the park.

I forget the name of the fruitcakes I sent Mom. They too liked to send a lot of emails.
 
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