Tuesday 21 February 2012

Tuesday Tasters...mincemeat.(Recipe)

Well with the day being Shrove Tuesday I was originally going to do pancakes today but I had a request for mincemeat so that will be today's taster and I will put pancakes up next week.

The request for mincemeat came from another blogger who resides in Sweden so don't worry if you don't understand some of the measurements. And to my English readers I know it's the wrong time of year to be writing this recipe but with my love of mince pies I really didn't mind making some extra!!

Mincemeat Recipe.
4oz (2dl) currants. 4oz (2dl) suet.
4oz (2dl) raisins. 2oz (1 1/2dl) chopped walnuts.
4oz (2dl) sultanas. 8oz (2 1/2dl) Demerera sugar.
4oz (2 1/2dl) chopped apples. 1/2 tsp (1/2 tesked) mixed spice.
2oz (1dl) peel. 100ml (1dl) alcohol.

So the method is very simple...Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl, cover and let it stand for two days. Put into jars and set aside until required. (N.B. Mincemeat should be made at least two weeks before it is required to allow the flavour to mature.

It's that simple!!

fruit for mincemeat
Fruit at the ready!

Any apples can be used but for mine I used cooking apples which I diced to about the same size as the currants.

2oz (1dl) glace cherries (chopped finely) can also be added if you wish but I am not very fond of them so leave them out.

For my peel I grated the skin of two oranges and used my apple peel which I cut up finely.

peel for mincemeat
Peel at the ready.

For the alcohol brandy, or dark rum are recommended but you can also use raisin wine...I don't have any of these in so I used vodka!!

I use shredded suet..if you buy a block it has to be cut up finely before being used.


homemade mincemeatAnd it's ready to mature!!

Once your mincemeat is mature then you're ready to get pie making. Any pastry can be used but because it's such a rich mixture I prefer to use short crust pastry as opposed to puff/flaky pastry.

If making small individual mince pies then you put about 1 tsp (1 tesked) of mincemeat into each one and put you lid on.

If making a large pie, because it is such a rich mixture you are better to put a layer of apple in the bottom of your pie before adding the mincemeat and your lid.

So there you are and I hope you enjoy your mincemeat pie Christina.

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18 comments:

  1. I haven't had a mincemeat pie in ages, that sounds good

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  2. I used to think mincemeat was made from real meat, so I never would eat this kind of pie. I've heard that some have a little bit of meat in them. Your recipe is much better than from my childhood imagination.

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    1. Centuries ago mincemeat did have meat in ti if you were a rich family...poorer families always used suet in theirs as they tended not to have the money for the fine cuts of meat. My family have never made it with real meat....mind you we have never been a rich family and now I don't think I would want to change something that I know I love!! I don't think any mincemeat you buy these days is made with anything other than suet.

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  3. Wednesday morning, 22nd February 2012

    Dear Tanya,

    Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! You are a gem! Thank you so much for this recipe for mincemeat pie!
    And thank you also for including metric measurements!!
    Yippee! Now I've got a recipe for mincemeat!

    I will let you know how my pie turns out too.

    Best wishes & hugs from Sweden and
    Anna Christina

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    1. Glad your Happy with the recipe Anna Christina, I have Swedish measures in my cupboards so it was easy for my to put both measures up.

      Hope you enjoy your pie and I look forward to hearing your verdict on it!

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  4. Originally mincemeat did contain meat. I suppose nowadays the suet may count as a meat product.

    We haven't made mincemeat for a while but I used to put in walnuts - no candied peel as I hate the stuff. The mixture was left soaking in brandy which soaked in to the cherries and made the whole house smell lovely!

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    1. Suet does count as the meat Sue...and was generally always made this way by the 'poorer' families.

      I love mincemeat pie...or pasties...or anything really so I really didn't mind making up another batch...after all I had to have photographs for my post...lol

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  5. We never have mince pies in our house as nobody likes them.

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    1. It certainly is one of those 'marmite' dishes!!

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  6. Never had a mincemeat pie it sounded gross but I suppose I was figuring it was literally a meat pie never knew what actually went in it before.

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    1. There used to be meat in it...as well as all the other stuff. Nowadays it is more common place for suet to be used as the meat component though. Maybe you should give it a try....otherwise you'll never know!

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  7. My mother used to make mincemeat pies fpor Christmas. Yum.

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    1. Why don't you try making some of your own Emma??

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  8. I never saw or heard of this before...thank you! I am getting smarter every day!

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    1. Do you think you would ever make some for your family to try?? This mixture would easily feed all of you!!

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  9. Dear Tanya, Mincemeat pie is one of my very favorites! It brings back many good memories of making this pie with my mother at Christmas time. It really is a special memory. Thank you and blessings, Catherine xo

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    1. I love mince pies...we never give them the full name. Maybe you should try making some...then the house can fill up with lovely childhood smells...I think sometimes a scent is worth a thousand photographs!!

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keep it clean...keep it relevant...I look forward to reading your comments!!