Ingredients:
340g raisins
225g peel
450g apples
225g sultanas
225g currants
225g suet – finely chopped
400g brown sugar
Rind of 1 lemon and 1 orange
Juice of ½ lemon and ½ orange
2 tablespoons Mixed spice
1 tablespoon grated nutmeg
285ml brandy – optional
What you will need:
Food processor
Large bowl – My Dad used to make it in a bucket! (a clean one of course)
Jam jars with lids – no need to buy new. Recycle some empty ones you will need 5 or 6, 450g jars
Method:
Mince the raisins, peel, apples, half the sultanas and half the currants. You want this to be quite finely minced.
Then mix the minced fruit with the remaining fruit and all the other ingredients and mix well, leave in a covered bowl. The mix will seem quite wet at this stage, but it will thicken up as the fruit soaks up the liquid.
Stir well once a day for one week.
After a week, spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jam jars, packing it down well (see below on how to sterilise) leaving a 2cm gap at the top of each jar, as the contents may swell slightly. Place the lids on and store the jars in a cool dry place.
The mincemeat should be kept for at least a couple of weeks before using.
If using the brandy, the mincemeat will keep for a couple of years! My Dad had jars of this all lined up on the shelves in the cupboard under the stairs. He claimed the longer it’s kept the better it tastes.
You may be thinking that mincemeat can only be used in mince pies. Well your wrong, look at the BBC good food website for some great ideas on how to use your homemade mincemeat. Why not try making some of these during the Christmas break with the kids.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/10-new-ways-mincemeat
Still too much mincemeat, then why not pretty up your jam jars with some ribbons and gift to your family, friends or neighbours – everyone loves a homemade gift.
How to sterilise your jam jars:
There are 2 very easy ways to sterilise your jars.
First wash the jars in hot soapy water and rinse well.
1. Fill the jars to the brim with boiling water, then pour out the water once it has cooled slightly. Spoon your mincemeat into the hot jars.
2. Or in the oven. Place your jars on a baking tray and into the oven at 140c/gas mark 1 for 20 minutes. Be careful when removing them. Spoon your mincemeat into the hot jars.
