# Thought I'd share my family mincemeat recipe



## mcduff1979

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


----------



## Dawgluver

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!


----------



## dragnlaw

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.


----------



## mcduff1979

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.



Sent from my E6553 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## mcduff1979

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.

Sent from my E6553 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## dragnlaw

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)


----------



## mcduff1979

That was only version I could find, the stuff I use isn't candied

Sent from my E6553 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## dragnlaw

Understood.  Probably just 'dried' peel but not hard - still very pliable.


----------



## CraigC

Are these like fruit cakes longevity wise? Put in enough booze and they can be regifted for years.


----------



## Dawgluver

CraigC said:


> Are these like fruit cakes longevity wise? Put in enough booze and they can be regifted for years.




That thought crossed my mind too...


----------



## mcduff1979

CraigC said:


> Are these like fruit cakes longevity wise? Put in enough booze and they can be regifted for years.



I have some jars that are 5+ years old


----------



## dragnlaw

Dang!  I just couldn't think of the word "Fruitcake".  Christmas cake - hope you understood


----------



## mcduff1979

yeah all good, I make my xmas cake in august of every year and feed the hell out of it for xmas


----------



## Addie

mcduff1979 said:


> 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.


----------



## dragnlaw

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.


----------



## mcduff1979

I have a xmas cake recipe if you want to try it, warning its a family recipe so may not be to your liking


----------



## Dawgluver

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.


----------



## Janet H

mcduff1979 said:


> I have a xmas cake recipe if you want to try it, warning its a family recipe so may not be to your liking



Yes please


----------



## Aunt Bea

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.












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!


----------



## Dawgluver

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.


----------



## mcduff1979

Family Xmas Cake

¾ lb Brown Sugar
¾ lb Butter
6 Eggs
1 lb Self Raising Flour
1 lb Sultanas
1 lb Currants
¼ lb Raisins
6 oz Peel
2 oz Cherries (Optional)
¼ lb Chopped Almonds
½ TSP Mixed Spice
2 TBSP Dark Treacle
3 TBSP Brandy (Plus additional for feeding)

lined tin, Cook 6 ½ hours at gas mark 1 or electric oven(fan) 120c

8 inch / 7 inch square tin greased lined with greaseproof paper

Take a large bowl add all dry ingredients and peel and mix together with 3 tbs brandy, and cover and leave for 12 hours.
Sift flour, salt and spices into a separate bowl 
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
Beat eggs together and add 1 tbs egg at a time to the creamed mixture making sure to mix together thoroughly with each addition and do until all egg added. *If it starts to curdle add little bit of flour to stop curdling.
Fold in the flour and spices, stir in fruit and peel that has been soaking
Add nuts, treacle and almonds
Spoon mixture into prepared tin, and spread evenly with back of spoon with indention in the middle
Use folded newspaper or brown paper and tie to outside of tin
Cover the top with greased proof paper
Cook for 4 ½ to 4 ¾ hours (on lower shelf ). *Do not open 
Let cake completely cool, take paper off and put on tin foil
Feed brandy every week and wrap with tin foil until ready to decorate


----------



## bakechef

dragnlaw said:


> 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 believe that is Claxton fruit cake.  Living in the south it is probably the most popular one in stores.  We get a ton of it and it sells out quickly.


----------



## dragnlaw

Aha! Thank You!  Claxton it is.  We always had that at home. LOL was considered the creme de la creme.


----------



## Mad Cook

Dawgluver said:


> 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!


It was originally made with meat so the lady at church must be using a very old recipe.


----------



## Mad Cook

mcduff1979 said:


> Family Xmas Cake
> 
> ¾ lb Brown Sugar
> ¾ lb Butter
> 6 Eggs
> 1 lb Self Raising Flour
> 1 lb Sultanas
> 1 lb Currants
> ¼ lb Raisins
> 6 oz Peel
> 2 oz Cherries (Optional)
> ¼ lb Chopped Almonds
> ½ TSP Mixed Spice
> 2 TBSP Dark Treacle
> 3 TBSP Brandy (Plus additional for feeding)
> 
> lined tin, Cook 6 ½ hours at gas mark 1 or electric oven(fan) 120c
> 
> 8 inch / 7 inch square tin greased lined with greaseproof paper
> 
> Take a large bowl add all dry ingredients and peel and mix together with 3 tbs brandy, and cover and leave for 12 hours.
> Sift flour, salt and spices into a separate bowl
> Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
> Beat eggs together and add 1 tbs egg at a time to the creamed mixture making sure to mix together thoroughly with each addition and do until all egg added. *If it starts to curdle add little bit of flour to stop curdling.
> Fold in the flour and spices, stir in fruit and peel that has been soaking
> Add nuts, treacle and almonds
> Spoon mixture into prepared tin, and spread evenly with back of spoon with indention in the middle
> Use folded newspaper or brown paper and tie to outside of tin
> Cover the top with greased proof paper
> Cook for 4 ½ to 4 ¾ hours (on lower shelf ). *Do not open
> Let cake completely cool, take paper off and put on tin foil
> Feed brandy every week and wrap with tin foil until ready to decorate


That's more or less the recipe my mother used. Is it the "Regulation" stove cookbook? I have the book somewhere. I don't make it now as there is only me at home and it makes a rather large cake for one. I make a smaller cake which I adapted from a Delia Smith recipe


----------



## Addie

My sister had an in-law that liked to make mince meat pies from scratch. Now as a kid I like them. At least the one my aunt made. But the in-law's pie was horrible tasting. I think I have been turned off of them for life. 

You know, being a diabetic has it blessings. I can use that as a valid excuse to say "No thank you. I am diabetic."


----------



## dragnlaw

I hear you Addie!   Works for me!  As in some people just cannot understand when a person is "sensitive" to certain foods.  (Or just plain can't stand them?)

I start off with plain "No thank you, it looks lovely but no."  If that doesn't work and depending on the food/situation I just say I'm allergic. They understand that and I'm saved from a long involved explanation as to what/how/why I have sensitivities that may go down well now - I pay for later, big time.


----------



## Cheryl J

Unlike Addie, who has stated many times of the difficulties she experiences from restaurant servers, friends, and family not wanting to accept a simple "no, thank you" for a food that's offered, I guess I've been lucky for the past several decades.  I can't think of one single time in adulthood when someone has tried to argue or force feed me when I've said 'no, thank you'.  

No dietary limitations here, though.  On the rare occasion when I politely decline, it's for a dessert and I am just too full.   Then the usual response is "well, let me bag that up for you, and you can take it home for later..."  Now THAT....I'm good with.  
-----------------------------------------------------
As far as the OP's mincemeat...that sounds good.  I haven't had a mincemeat pie since I was a very young girl.  My grandmama made delicious ones and I've pretty much forgotten about them until now.  Thanks for the memories!


----------



## GotGarlic

Cheryl J said:


> Unlike Addie, who has stated many times of the difficulties she experiences from restaurant servers, friends, and family not wanting to accept a simple "no, thank you" for a food that's offered, I guess I've been lucky for the past several decades.  I can't think of one single time in adulthood when someone has tried to argue or force feed me when I've said 'no, thank you'.
> 
> No dietary limitations here, though



I guess I've been lucky, too, and I do have dietary limitations. I can't remember a time when someone insisted that I eat something that was offered after I politely declined.


----------



## di reston

Nice recipe, that - I'm going to adopt it. I'll put the ingredients on my shopping list. It'll need a variation or two here in Italy, and I'll have to make my own suet, but that's not a problem. My Italian friends love British mince pies, but they'll love them even more with this recipe! thanks!

di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde


----------



## dragnlaw

Thank you di, you're right - the more I look at it the more I want to try it again.  After all, the last time was more than 40 years ago  .  

This might be the magic recipe that is perfect for my talents!


----------



## buckytom

But, but, where's the meat? Someone, please edumacate me.

(I feel like a fish soon to be flopping around on the deck).


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North

For all you newbies, meet BuckyTom, one of the best guys to ever post on DC, and nearly as good lookin' as me!  Nuff said.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


----------



## di reston

English mince pies date right back to the times of Elizabeth I of England, and probably before that - in other words, the 16th Century. They were called 'cofyns', and were made to remind us of the lowly surroundings of the birth of the Christ Child. Oliver Cromwell banned them, and also all things related to Christmas. Traditionally, they're for consumption through the 12 Days of Christmas, December 24th to January 6th and the visit to Bethlehem of the 3 wise men. There's an ancient tradition around the area I grew up in - Cheshire, in the North West of England, between Chester and Liverpool - where, if you give twelve mince pies to a person in need at Christmas time, they will have twelve months of good fortune. It would appear that the meat was dropped from the recipe during the 1700's, but I can't swear to that.

di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast    Oscar Wilde


----------



## buckytom

Thank you, di. Interesting.


----------



## di reston

Leafing through my book 'British Cookery' published in 1976 By Croom Helm Ltd, and recipes collected by the British Farm Produce Council and the British Tourist Authority, and probably still the most comprehensive collection of British recipes, I came across the following recipe, from Cumberland, still made today, dates back to the Middle Ages and was probably a precursor of the modern mince pie.

In the Middle Ages in Britain it was common practice to make 'pyse' with both dried fruit and meat. The 'cofyns' we now know as mince pies undoubtedly back to them, and it was commonplace for pies to be monoportion or for a number of people. The pastry crusts would merely be a vessel in which to place the edible food, although later on these became edible to humans as well as the pie contents. To my great amazement, here's the recipe:

1 1/2 lbs lean mutton, minced
2lbs stoned raisins
2lb currants
4oz candied peel, or sugar-preserved citrus fruit peel
pinch each nutmeg and mixed spice
2ls soft brown sugar
slat and pepper
4floz rum
4lb hot water crust pastry
1 egg

Mince the lamb and the dried fruits together through the mincer. Add the spices, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir in the rum and leave overnight.
Make the pastry and line two large oval raised-pie molds, setting aside part of the pastry for the lids. Now cut two circles at a distance of 2 - 3 inches apart in the centre of the pies. Brush with beaten egg. Have the oven pre-heated to 425°F, then after 30 mins. reduce the heat to 325°F and bake for a further 2 hours.

di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast    Oscar Wilde


----------



## letscook

Love mincemeat, I make little hand pies instead of a regular size as that tends to be to much of a good thing.  The hand pies work better.


----------

