Mincemeat Print E-mail

Precise quantities are not vital in mincemeat, so while doing the daily stirrings, fine-tune it to your taste. Add more orange and lemon juice for tanginess, a few chopped, dried apricots or dates for extra fruit flavour, chopped glacé cherries for scarlet accents, or more grated apples for a lighter mixture. 


125g (4-5oz) frozen suet or butter
1.25k (23/4 lb) tart apples, peeled and grated
425g (15oz) raisins
425g (15oz) sultanas
425g (15oz) currants
115g (4oz) dried cranberries (optional)
225g (1/2 lb) candied peel
450g (1lb) brown sugar
finely grated zest and juice 1 large orange
finely grated zest and juice 1 large lemon
1 whole nutmeg
1 tsp powdered cinnamon
1 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp mace
1/2 tsp powdered cloves
175ml (6 fl oz) dark Jamaica or Bermuda rum

Grate the suet or butter on the coarsest teeth of a grater or in a food processor fitted with the grating blade. (Having it frozen makes this easier, and prevents it blending with the other ingredients.) Mix with the grated apples, raisins, sultanas, currants, cranberries (if using), candied peel and brown sugar. Now add the orange and lemon zest and juice. Stir well.
 
Using the finest teeth of a grater, grate the nutmeg over all the ingredients. Add the cinnamon, ginger, mace and cloves and stir. Add the rum, and stir well again. Don't worry about all the liquid sloshing about; it will be absorbed by the dried fruit. Cover the bowl and leave for about a day. Stir well.

Continue to leave the mincemeat in the pan, stirring once or twice a day for 7 days. Taste from time to time to assess the flavour. You can add more of any spice you like, or more rum, juice, dried fruit or apples depending on the flavours you like. Traditionally everyone in the house should stir it up and make a wish before the mincemeat is packed in jars. Leave it at least 2 weeks before using.
 
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