[lynne]

Sisi,

Well what do you know? She actually cooks a roast (instead of using suet) for forever until very tender and falling apart. Chops finel adds the apples, etc and cooks it down further. Chills and freezes.

So - I don't know if this is something you're interested in or not. She's supposed to e-mail me the recipe when she gets back--I'll let you know.

lynne

[Isa]

Thank you Lynne. I am looking forward to trying this recipe.

Sisi

This is my first post and I am happy to tell you that this is one of the friendliest and happiest boards I have been to.
As an Englishwomen living in Australia I make and enjoy mincemeat but have refined my recipes over the years to allow for taste and keeping qualities.
For the past five years all I have done is to take 2 pounds of mixed dried fruits, put it into a screw top glass jar, plus sufficient brandy to cover the fruit. I make this in early November and keep it in the fridge,turning the jar regularly until all the brandy is absorbed. Then I add a cup more of brandy and leave until Christmas. No one has ever asked me what is different beween this mixture and the old recipe containing sugar,suet,apple,etc.
If you are lucky enough to get through Christmas and have any mincemeat left it will keep - in the fridge - until the following Christmas. it just gets somewhat sticky.
This is just another way - perhaps not the best - to enjoy the delights of mincemeat without the guilt of adding suet.

[Katherine]

Cooking tasty or authentic foods is neither a crime nor a sin, therefore you are not guilty, and should feel no shame.

Partake in moderation, and enjoy!

[Isa]

The mincemeat was wonderful. It was spicy and not overwhelmingly sweet. I opened the jar 2 days before baking them and added chopped Granny Smith apple and a bit more brandy before baking the tartlets. My step mother loved her present and said it was a good mincemeat.

At a party the day after Christmas there was Mark & Spencer mincemeat tartlets. The difference between the two were slight. The store bought tartlets were sweeter and the spices weren't as mellow and blended. In all modesty I prefer the taste of mine.

I am now a mincemeat convert, mincemeat will now be part of the traditional Christmas fare. Next time, I'll make the mincemeat in August or September, with all the alcohol in it, it should keep forever. After all in a book I read that in England a few years ago they found a jar of mincemeat that was 100 years old. Apparently it tasted very good….


Thank you all for your help.


P.S. Welcome to Chef Talk Bea and thanks for the suggestions. Alas I have no mincemeat I gave it all.

[Nick.Shu]

good to har sisi, which recipe did you use?

p.s. bea i live in lane cove and work in Chatswood.

[Isa]

Nick,


I didn't use one recipe in particular. I combined a few recipes, using the elements that I liked. If you look up in this thread I mention everything I put in the mincemeat.

[mudbug]

Sisi,

According to www.foodsubs.com

You can use cornstarch as a sago substitute.

[Isa]

Cchiu,

Wow thank you so much! I would have thought tapioca was the answer. I didn't make that recipe because I was too afraid It would come out as a mess. I'll try it next Chrsitmas. I've put a note in the book right away so I wont forget.