Okay I've been threatening this for a few years and I believe I did post it up on smurf many years ago for an english ex-pat.
Don't worry It got 'lost' in one of the crashes - jeff don't have this
Right a little background
Essentially in england mincepies are the quintessential christmas period food of choice. They are sold in supermarkets by the millions (I'm not exaggerating here). And thousands of tons of the commercial mincemeat is sold in jars.
This commercial stuff - even the 'luxury' brands - are usually 40% plus sugar, some dried fruit, bugger all booze and has suet.
My tai-chi teacher is diabetic - so some years back I developed a no-added sugar homemade mincemeat. It's been refined and improved year on year to produce the following recipe, which is hands down the best mincemeat I've ever tasted and I probably eat my own weight in mincepies of one kind or another every year
Suet is unnecessary, as is any added sugar. I just use fruit, spices and booze.
So to start with here's the basic recipe.
The above amount will make about 2lb of mincemeat.
The production process is essentially the same for small or large amounts.
These days I usually make up about 15lb at a time:
This years ingredients. The apples I picked up in the garden :-)
10 apples, 10 oranges, 4.5 lb raisins, 4.5 lb sultanas (golden raisins) 2.2 lb currants. Approx 10 really heaped tsps of mixed spice, about 1/3 cup vanilla vodka and 1/3 cup orange liquer.
1) Mix all the dried fruit and mixed spice together in a large bowl.
I use a 20lb sausage meat mixer.
2) Peel and grate your apples and mix with your dried fruit.
I use an apple processor and a food processor to grate the resultant slices. The right tools makes a pita job simple and quick.
Don't worry It got 'lost' in one of the crashes - jeff don't have this
Right a little background
Essentially in england mincepies are the quintessential christmas period food of choice. They are sold in supermarkets by the millions (I'm not exaggerating here). And thousands of tons of the commercial mincemeat is sold in jars.
This commercial stuff - even the 'luxury' brands - are usually 40% plus sugar, some dried fruit, bugger all booze and has suet.
My tai-chi teacher is diabetic - so some years back I developed a no-added sugar homemade mincemeat. It's been refined and improved year on year to produce the following recipe, which is hands down the best mincemeat I've ever tasted and I probably eat my own weight in mincepies of one kind or another every year
Suet is unnecessary, as is any added sugar. I just use fruit, spices and booze.
So to start with here's the basic recipe.
Basic recipe
250gm raisins
250gm sultanas (golden raisins)
125 gms currants
1 large cooking apple or 2 dessert apples - peeled and grated.
juice and zest of 1 large or 2 small oranges
2 tsp mixed spice
good glug of cointreau, vanilla vodka or brandy - or a mix of any 2 of the three.
250gm raisins
250gm sultanas (golden raisins)
125 gms currants
1 large cooking apple or 2 dessert apples - peeled and grated.
juice and zest of 1 large or 2 small oranges
2 tsp mixed spice
good glug of cointreau, vanilla vodka or brandy - or a mix of any 2 of the three.
The production process is essentially the same for small or large amounts.
These days I usually make up about 15lb at a time:
This years ingredients. The apples I picked up in the garden :-)
10 apples, 10 oranges, 4.5 lb raisins, 4.5 lb sultanas (golden raisins) 2.2 lb currants. Approx 10 really heaped tsps of mixed spice, about 1/3 cup vanilla vodka and 1/3 cup orange liquer.
How to make it - essentially the same no matter what amount you make.
1) Mix all the dried fruit and mixed spice together in a large bowl.
I use a 20lb sausage meat mixer.
2) Peel and grate your apples and mix with your dried fruit.
I use an apple processor and a food processor to grate the resultant slices. The right tools makes a pita job simple and quick.
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