August 30, 2012 - 4:14pm
Fun with mincemeat
Found a large tub of mincemeat in the care home I teach in on Thursday mornings - so, using this in varying ways, we made a selection of different breads:
Chelsea buns, German apple cake, Bialys, doughnuts (baked, of course), Swedish tea ring, large tart.
This is a much under-used ingredient, generally only used at Christmas, but it is very tasty - and always welcome in our house!
Here's the story and pics (you might have to scroll down to Thursday, 23rd August):
http://nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/my-daily-bread-6.html
Cheers, Paul
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and make my own since the store bought stuff is just plain terrible, doesn't even have meat in it and you can only get it at the holidays. The rest of the folks in the family don't like it much. My mother made great mince pie and it was mine and my dads's favorite pie she made - got me hooked on it.
This past holiday season I put it in rugelach and everyone said that it was terrific - first variety to disappear. I didn't have the heart to tell them what it was. Still have a large jar in the freezer too.
Glad to see another mince meat lover posting about it.
Hi DA!
Don't know why I haven't thought of making my own mincemeat before now - after all, I make my own marmalade and pasta, etc.
(I'm intrigued by your comment that the bought stuff doesn't even have meat in it??!!??)
And, of course, I'll have to make rugelach (now I've googled it and found out what it is!).
Watch this space! Don't suppose we could have your mincemeat recipe, could we?
Cheers, Paul
I've got two or three in my cookbook - one wthout meat. But I will give you the one with meat in it that I like the best. Appaling that something called mince meat doesn't even have it there anymore. My Granny is turning over in her grave.
Homemade Mince Meat
Ingredients:
2 pound sbeef - I use shank - but you can use venison or elk which is really tasty
Water
2 1/4 C suet, finely chopped or grated*
3 1/4 C chopped tart apples
1 1/2 C liquid (liquid from meat of your choice it was cooked in)
2 1/2 C granulated sugar
2 T honey
1 1/2 C apple cider – hard is OK
1/2 C molasses
1/4 C cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups raisins
1/2 C dried cranberries
1 T fresh minced ginger
1 T ground cinnamon
1/2 T ground cloves
1 T ground allspice
1 T ground nutmeg
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Zest and juuice of 1 orange
1/2 C brandy or sherry (I prefer Brandy)
*Suet is firm beef fat. You need to ask your butcher for this.
Directions:
Trim fat from meat of your choice.
In a large heavy pan over medium heat, place meat; cover with water and simmer until the meat is tender. Remove from heat and refrigerate meat in the cooking liquid overnight.
Remove from refrigerator and remove meat from liquid. Remove all fat from top of liquid; reserve liquid. Separate meat from bones, discard bones. Chop cooked meat into small cubes.
In a large pot, combine meat cubes, suet, apples, reserved liquid, sugar, apple cider, molasses, cider vinegar, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, lemon juice, and orange juice; simmer for 2 hours.
Remove from heat and let cool. Add brandy or sherry and mix together. Let it sit in the fridge to get to know each other well a couple of days.
Refrigerate, freeze or pack in hot sterile jars and seal. I freeze.
Enjoy this real old recipe.