Traditional Mincemeat Recipe

Make savory pies and tarts with this flavorful mincemeat filling. This Traditional Mincemeat Recipe is excerpted from Jams and Preserves (Thunder Bay Press, 2011), a cookbook that lets you defy the seasons and preserve the flavors of fruit and vegetables for months with jams, jellies, preserves and more.

Traditional mincemeat recipe

Ingredients
2 large green apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
8 ounces suet
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 cups raisins
2 cups golden raisins
2 cups currants
3/4 cup candied peel
3/4 cup slivered almonds, chopped
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons shredded orange peel
1 teaspoon shredded lemon peel
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
5 fluid ounces brandy

Combine all the ingredients and 1/2 cup of the brandy in a large bowl. Combine thoroughly.

Spoon the mincemeat into clean, warm jars. Use a skewer to remove air bubbles and to pack the mixture in firmly. Leave a 1/2-inch space at the top of the jar and wipe the jar clean with a cloth. Spoon remaining brandy over the surface of the mincemeat and seal. Label and date.

Set aside for at least 3 weeks, or up to 6 months, before using in pies and tarts. Keep the mincemeat refrigerated in hot weather.