Mincemeat

Posting this recipe for Mindy. And the rest of humanity as well. At least for the non raisin hating part of the species. Beware, Mincemeat is an acquired taste, most people are not crazy for it. I am one of those people, despite growing up with it in mincemeat pies at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The husband's family grew up with it also. I do like my version of it though. And have I mentioned before how good it makes the house smell? Like Christmas potpouri that you can eat. The hardest thing about this was keeping the kids, or one kid whom I will not name, from drinking the apple cider that I needed for the recipe. Why make mincemeat? If you can find it in the grocery store in a jar to make a homemade pie out of, it is $7 plus for it. And it was expensive to make from scratch but still probably cheaper than $7 for one pie. Let me start with the recipe that I used as a guide and then I will give you my altered version.

Brandied Mincemeat
from the Ball Blue Book guide of preserving, pg. 86

Yield: about 4 quarts

2 quarts diced, peeled, cored tart apples (about 8 large)
4 Cups cranberries (about 1 lb.)
1 (14 oz.) package golden raisins
1 (14 oz.) package dark raisins
1 (11 oz.) package currants
1 (12 oz.) package figs, chopped
1 1/3 Cups ground and seeded oranges (about 2 medium)
1 Cup ground and seeded lemons (about 2 large)
1/2 cup minced candied orange peel
1/2 cup minced candied lemon peel
2 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons allspice
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
1 quart apple cider
1/4 cup brandy
1/2 cup dry sherry

Combine all ingredients, except brandy and sherry, in a large saucepot. Simmer 1 hour, stirring occassionally. Remove from heat; stir in brandy and sherry. Return to heat; simmer 30 minutes. Ladle hot mincement into hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Ad just two-piece caps. Process 30 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

NOTE: I actually added 5 minutes to the canning time as Phoenix, AZ is 1,100 ' above sea level. The 30 minute time is for sea level to 1000' above sea level. You'll need to adjust the time according to how far above sea level you are where you live.

If you're not into canning I imagine that you could freeze this. A quart may make one pie. I haven't done it before. And mincemeat is a strong flavor. You might want to add more apples when you actually make the pie.


Mincemeat
My version

About 16 large granny smith apples
1 (14 oz.) package of golden raisins
1 (14 oz.) package of dark raisins
1 (11 oz.) package of currants
zest from one orange
2 oranges, peel cut from them, sliced, then diced finely
zest from one lemon
2 lemons, peel cut from them, sliced, then diced finely
2 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons allspice
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
1 quart apple cider, plus more as the juice cooked out. Or add water.

Then I followed the cooking and canning instructions for the above recipe. I got aproximately 7 pints, possibly close to 8 out of my recipe.

NOTE: I left out the candied lemon and orange peels b/c I hate them. I left out the cranberries b/c DH hates them. I left out the figs, just because, for no real good reason. I left out the brandy and sherry b/c we don't have or use them. So go crazy with your version of this. Whenever I left out a fruit, I upped the apples and when I left out a liquid, I upped the cider. I think that it turned out great.