Mincemeat

Teeley

Any opinions on where to buy reasonably priced but tasty mincemeat for mince pies this Christmas?!

tringle

Way to late for you now but some help for next year.
Most mincemeats will have a fat added, eiter beef suet, vegetarian suite or margarine. The cheapest ones will have margarine or other fats/oils and can be really nasty. I know last year I had to but some and found them priced from €2 to €5 a jar. The mid priced ones are the best.
BUT, if you are up to it then making your own is cheaper and better. Make it in October when you might be able to get free cooking apples from someone.

You will get loads of recipes online butthe simple one I use has no added sugar or fat.

So its get some cooking apples, peel and chop and weigh.
Add the same amount of dried fruit, I use sultanas and raisins, the cheapest own brand are great for this. If on special offer I add some cranberries.
Add some spices, mixed spice is fine or any combination of christmassy spices you have.
Put it all in a pot and add some cider, a cheap plastic bottle will do. You want to barely add it to the top of the fruit.
The heat and simmer slowly for about 20 minutes.
Pop into jars and put in the fridge, it is best to make at least 4 weeks before you want it.

One bag of fruit, two large cooking apples and about 200ml of cider will give you 3 to 4 jars of mincemeat, enough for 36 mince pies.

I make some stick a label on and us it a gifts.

chuckles30

If you're like me and you're not organised enough to make your own, I've always used Chivers. But this year, I couldn't find it in my local supermarket, so went into Lidl and bought a large jar of the Belbake one - I'd say it was about the size of 2 regular jars & I noticed no difference tbh & it was probably a fraction of the price.

No matter what mincemeat I buy, I always stir in a little drop of brandy ;) and a personal thing, I add a few chopped up cherries too.

Having said all that, Tringles recipe looks very easy, so might give that a shot at some stage.

Teeley

tringle wrote: »

Way to late for you now but some help for next year.
Most mincemeats will have a fat added, eiter beef suet, vegetarian suite or margarine. The cheapest ones will have margarine or other fats/oils and can be really nasty. I know last year I had to but some and found them priced from €2 to €5 a jar. The mid priced ones are the best.
BUT, if you are up to it then making your own is cheaper and better. Make it in October when you might be able to get free cooking apples from someone.

You will get loads of recipes online butthe simple one I use has no added sugar or fat.

So its get some cooking apples, peel and chop and weigh.
Add the same amount of dried fruit, I use sultanas and raisins, the cheapest own brand are great for this. If on special offer I add some cranberries.
Add some spices, mixed spice is fine or any combination of christmassy spices you have.
Put it all in a pot and add some cider, a cheap plastic bottle will do. You want to barely add it to the top of the fruit.
The heat and simmer slowly for about 20 minutes.
Pop into jars and put in the fridge, it is best to make at least 4 weeks before you want it.

One bag of fruit, two large cooking apples and about 200ml of cider will give you 3 to 4 jars of mincemeat, enough for 36 mince pies.

I make some stick a label on and us it a gifts.

Sounds great and fairly easy to make?!..thanks. Will definitely make it next Christmas..or sooner!