Something for the Pantry Shelves - Dried Fruit - Making Mincemeat - January
As many of you regular readers may know by now, I regularly make my own Mincemeat. I prefer a traditional fermenting recipe for this initially provided to me by my friend Bovey Belle. However I do make other recipes as well. For Christmas 2019 I did not manage to get all that I had planned on doing done although I had all the ingredients to hand. I have therefore decided to get ahead and get this made in readiness for Christmas 2020 in order that the mincemeat can mature and be as juicy as it can be. It can also be incorporated into a Christmas hamper present for a friend or family member.
However I do not just use Mincemeat at Christmas I use it throughout the year. I have a couple of jars to hand of the old stock (over a year old) so I am not completely out but I need new stock and I am just about to make another stash of this so that I have plenty to use through the year. The main recipe I use is the fermented Country Mincemeat recipe but I do make other recipes as well.
In the Winter months it can be used in a Mincemeat tart or Mincemeat Roly Poly and served with custard for a pudding. However, one of my favourite ways of using Mincemeat is to make Apple Dumplings. Basically Apple Dumplings are a whole cooking apple which has been cored out and peeled. Where the core has been taken out is filled with a knob of butter, some spiced brown sugar and then a tablespoon of Mincemeat stuffed down. The whole apple is then wrapped in shortcrust pastry and cooked in a hot oven until the pastry is nicely browned. It is delicious old fashioned pud that I really love. One to keep you warm but full of flavour and not that difficult to make.
There is always a way something you can make that can be used in lots of ways especially if you are keen on building up and expanding your pantry storage. Something that everyone should do no matter where you live. It is inbuilt in me, the country way. You can take the girl out of the country but you cannot take the country out of the girl.
Catch you soon.
Pattypan
x
In the Winter months it can be used in a Mincemeat tart or Mincemeat Roly Poly and served with custard for a pudding. However, one of my favourite ways of using Mincemeat is to make Apple Dumplings. Basically Apple Dumplings are a whole cooking apple which has been cored out and peeled. Where the core has been taken out is filled with a knob of butter, some spiced brown sugar and then a tablespoon of Mincemeat stuffed down. The whole apple is then wrapped in shortcrust pastry and cooked in a hot oven until the pastry is nicely browned. It is delicious old fashioned pud that I really love. One to keep you warm but full of flavour and not that difficult to make.
There is always a way something you can make that can be used in lots of ways especially if you are keen on building up and expanding your pantry storage. Something that everyone should do no matter where you live. It is inbuilt in me, the country way. You can take the girl out of the country but you cannot take the country out of the girl.
Catch you soon.
Pattypan
x
I make my own too. Somehow it always tastes better and juicier than bought a though I have been known to use it in an emergency livened up with a good glut of alcohol. How long can you keep it? I found some “vintage” jars hidden away in the garage. 4 years old. I might risk it if it smells ok.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine, because I use Brandy and Rum in with the fruit as well as lots of brown sugar, mixed spices it should preserve. Sugar and alcohol do this. The beauty of this recipe is that you start off with what you have and keep adding to it and it makes the most of what is available at that time. A Waste Not Want Not recipe in effect. The recipe was posted a couple of days ago under Country Mincemeat. You do exactly what the recipe says but add ingredients like different dried fruits, raw cooking apple either grated or chopped, mixed spice, brown sugar, mixed peel, dried dates, dried figs, chopped almonds, a little honey etc. Even dried cranberries can be added. However it is important to stir the mixture every day - this is a fermentation method and relies on natural yeasts etc. and if you do not stir the mixture daily you can soon lose it - a bit like wine-making if you leave it too long it can go the wrong way. I usually put it somewhere cool as well, as central heating can upset it as well. That is why I use a Rumptopf. Once the juices etc. start to run and the mixture looks good you can always finish it off by cooking in the oven for about an hour, then bottle in sterilised jars and add a little extra alcohol before sealing. I will not be able to put photos up as do not have access to a camera at the moment but will give a written blow by blow account as to what to do in the next day or so. This is originally a recipe from a busy Farmer's Wife. Any jars can be used as long as you have good closures i.e. in the case of Kilner jars a new seal or I use standard jam jars recycled with new lids from the likes of Lakeland or other online jam equipment suppliers. I have also found that if you cannot get Kilner seals but have access to Mason jars (their standard size) they will fit each other. The same for the Italian preserving jars Bormioli you can use Kilner seals and rings on those the same as Mason jar (Ball) rings and seals.Kind regards Tricia x
Deletehow about the recipe. you've got my curiosity up and i think i'd like to give it a go.
ReplyDeleteHello Theresa Y
DeleteRecipe was posted couple of days ago under Country Mincemeat. There are no hard and fast measurements you literally use what you have to hand as long as you have a base mix of dried fruits, brown sugar, spice, grated or chopped apple, a little brandy and a little rum or even wine. You can also add suet or grated butter. If you look on my reply to the comment before you, I have given some further information. I personally think this is the best way of making mincemeat. Kind regards Tricia x