Homemade Mincemeat
What is mincemeat? We're here to break down the confusion behind this boozy fruit concoction and share a recipe to make your own homemade mincemeat.
What do you think of when you hear the word 'mincemeat'?
Does it conjure images of an old-school British pie?
But, what's inside that pie?
If you're from the States, that pie is probably filled with lots of confusion.
So, let's back up.
Traditionally, what is Mincemeat?
Mincemeat developed as a way of preserving meat. Traditional mincemeat from the 15th -17th centuries contained a mixture of meat and fruits with vinegar or wine. The vinegar or wine acted as a preservative for the meat.
In the 18th century, liquor such as brandy or rum began to be used instead of the vinegar or wine.
And, over time the mixture evolved to contain suet (beef or mutton fat) instead of meat.
What is mincemeat today?
Today, mincemeat is almost better known as "fruitmince" since it typically only contains dried fruits such as raisins, currants, cherries, apricots or candied citrus peel, along with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves (or allspice).
This mixture is then aged with brandy or rum, to deepen the flavors and activate the preserving effect of alcohol, which, over time will break down the proteins and change the texture of the mixture.
Since we make our mincemeat only a month or two before we'll be using it, the texture doesn't have time to change all that much.
But, the liquor does have time to really get into all the ingredients. Making it quite tasty.
How to make Mincemeat
Making mincemeat is so incredibly simple.
- chop
- simmer
- add alcohol
- age
Your fruit (dried and fresh) is all chopped to roughly the same size, to make sure the alcohol can evenly penetrate the pieces.
The fruit is then simmered to break down the fresh fruit and soften the whole mixture.
Then the alcohol is added. (We do it after simmering, so that we don't cook off the alcohol.)
Finally, your mincemeat just needs to be aged for a month or two, to let the flavors really come together so that it can be used in your favorite holiday treat!
Homemade Mincemeat without alcohol
If you'd like to give mincemeat a try, but are looking for it to be a bit more kid-friendly, you have a couple of options.
If you want the liquor flavor, without the alcohol, you can add the liquor while the mixture is simmering and cook off the alcohol.
Or, since we're just using the liquor as a flavoring and not a preservative, you could simply use apple cider in place of the liquor.
Stir for good luck!
Do be careful to only stir your mincemeat mixture clockwise while cooking, because tradition has it, that stirring counterclockwise is bad luck for the coming year.
If you'd like to make Mince Pie with your mincemeat, be sure to check out our recipe HERE.
For a fun twist to your holiday cookie platter, try our Mincemeat Cookies. And, if you're looking for a unique breakfast idea, try making Mincemeat Muffins!
As a side note: We make this mincemeat nearly every year, the lighting is what makes some of the pictures look darker than others. Enjoy!
Homemade Fruit Mincemeat
Sweet and boozy this fruit mincemeat will have you looking for new ways to use it this Holiday season!
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet apples, peeled, cored and diced (Gala works well)
- 1 large orange, zested, peeled and diced
- 1 c raisins
- ½ c golden raisins
- ½ c dried apricots, chopped
- ⅓ c dark brown sugar
- ¼ c lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ c brandy*, (bottom shelf is fine)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, mix diced apples, orange zest, diced orange fruit, and remaining ingredients except the brandy. Stir and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the brandy.*
- Place the mixture in an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks before using, to let the flavors meld.
- This will keep in the fridge 2-3 months.
Notes
*If you do not want alcohol in your finished mincemeat, you can either heat the brandy with the fruit mixture to a good simmer, to cook off the alcohol, or use fresh apple cider instead.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
⅛ of recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 113
Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
How much mincemeat does this recipe make? Is it enough for a nine inch pie?
This recipe yields around 2 cups of mincemeat. I would suggest doubling the recipe to make a nine inch pie.
Can I put some cornstarch in recipe so it will be thicker
Hi Karen. Yes, you could. But I would do that right before using it, rather than having it set for the 2 weeks with cornstarch. This will also let you know exactly how much cornstarch you may feel you need, as the dried fruit will absorb the liquid as it sets.
@Sarah - Curious Cuisiniere, I use a teaspoon to a tablespoon of flour to thicken during baking. I just sprinkle onto the pie before baking.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Sarah! I’m excited to find your recipe as I’ve wanted to make my own mincemeat instead of the store bought variety with corn syrup. My question is will cherry brandy will work well with this recipe? Thank you!
Hi Martha. Yes, I think cherry brandy would add a nice flavor here. Enjoy!
@Martha, had to make my own, couldn't even find the canned in the store
I used regular apple juice instead of the apple cider.
Can I still let it set in refrigerator for two weeks, or should I have used something that was fermented?
Hi Patty. If using regular apple juice in place of brandy, I would simmer the apple juice with the fruit. Then let everything cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Your fruit should at this point be infused enough that you can use it right away. The brandy (and to some extent an unpasteurized apple cider) will preserve it for longer, but with normal apple juice, I would try to use the mince in 1-2 weeks.
Can I use dates over raisins? My husband dislikes raisins.
Hi Laura. Yes, dates would work just fine here. Your mince will likely be a bit sweeter, which may not be a problem. If you would prefer to temper the sweetness of the dates, you could always use apples that are more tart or cut the sugar back a touch. This recipe is very easy to play with to get it just the way you like it! Let us know what you decide to do!
I tried this recipe last Christmas and it was delicious. Had lots of positive comments on it. I particularly liked it because it was not too sweet which is usually the case with store bought mincemeat. Will certainly make it again. The only change I made was using cherry brandy as I did not have any brandy and couldn't find a small bottle to buy.
We're so glad you enjoyed the mincemeat Angela! Thanks for sharing what you did!
Could you can the minced meat to preserve the mixture? If so how long would you can the mixture for?
Hi Michelle. If adding minced meat to the mixture, you would need to pressure can it according to accepted guidelines. I would personally find a recipe from USDA for canned mincemeat with meat, rather than take a risk adapting this fruit recipe.
The great thing about this recipe besides its easy and taste, is that one can really adapt as you will. Sometimes I use golden raisins instead of currants or this year I included dates. It's just a great recipe.
Thanks Robin. We're so glad you enjoy it and make it your own!
When you say “let it age”, do you mean can it an air tight canning jar and let it sit in the pantry for a month?
Thank you.
Hi Rachel. This isn't a canning recipe, so keeping it in the fridge for 2 weeks to a month, would be sufficient for the 'aging'.
Can I preserve the mincemeat by canning? If so hot water bath or pressurized method? I can do either method.
Ross
Hi Ross. We haven't tested this recipe for canning to see shelf life, but I would imagine it should can just fine, particularly if you are planning to use it within 6 months. (If you think it needs a bit more liquid to keep it moist in the jars, you could add more sugar and lemon juice, or brandy. Increasing those would also help with shelf life.) I would process via hot water bath for 10 minutes for half-pint jars or 15 minutes for pint jars.