How to Stew Mincemeat
Mincemeat is a survival from the Middle Ages, when spices were used lavishly and there was less of a line between sweet and savory dishes. Traditionally, the basis of mincemeat was, as the name suggests, minced meat. Modern recipes usually substitute beef suet, or leave it out entirely. The ingredients vary widely but generally consist of apples, several kinds of raisins, candied or fresh citrus peel, sugar and spices. In most cases the mixture is slow-cooked, then finished with rum or brandy as a preservative. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Recipe, which may include the following;
- Cooking apples, such as Granny Smith, Golden Delicious or Red Rome
- Golden raisins
- Dark raisins
- Dried currants
- Brown sugar
- Beef suet
- Minced lean beef or venison (optional)
- Candied peel
- Fresh lemon or orange zest, or both
- Lemon juice or apple juice
- Nutmeg
- Allspice, whole or ground
- Cloves, whole or ground
- Cinnamon, sticks or ground (optional)
- Ginger, crystallized (optional)
- Dried cherries (optional)
- Cranberries (optional)
- Salt
- Rum or brandy
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Plastic bags or sterile jars
Instructions
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1
Combine all the ingredients except the rum or brandy in a large pot or Dutch oven. The proportions will vary from recipe to recipe, but most versions use most or all of these ingredients.
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2
Bring the pot to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring frequently. Cook the mixture slowly for one hour, stirring often to prevent it sticking to the bottom. By the end of this time, the dried fruit should be plump and glossy, and the remaining liquid in the pot should be thick and syrupy.
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3
Cool the mince for 20 minutes, then stir in the rum or brandy. If you have used any whole spices in preparing the mince, remove them at this point.
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4
Stir the mince well to thoroughly mix in the rum or brandy. Package the mince into bags or sterilized jars, and refrigerate or freeze it. Alternatively, can the mincemeat for longer storage.
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Tips & Warnings
Mince can be held at room temperature indefinitely if you double the amount of rum or brandy called for in the recipe.
Many recipes now call for the mixture to sit in a bowl in the refrigerator, rather than being cooked. This results in a wetter and more perishable mincemeat, which must be frozen for long-term storage. Do not use any minced meat in this type of recipe.
References
- Photo Credit Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images
