Forget the store-bought stuff...homemade mincemeat is worth its weight in holiday gold. Rich with festive flavors, it's irresistibly fruity, buttery, and boozy. And if you want to create some serious Christmas ambiance, nothing beats the heady aroma you get from simmering a pot of traditional homemade mincemeat on the stove. Though I should confess...it never occurred to me that I could so easily make my own until first inspired, many years ago now, by the lovely Nigella Lawson. On her program "Nigella's Christmas Kitchen," she features a fabulously crimson-colored cranberry version. While I tend to prefer a more classic apple flecked mincemeat, I will still forever be grateful for that inspiration to make it from scratch. Once you've made your own homemade mincemeat, there is simply no going back!
If you are simmering up a batch of homemade mincemeat, then you are also likely going to be needing a good pastry recipe for preparing all those tempting mincemeat tarts and pies! I recommend this basic butter pie crust dough. It provides a wonderful buttery contrast against all the spicy sweetness of homemade mincemeat.
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Ingredients for Homemade Mincemeat
- brandy
- dark muscovado sugar (or any dark brown sugar)
- dried currants
- raisins
- golden raisins
- apples
- lemon
- ground cinnamon
- ground allspice
- freshly grated nutmeg
- ground cloves
- salted butter
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for Homemade Mincemeat
Prepare the grated apple, as well as the zest and juice of the lemon.
Then roughly chop the dried fruit.
In a heavy saucepan over low heat, dissolve the muscovado sugar into the brandy.
Then toss the remaining ingredients, except for the butter, into the saucepan.
Stir everything together and gently simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, about 15 to 20 minutes.
As the mixture simmers, it will thicken to a paste-like consistency and become significantly darker in color.
Finally, add the butter and stir as it melts.
Continue stirring over low heat until the butter has been fully incorporated.
Allow the mincemeat to cool before using or transferring to a jar (or other airtight container).
Hint: If you don't happen to have any salted butter on hand, no problem...you can substitute unsalted butter and simply add about ½ teaspoon of salt along with it.
Variations
Homemade mincemeat is one of those classic recipes that lends itself to all kinds of adaptation. And here are just a few thoughts on that point...
- Brandy...This is the classic choice of spirit for mincemeat. But what if you don't happen to have any brandy in your liquor cabinet? There are certainly other lovely options, including whiskey or calvados. Or perhaps you would prefer a substitute that isn't boozy? Apple juice or cider would be good alternatives.
- Dried Fruit...Perhaps you aren't a fan of dried currants? Or you just can't seem to find any golden raisins in your grocery store? Not an issue...simply increase the proportion of regular raisins or toss in your favorite dried fruit instead. (Dried cranberries would also be an excellent choice here.)
- Spices...I happen to adore the particular combination and proportion of spices in this recipe as written, but of course each one can be adjusted (or omitted entirely) to suit your personal taste.
Equipment
You will need a heavy saucepan or a Dutch oven in order to make this homemade mincemeat. I typically reach for a basic stainless steel saucepan or an enameled Dutch oven for this recipe. And when it comes to size, something that measures about 3 quarts in capacity works well here.
Storage
Homemade mincemeat can be kept in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container, for up to a month.
Related
Looking for more Christmas recipes of the sweet persuasion? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Homemade Mincemeat
Equipment
- heavy saucepan or Dutch oven (about 3 quart capacity)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup brandy
- ⅓ cup dark muscovado sugar (or any dark brown sugar)
- ¾ cup dried currants roughly chopped
- ½ cup raisins roughly chopped
- ½ cup golden raisins roughly chopped
- 3 small apples peeled, cored, and grated
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch ground cloves
- ½ cup salted butter
Instructions
- In a heavy saucepan over low heat, dissolve the muscovado sugar into the brandy.
- Toss the remaining ingredients, except for the butter, into the saucepan. Then stir everything together and gently simmer the mixture about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the mixture simmers, it will thicken to a paste-like consistency and become significantly darker in color.
- Finally, add the butter and stir as it melts. Continue stirring over low heat until the butter has been fully incorporated.
- Allow the mincemeat to cool before using or transferring to a jar (or other airtight container).
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