Hi Linda,

Here are some recipes for mincemeat. I would just put the ingredients in a crock-pot and cook on low for 4 hours. If you've made mincemeat before and know what it should look like when it's done, you'll know if you should turn the crockpot off early or cook it a little longer. Good Luck!

All-fruit Mincemeat

4 cups Chopped unpeeled apples
2 cups Raisins, chopped
1 cup Snipped dried apricots
1 6-oz. (3/4 cup) frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
3/4 c Water
1/4 c Honey
1 ts Ground allspice
1/2 ts Salt
2 tb Brandy

In a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven stir together the apples, raisins, apricots, apple juice concentrate, water, honey, allspice, and salt. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more or till liquid has nearly evaporated, stirring occasionally. Stir in the brandy. Cool. Stir, covered, in the refrigerator. Makes about 8 cups.

Memorable Mincemeat

3/4 cup butter
2 c Seedless raisins
2 1/2 cups Currants
1 3/4 cups Brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons Mace or cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons Nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon Salt
4 Apples, peeled, grated
1 cup Candied citron
1 Lemon (rind and juice only)
1 Orange (rind and juice only)

Makes 8 cups (not 8 servings) Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan.

Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Refrigerate or freeze in recipe size portions.
(Dark or light raisins may be used in place of currants, and ground cloves substituted for mace.
ER) Note: Processing mincemeat is recommended for long term storage 1-2 years.

Spoon into pint sealers. Process 30 minutes in a boiling water bath. From Blue Ribbon Cookbook, Winnipeg Manitoba 1905 - Mince Pie Hints Dried apples soaked in water a few hours make a very fair substitute for fresh apples in mince pies.

Dried cherries and other fruit prepared with sugar can be soaked 10-12 hours in a very little water and then both water and fruit used instead of raisins.

Mince Meat Recipe

4 pounds raisins, seeded and chopped
4 pounds apples, peeled, cored, diced
3 pounds currants, picked
4 pounds brown or white sugar
6 lemons, juice and grated rind
6 oranges, juice and grated rind
1 pound butter
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup cider
1/4 pound citron, chopped
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon cloves
2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Mix all ingredients together (except the cider or the liquor used). Put in a kettle and slowly bring to a boil. Let boil for about 3/4 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Add the cider or liquor. Put in jars, let cool off, cover and store until needed.

Line pie plate with pie crust. Place mince meat in pie. Wet edges of the under crust, cover with upper crust and press the edges slightly together. Bake in moderate oven for about 35 minutes.

M&P's Mincemeat
(makes tons - freezes well)
My mother used to spend an afternoon at our church, with other parishioners, making huge vats of this mincemeat to sell to the parish. She would come home, her hands permanently black (for a day or two) from having peeled so many apples. Sadly, the church guild no longer makes these giant quantities of mincemeat. So my younger sister and mother adjusted the really huge recipe to come up with the following.

2 pounds seedless raisins
1 pound currants
2 pounds muscat raisins (seeded)
4 pounds apples
1 pound candied fruit deluxe (no peel)
½ pound candied pineapple
2 oranges
1 grapefruit
1 lemon

1 Tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 cups brown sugar
½ teaspoon cloves
1 pound butter
1 cup brandy

apple sauce (to taste)

Preparation
Grind fruit up. Add spices, butter and brandy. Add apple sauce afterwards to taste.

Serve hot in pie, tarts, over shortbread, over icecream....

DRIED-FRUIT MINCEMEAT PIE

For mincemeat
1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit such as pears, apricots, apples, prunes, peaches, and figs (about 3/4 pound total)
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries (about 3 ounces)
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons brandy

2 recipes pastry dough 3/4 cup pecans (about 3 ounces)
1/2 tablespoon water
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon sugar

Make mincemeat:
In a food processor coarsely chop mixed dried fruit and dates with spices, salt, and sugar. In a heavy saucepan combine dried-fruit mixture, cranberries, and 2 cups water and cook at a bare simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes, or until fruit is tender (mixture will be very thick). In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until combined well. Stir cornstarch mixture into dried-fruit mixture and simmer, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Stir in brandy and cool mincemeat. Mincemeat may be used immediately but will improve in flavor if kept, covered and chilled, at least 1 day and up to 1 week. Bring mincemeat to room temperature before proceeding.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Keeping remaining dough chilled, on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out half of dough into a 13-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Fit round into a 9-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate and trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Chill shell, covered, 30 minutes, or until firm.

Coarsely chop pecans and in a shallow baking pan toast in middle of oven until a shade darker, about 4 minutes. Stir pecans into mincemeat and spoon into shell, smoothing top. Roll out remaining dough 1/8 inch thick and arrange over filling. Trim dough, leaving a 3/4-inch overhang, and fold overhang under edge of bottom shell, pressing to seal. Crimp edge decoratively.

In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 tablespoon water and yolk and lightly brush crust with egg wash. Sprinkle crust with sugar and with a knife cut several steam vents.

Bake pie in middle of oven until crust is golden, 30 to 35 minutes, and transfer to a rack to cool. Pie may be made 8 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Serve pie warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6 to 8.

Gourmet
November 1998