Equipment
Ingredients
Dried Fruits
- 150 g currants
- 150 g dried apricots, finely chopped
- 100 g dried cherries, roughly chopped
- 100 g dried cranberries
Fresh Produce
- 1 tart apple, peeled, cored, and grated
- 1 orange, zested and juiced
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
Spices & Binders
- 150 g dark brown sugar, packed
- 100 g vegetarian suet
- 4 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground nutmeg
- 2 g ground allspice
Alcohol
- 120 ml brandy
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 168 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 28 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 24 g
- Sodium
- 8 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 205 mg
- Calcium
- 26 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 9 mg
- Phosphorus
- 18 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 57 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 4 mcg
- Water
- 20 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Finely chop the dried apricots and roughly chop the dried cherries. Ensure the pieces are uniform in size to match the currants and cranberries for an even texture.
Peel, core, and grate the tart apple. Zest and juice the orange and lemon.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped apricots, cherries, currants, cranberries, grated apple, citrus zest, citrus juice, dark brown sugar, vegetarian suet, and all spices. Stir thoroughly until the suet and spices are evenly distributed throughout the fruit mixture.
Pour the brandy over the fruit mixture and stir gently to combine. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature to marinate for 24 hours. This allows the dried fruits to plump and absorb the alcohol and citrus juices.
After 24 hours, give the mixture one final stir. Pack tightly into sterilized glass jars, pressing down to remove air pockets, and seal tightly. Store in a cool, dark place.
Chef's Notes
- Maturation is key: While you can use this mincemeat immediately after the 24-hour steep, resting it in jars for at least two to four weeks yields a significantly rounder, more cohesive flavor profile.
- For savory applications, this fruit blend pairs beautifully as a stuffing for roast pork or as a sweet-and-tart accompaniment to game meats like venison.
- If vegetarian suet is unavailable, freezing a block of coconut oil or high-quality vegan butter and grating it directly into the bowl is an excellent substitute that maintains the classic texture.
- Always press the mixture down firmly when jarring to exclude air. Air pockets can accelerate oxidation and reduce the shelf life of the preserve.
Storage
Refrigerator: 6 months — Store in sterilized, airtight jars. Flavors continue to deepen over time.
Freezer: 1 year — Freeze in airtight containers, leaving headspace for expansion.
Troubleshooting
Mincemeat ferments, grows mold, or spoils in the jar
Cause: Insufficient alcohol or sugar to preserve the fruit, or jars were not properly sterilized
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Ensure jars are boiled or baked to sterilize before filling, and do not reduce the sugar or brandy quantities as they act as preservatives.
Texture is too dry when used in baking
Cause: Dried fruits absorbed all liquid and needed more moisture, or the fruit to fat ratio was skewed
Fix: Stir in an extra 30ml of brandy or fresh orange juice just before baking
Prevention: Ensure the apple is freshly grated and the mixture steeps for the full 24 hours to plump the fruit before storing.
Cultural Context
Originating in medieval England, mincemeat originally served as a method of preserving actual meat with sugar, alcohol, and spices brought back by Crusaders. Over centuries, the meat was gradually reduced and replaced by dried fruits and suet, evolving into the sweet, spiced fruit preserve synonymous with traditional British holiday celebrations.
