Mincemeat and Pig Fat
Yesterday Rod came home from the grocery store (the local Yokes Fresh Market) with a jar of mincemeat. Hint, hint. He loves mincemeat tarts and pies at holiday time, and it’s been part of a longstanding tradition with us. I remember the last few year being shocked at how expensive the fruity, pie and tart filling was getting…I could still recall spending $3 to $4 for a 24 oz jar or box…the condensed ‘box’ was generally slightly less in price, and had to be reconstituted…and yet here it was getting up in the $7 to $10 range. The jar Rod brought home yesterday cost $11. OUCH! Considering all you are getting is mostly some apples, raisins, sugar and spices, that’s pretty outrageous. ESPECIALLY when it is actually SO very easy and inexpensive to make oneself!
AND SO I decided it was long past time to start making my own mincemeat, from scratch. I spent some time googling the web and found several different sites with various recipes to find ones that most appealed to me. Like the mincemeat from the grocery, most all the recipes I found did not contain actual MEAT, as the name would imply, and actually I prefer that, though Rod likes me to add cooked, shredded beef sometimes, for old times sake! THAT is the mincemeat HE remembers growing up.
Well I ended up using about 3 different recipes, culling this and that from all three to make my own ‘personalized’ version of mincemeat, and oh my gosh, it is pretty spectacular if I do say so myself! Who knew! Mostly I mixed up in a big pot peeled, chopped apples (I used granny smiths), raisins, dates, cranberries, a chopped fresh orange, some sugar, and a ¼ cup of good brandy (Remy Martin VSOP) that I had hibernating in my pantry from my Ammex days. I cooked it for about 30 minutes, set it outside to fully cool, then filled my sterilized jars. I will keep it in the frig, its supposed to last a good long time, up to a year, but I will use all mine over this holiday season. Just fyi, the three, 24 oz jars it made will have cost me less than the one jar purchased at the grocery store. AND it is better tasting, and far, far more nutritious. That brandy I tossed in, a good quarter of a cup, added a nice deep, rich flavor that finished it off nicely. Many of the recipes didn't have brandy in the recipe, but instead listed apple cider which I imagine would be nice as well.
Speaking of rising food prices, has anyone noted the hike in the price of LARD! Probably not, its not exactly a staple, LOL. But I use it in my pie pastry recipe, always have, its my grandmothers recipe and makes THE best, flakiest pastry ever! In past years it has averaged around $2 or less for a l lb box. Currently it sells for $5 for a one lb box! For PIG FAT! I suppose it has something to do with the mid west and california drought, which affects the price of corn and feed for pigs, but there is more going on here than that, clearly. It feels to me like gouging, in times consumers can least afford it.
"When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste". ~Laiko Bahrs
