Fatty mincemeant

[SundayLunchHappy]

Lovely title

Dh has a lovely family recipie for pastry that we use every Christmas for mincepies and the like. Last year I ended up filling the hallowed cases with Aldi mincemeat because I ran out of time.

Trying to get ahead of the game I've spent half term making Christmas puddings, the Christmas cake and a huge batch of homemade mincemeat.

However, I've just got around to spooning it into my over priced but much loved kilner jars and as the mixture cools the solidifying suet seams quite prominent in white blobs all over. Do you think this could be down to adding too much? Some research via dr google has suggested this will help to preserve it, whilst I'm panicking that I'm going to be serving up beef dripping pies

I’m sure it’s fine and you’re probably inspecting more closely
because you made it where a shop bought jar wouldn’t get a second glance.
Have you got a pic, op?

Mine is usually like this when I put it in jars. It seems to be less obvious if I let it cool before putting it in jars and keep stirring occasionally to distribute the fat. Either way it's absolutely fine once it's cooked again in the pies.

The large jar looks particularly worrying, wondering if when using it I should heat it up again and pour out the liquid excess fat?

Oh. Which recipe did you use? That looks well, not very nice! I see why you're a bit bothered.

(Future ref use veggie suet)

We don't use veggie suet in this house, dh would have a fit!

It tastes lovely, but the excess fat seems ludicrous. I used an ancient jotted down recipe... 25% fat to fruit ratio.

Thinking of reheating, draining and re-canning... don't want to waste all this ingredients!

Hmmm Delias is about 18 % (1250 fruit 225 suet)

Try reheating and spooning out.

your DH wouldn't know now would he as he's not cheffing the mincemeat

No, it's meant to be like that! Delias recipe has you warming the mincemeat for 3 hours on very low and then stirring regularly as it fools which distributes the fat evenly meaning it doesn't congregate in one place and isn't so obvious, but it's still there! if you are worried you could remove and do that, but, there is nothing wrong with your mincemeat so please don't remove anything!

fools = cools

Incidentally, this is the best pastry recipe I have ever found, it's totally delicious - tricky to roll out, but I do it between two sheets of greaseproof paper and it's much, much easier. Worth the effort.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2174/unbelievably-easy-mince-pies

Mincemeat has been back in the oven in a roasting tin, jar now being resterilized and I've gathered the melted fat in a corner and removed the excess. Extra glug of brandy gone in for good luck.

Will post a pic of take two! (I've only done the large jar as the small one looks fine to me).

One day I will learn to follow instructions some of my maternal family "recipes" involve things like 'a knife point of marmite'... helpful!

Oh a knifepoint of marmite - that is just brilliant

Stirring as it cools is really important, then the fat just coats everything nicely which is what helps to preserve it

Hey there boatrace30 how are you?

I now have a tray ready to re-jar that doesn't look like it's been hanging out with a roast dinner, woohoo!

Reheated, liquid fat excess removed, re sterilised the jar and added a little more brandy.

Better bloody taste nice come December!

That mincemeat looks great now Sunday
I am making mine this week.
What cake recipe are you going for ?

Thanks wobbly, off to Tescos now for final batch of pudding ingredients.

I used the good food "make and mature" recipe, though I let a 3 yr old loose with the brandy measures as she was being a super helper. I think it will be a very, VERY mature cake

Ah @SundayLunchHappy - I didn’t twig it was you! I’m good thanks. 18weeks now and everyone on the thread has had good news! It was a lucky thread!
and the mincemeat looks loads better 👍🏻😊

boatrace30 that is awesome, so happy for you. We have our 20 week scan this week! Hurrah for mincemeat and luteal phases

That’s the cake we’ve just made today too! Though dd has also be far too generous with the ‘150’ ml of brandy - she’s used 3/4 of a bottle (35cl)!! Still baking now but smells Delilah and I don’t actually like Christmas cake!! Think it might be a bit moist and send people over the limit!!!