Mince pies. Store bought mincemeat or homemade?

[JessicaRarebit]

I really want to do some homemade bits for hampers etc. and would like to make mince pies. Most recipes are telling me to buy store bought mincemeat. That doesn’t sound very homemade so I’m wondering if I have time to make my own mincemeat and keep it refrigerated to ferment or whatever it does or, is the store bought stuff just as good?

Sorry, boring topic I know but you lot are a hell of a lot wiser than my
Friends irl.

Homemade mincemeat makes all the difference. Far more important than making the pastry yourself. Also makes it easier to avoid unwanted ingredients like suet.

I always use store bought in home made mince pies. I think it’s the home made pastry that makes the difference not the mincemeat (in fact have even cheated with shop bought ready made pastry before and that’s pretty good-definitely better than shop bought mince pies).

Homemade without a doubt. Best recipe I’ve found is Delia’s. We use vegetable shredded suet.

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/books/delias-happy-christmas/home-made-christmas-mincemeat

I always use this Hugh FW recipe for plum and russet mincemeat, pretty easy and very delicious.

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/nov/21/christmas-pudding-mince-pie-recipes

I CBA to make my own mince pies, but if I was going to I'd use homemade mincemeat. In fact, I do make my own mincemeat to use in mincemeat & marzipan ice cream and the odd mincemeat frangipane tart. The Delia receipe is fab, very easy and keeps for ages.

I'm with a pp in thinking that homemade pastry is far more important than homemade mincemeat. I've never had a shop bought mince pie that I liked because the pastry is never nice. I have made mincemeat before, using Delia's recipe, and it was very good - I just don't have time normally so I buy a good quality one.

Delia's mincemeat is lovely and quite easy to make.
I like mince pies with thin pastry - I make my own - and lots of filling. Shop ones always have (to me) too much thick pastry.

When you all say mince meat is easy....is it really easy as in easy for a non cooking person?? I love love love mince pies but they are very expensive where I live (Cyprus) as they are imported. Plus I have 5 greedy children that also love mince pies so a box goes in one sitting in our house. I think I need to try making my own but don’t have a bloody clue where to start. I do have a nigella and Delia cook books but thought I’d ask here for an easy Peasy recipe. Btw my favourites are m&s mince pies. Not the fancy ones just normal buttery pastry ones!

If I haven't had chance to make my own, I find a shop-bought jar is much improved by adding a finely chopped apple and a bit of grated orange zest. It feels like an acceptable compromise!

I make my own but use shop mincemeat, marked as suitable for vegetarians but add plenty of brandy. Grated orange zest too.

Thank you lovely mumsnetters - I’ve found my people. I think I’m going to give it a go and see how the real thing pans out. Ian also make some with the jarred mincemeat and do a blind taste test.

Also thinking of making fudge, mini Yule logs and peppermint creams as gifts. I know people think homemade gifts are naff but I’d love some homemade treats like these.

I have made mine for the first time this year. It's gorgeous! I used the good old Delia recipe and it is really easy.

i agree, the Delia mincemeat recipe is fab.
and the hairy bikers orange flavoured pastry is really good too.

Ooh orange flavoured pastry sounds divine. That does it then homemade mincemeat it is. We are doing the blind taste though just for fun. My dp is a mince pie addict!

We are homemade fans here too... I use the Delia recipe (made yesterday!! Can't wait to try it in December) and [[https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2174/unbelievably-easy-mince-pies]] BBC Good Food pastry recipe... Delicious and as they are shaped by hand the kids love making them. Like cooking with playdough!!

D'oh! Link fail. Serves me right for trying to be fancy on my phone!!

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

Hopefully that will work!

I buy shop bought but add a chopped tangerine. Homemade pastry is the food processor is a doddle. Means super quick but homemade mince pies.

I've never made jam/mincemeat before, and don't fance paying for jars and waxed paper on top of ingredients. Also don't trust myself to sterilise the jars properly.

Do you have to keep the mincemeat for a few months, or can you use it within a few days of making it?

I’ve never made my own mincemeat, I always buy mine from Lidl, and I pimp it up. I tend to add orange zest and juice and sometimes other bits.

When I’m making mince pies for my family I always make my own pastry, these are usually for Christmas Eve.

Sometimes we have DH’s family around in December sometime and I do a buffet and I know they won’t care, or probably even notice if I make the pastry myself, so I use shop bought then.