I think I may have overdone it on the mincemeat front.

I don't think I had quite as much as you, Gonegirl but I discovered a horde of mincemeat leftover from last year in the cupboard. It's in random jars and containers because I ran out of proper jam jars.

Your recipe sounds interesting, I don't cook mine.

It's a National Trust recipe, out of one of their cookbooks. It's nice.

Pantglas2 … that sounds like a good idea, I imagine I could get at least 3 jars in at a time.

What about the lids though, there metal so...? Boiling water?

they're oops

I made mincemeat one year - so much faffing. And didn't taste as nice as Robertsons! (Which is a lot cheaper than making your own.)

Yes namsnanny - boiling water for same two minutes in a pan on the hob. I get 6 in my microwave by the way!

I put jars in dishwasher on very hot wash job done

Can you freeze some? Will some of it make chutney?

well done you .wish i had a oven....

Commiserations, OP. I always have mincemeat - whether shop or homemade - left over, but I find it keeps perfectly for the following year.

One really nice thing I only discovered a couple of years ago for the post Christmas period is apple and mincemeat crumble. Yum!

More than once I've made a mincemeat and apple pie - pastry top and bottom with a layer of mincemeat under the apple. But on one memorable occasion when we had friends for dinner, as I took it out of the oven the whole things slid off the plate - into the dog's basket!! ?

I don't think I'd had all that much G&T either. It was all broken up and mixed up with dog hair and bits of Bonio. Luckily friends found it hilarious - I forget what I gave them instead, if anything!

Buy your mincemeat in jars. It's excellent. Who on earth wants to start making mincemeat. You'll be growing your own turkeys next!

Daughter makes a pudding with pears and mincemeat. It's very nice.

Sorry Luckyfour but shop mincemeat is jus tnowhere near as nice as homemade.

Anyway. It's all part of enjoying the run up to Christmas, which I think is often the best bit.

I'm off to make first batch of mince pies of the season using up last year's leftover mincemeat.

Luckyfour I make my own mincemeat because several members of my family are allergic to nuts - and soya and sesame, so to be absolutely certain I make my own. It takes less than half an hour (using an uncooked mincemeat recipe).

I made Delia's last year, and very nice too, but haven't bothered this year since had quite a lot from last year - not all Delia's.

I don't think dh can tell the difference. Within 10 minutes he'd scoffed 5 of the first batch I made on Sunday. ?
In his defence they're the trad little ones though - not much more than a mouthful really.

I usually put some tinned apricots with the left over mincemeat and make a tart. I used to make up Delia's recipe but I'm afraid I just buy jars now.

I made mincemeat 'cigars' last year with filo pastry, they were so yummy! Definitely making more this year but afraid I'll be buying the mincemeat. Any recommendations for the best? I can't remember where last year's was from.

Delia’s is the best! I still have a jar of last year’s and it is absolutely fine, I will use this one first. I have made another batch this year and give to a few of my friends as a Christmas gift. As Delia says once you have tried this you can’t go back to shop bought!

Good thing the dog didn’t eat it, Witzend. I suspect there’d have been interesting repercussions!

I make mincemeat parcels with filo pastry. Cut a few layers of filo pastry into three or four strips. Dollop a blob of mincmeat onto the top then fold over the edge diagonally. Keep folding down until you end up with a neat pastry triangle. Brush melted butter over the top, into the oven for ten or fifteen minutes and you’re done. You can make the parcels with anything, of course, stewed apple or other fruit.

Lucky a friend did grow her own turkeys! She had a bit of space on her farm and they grew about twenty turkeys for themselves and family & friends. One night, thieves managed to break through their security and stole the lot of them.

I make lots of different preserves (always in the microwave!) but I've never made my own mincemeat. I'm going to give it a go and reading this thread might use Delia's recipe???

Farmor15, please can have the recipe I havent done anything like this for years, I only need a very small amount as not many people eat Christmas Pudding where we live.Grateful for the recipe,thank you.

Ladies, PLEASE. What is wrong with buying your mincemeat from Waitrose or M and S, and consequently not collapsing with exhaustion over the hob?
I start to shake at the thought of making everything from scratch - the end results are never as tasty as goods from the aforementioned shops, and my kitchen has taken hours to clean in the past with splatters of pastry and puddles of syrup on the floor, and a scarlet faced individual that I do not recognise, with hair on end and a lot of cake mix down her apron, reflected in the hall mirror. (That frightened the postman, I can tell you) I envy those with Domestic Goddess talents but refuse to be ashamed of buying the major food items - they are the price of my sanity, which must help the family!

I use a wartime recipe which Mother always used but without the suet or sugar. It doesn’t get cooked until it’s in the pie and keeps well as it’s pickled in cider. Not just apples but also carrot alongside the dried fruit. Very fresh tasting and not jam like.
I collect jars all year. Not a problem in our house though I have to issue a stern warning if people take jars without asking and use them for painting or what have you.

Rosina of course there is nothing wrong with buying your Xmas fayre. I only started this thread to tell my tale of woe. Certainly not to judge anyone.

I enjoy making my Xmas stuff, you enjoy buying it in. That's ok.

I wasn't exactly passing out with fatigue over the stove either. And the full jars at present on my kitchen dresser give me a certain sense of satisfaction.