My Homemade Mincemeat Recipe for Stir-up Sunday

While you’re preparing your Christmas pudding on Stir-up Sunday, why not stir up some homemade mincemeat at the same time? A lot of the ingredients are the same anyway, so it saves time if you do them together. My homemade mincemeat recipe is easy to make, easy to customise and guaranteed to get you in the mood for making some mince pies.

Gather the ingredients together

100g raisins

100g currants

100g sultanas

100g chopped dates

100g dried cranberries

100g mixed peel

50g pecan nuts, toasted and chopped

50g flaked almonds, toasted and chopped

2 chunks of chopped stem ginger

2 tbsp stem ginger syrup

200g muscovado sugar

2 tsp mixed spice

60ml brandy

Zest and juice of 2 oranges

2 cooking apples, peeled and grated

4 tbsp suet (vegetarian, if preferred)

How to customise your homemade mincemeat

Hate currants? Not a fan of cranberries? Keep the same measurements but mix and match your preferred dried fruits. Dried figs, prunes, golden raisins and chopped apricots are all good alternatives.

If you prefer alcohol-free mincemeat, replace the alcohol with Earl Grey tea or orange juice. It won’t keep as long, so simply store it in the fridge and use it within two or three days.

Boozy alternatives…try sloe gin, sherry, whisky, Amaretto, rum, Marsala…whatever you prefer.

Method – super easy!

Put everything in a large bowl and mix well.

Use immediately in mince pies or store in sterilised jars for up to a year.

How to sterilise your jars

If you’re storing or gifting the mincemeat, you’ll need to sterilise your jars. Wash the jars and lids in hot, soapy water. Rinse the jars and dry them in the oven at 180 degrees C for ten minutes. Rinse the lids and sterilise them by simmering in a pan of boiling water for ten minutes.

I hope you enjoy making your own version of my homemade mincemeat recipe. Let me know in the comments how you customise yours!