There is something wonderfully comforting about the scent of apples, dried fruit and festive spices filling the kitchen. This suet-free mincemeat is one of those old-fashioned recipes that brings the season alive.
Apples and mixed dried fruit combine with a seasonal spices and a gentle hit of holiday spirit in this Suet-Free Mincemeat. Full of holiday flavours, mincemeat is at the heart of Christmas baking in our house, whether in British mince pies or tarts, Brandy and Mincemeat Cake or Mincemeat Oat Squares.
In the early years after I immigrated to England, my Mom, Dad and I exchanged letters filled with our kitchen adventures, recipes travelling back and forth across the pond in between our regular visits. This recipe was one of them. Mom was beginning to suffer from heart issues and therefore wanted to develop a healthier version of my grandmother’s old-fashioned mincemeat recipe. She needed a no-suet recipe that still had all the deep, comforting flavours of traditional British mincemeat.
To learn more about the story behind this recipe and mincemeat in general, please read on – or simply tap the Jump to Recipe button at the top of the post to go straight to the method.
What is Suet?
One of the main ingredients in many traditional Christmas recipes including Christmas Pudding and mincemeat is suet. Suet is unrendered animal fat, usually from cattle or sheep. While the idea of suet sounds kind of yucky, it actually adds a lovely flavour and texture to recipes. That said, it has no place in a heart healthy diet! Vegetarian suet is available but as it is composed almost entirely of vegetable fat, it’s still not very good for you.
Mom’s Suet-Free Mincemeat Recipe
Mom worked hard on her suet-free mincemeat recipe, keeping me up to date on the various versions she tried. She was delighted when she found her favourite and popped it in the post immediately. I still have the letter today, a treasured memory now that my parents have both passed away. Anyone else miss getting letters in the mail?
Instead of using suet, Mom had added chopped apples to her recipe. Not only did they add a lovely flavour, when the apples broke down during the cooking process, they mimicked the texture of the suet. Of course the apple mincemeat recipe was still not a health food, but Mom had found a way to enjoy her favourite Christmas treat once again.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This suet-free mincemeat is perfect for all your favourite Christmas recipes — from mince pies and tarts to festive cakes and squares. The mince pies in the photograph above were made by our son, Alexander, using a batch of mincemeat I prepared earlier and sent home with him. There was something very special about that moment: a lovely sense of three generations cooking together, even though Mom is no longer with us and my husband Guy and I live three hours away from Alexander and his partner Hannah.
Suet-free mincemeat is easy to make – This straight-forward recipe is easy to put together. Once the ingredients are all simmering together over low heat, you need only pop back to stir them from time to time.
This mincemeat recipe can be vegan – Most bottled aged ports are vegan, as is brandy (be sure to check if this is important to you). ll the other ingredients in the recipe are vegan making this not only a vegetarian mincemeat, but a vegan mincemeat as well.
The recipe is gluten-free – Again, please double check that your port and brandy are gluten-free (some have added flavourings and are not), but provided they are, the recipe is gluten-free.
No-suet mincemeat keeps well – If you use sterilised jars, mincemeat keeps for some time in a cool, dark place. Alternatively you can freeze fully cooled mincemeat in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for at least 12 hours and bake with it as soon as possible (definitely within 24 hours of thawing).
Tips for Making Suet-Free Mincemeat
Follow the recipe as closely as possible for best results.
Chop the apples in pieces no larger than 2 cm (¾ inch) so they break down easily.
Keep an eye on your mincemeat while it is simmering – Keep the heat low and be sure to stir the mixture frequently to avoid burning or sticking.
Sterilise your storage jars and lids – see the How To Sterilise Jars section below.
Put the mincemeat in the jars when it is still warm – Make sure the jars are still warm too.
When To Make No-Suet Mincemeat
It is good to allow mincemeat to mellow in the jars for at least a week or two before using, however I have used this easy mincemeat recipe within a few days of making and it still tasted great. If you store mincemeat properly, you could make it up to six months ahead.
Recipe Variations
Use chopped glacé cherries instead of sultanas. Mom’s original recipe contained glacé cherries, but as my husband is not keen on them I often use sultanas in their place. Feel free to choose your favourite. Honestly, I like the recipe made both ways.
Use cognac, whisky or rum in place of the brandy – although I think brandy gives the best flavour.
What Should Suet-Free Mincemeat Look Like When It Is Cooked?
The mincemeat in the photograph above is fully cooked. It will be ready to be put into sterilised jars after it has cooled a little and the brandy has been added. (The mincemeat needs to be warm but not hot when it goes into the sterilised jars.)
How to Sterilise Jars
I wash my jars in the dishwasher before use and wash the lids thoroughly in warm, soapy water. Meanwhile, I preheat the oven to 140°C (280°F) or 120°C (250°F) for fan ovens (Gas Mark 1). When the dishwasher cycle is finished, I remove the jars – being careful not to touch the inside – and place them on a baking sheet along with the lids. I then pop them into the warm oven for 10 to 20 minutes.
Be careful not to burn yourself on the hot jars. If you are putting warm mincemeat, jellies or chutney into the jars, all jars must be used warm.
For official guidelines on sterilising jars, BBC Good Food has an excellent step-by-step guide you can refer to here.
How To Store Old-Fashioned Mincemeat
Mincemeat stored in properly sterilised jars should keep for least six months in a cool, dark place. However, I prefer to keep them in the fridge. If you do this too, remember to bring the mincemeat to room temperature before using.
I hope this suet-free mincemeat brings as much joy to your Christmas baking as it has to ours. It’s a recipe that carries such happy memories for me, and one I love passing on. Whether you tuck it into traditional British mince pies, fold it into a festive cake, or stir it through your own family favourites, I hope it adds a little extra warmth and tradition to your holiday season — from my late mom’s kitchen and mine to yours.
If you enjoy this old-fashioned mincemeat, you might also like some of my other festive favourites. And if you try it, I’d be delighted to hear from you in the comments or on Instagram or Facebook. I really enjoy reading your comments and seeing photos of the recipes you have made!
Suet-Free Mincemeat – Printable Recipe
Suet-Free Mincemeat – An Old-Fashioned Family Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 to 8 medium apples roughly 1 kg or 2.2 pounds unpeeled
- juice and rind of one lemon
- ¾ cup Port or sherry
- 2 cups very lightly packed dark brown sugar
- 1¾ cups raisins
- 1¾ cups currants
- ½ cup mixed peel, chopped in small pieces
- ½ cup sultanas or finely chopped glacé cherries
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
- ⅓ cup brandy
Instructions
- Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon by grating the yellow part of the peel from the lemon. Set the zest aside
- Cut the lemon in half and squeeze it to remove the juice. Set the lemon juice aside.
- Peel, core and chop the apples into relatively small pieces – about 2 cm (¾ inch). (They don't have to be tiny as they will break down as they cook, but if they are too big either as the mincemeat will take longer to cook.)
- Put the chopped apples in a non-metallic bowl and stir in the lemon juice to keep the apples from going brown.
- Put the port or sherry in a large saucepan or stove-top safe casserole dish. I use my deep 24 cm (10 inch) Le Creuset casserole.
- Add the brown sugar and stir over low heat until it is dissolved into the alcohol.
- Add the chopped apples and lemon zest and stir to coat with the port and sugar mixture.
- Add the raisins, currants, mixed peel, sultanas (or glacé cherries), cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Stir to mix thoroughly.
- Turn the heat up a little and bring the mixture just to a bubble, stirring frequently, then turn the heat back to low.
- Cook with the pan lid on, stirring occasionally and keeping an eye on the mixture so that it does not stick. Cook for about an hour and twenty minutes or until the apples have broken down, all the liquid is absorbed and the mixture is well combined.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan with the lid off.
- Stir in the brandy.
- Carefully spoon the warm suet-free mincemeat into sterilised jars, pressing the mixture down with a sterilised spoon to avoid air bubbles, and seal with the lids. Allow to cool at room temperature before storing.
Notes
Equipment
- 1 kitchen scales or
- 1 set measuring cups
- 1 set measuring spoons
- 1 24 cm (10 inch) Le Creuset casserole or a large saucepan with a lid
- 3 – 500 ml preserving jars with lids or several old jam jars
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