Authentic Mincemeat

Directions

Place the meat into a deep pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Continue simmering until the meat is very tender and the water is almost gone, this will take 1 to 1½ hours.

Cool the meat and put it through your food processor or a food grinder. You should have about 4 or 5 cups of ground meat.

Put the suet through the food process or grinder and add to the meat. Do the same with the candied citron. Peel and finely chop the apples and add them to the meat mixture.

In a separate pan, mix the sugar with the apple juice or cider and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the meat mixture to the syrup and return to a boil.

Reduce the heat again and simmer for about 10 minutes more.

Remove from the heat and add the salt, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, molasses, corn syrup, currants, and raisins.

Mix well. Mix in the brandy. Cool to room temperature and either use to make pies or ladle into containers and freeze for later use.

YIELD: About 4 quarts (enough for 4 pies)