Award-Winning, Home Made Mincemeat

When your garden gives you naught but green tomatoes?? Well, thanks to David’s inspiration, I have an answer! Now, some of these greenies are actually supposed to be green – they’re heirlooms known as Green Zebras – but they have a dense, rich texture like the unripe San Marzano and cherry tomatoes that I also added to this fruit mince, and I think they worked quite nicely!

I didn’t wind up using David’s recipe, though, since I didn’t have all the ingredients and didn’t feel like going to the store. Next year, though, I’m SAVING some greenies to make a batch of his and compare the two!

Look at the bright greens of the apples and tomatoes, the orange of the carrots and orange peel, and the purple of the heirloom carrots and raisins! It smelled SO GOOD while cooking that I can’t wait to make more of it just to make the house all Christmasy!

After cooking it down for an hour and a half- less pretty, but tastier for sure. I didn’t add any alcohol to mine, so that everyone can enjoy it, and I know my dad will definitely get his fair share of tarts this Christmas – I have 3 jars of this stuff lying around in my freezer! Given who it’s going to, though, I may be tempted to toss in a couple shots of brandy for good measure…

Green Tomato Mincemeat

Makes about 5 quarts
650 g chopped green tomatoes
1 kg half-peeled, diced Granny Smith apples
250 g Thompson raisins
100 g shredded carrots
165 g chopped dried pears
1/2 cup candied orange peel
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (omit if freezing, stir in once thawed)
1 tsp salt
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water

1. Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot.
2. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered, 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring frequently (I left mine an hour and a half, I was lazy).
3. Can according to water bath canner instructions.
4. Alternatively, freeze: pack cold mincemeat into freezer jars or containers, leaving about an inch head space for expansion. Seal and freeze promptly.

Amount Per Quart
Calories: 694.6
Total Fat: 1.1 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 78.1 mg
Total Carbs: 180.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 10.0 g
Protein: 4.3 g

Sarah is a poor Nutrition student by [week]day, but every chance she gets, she’s in the kitchen dreaming up her next culinary caper! Baking is her passion, but teaching the value of good food to whole families is close to Sarah’s heart too!