Green Tomato Mincemeat (Mock Mincemeat)

I made my first Green Tomato Mincemeat today, after wishing I could for several years. It's something my Grandma and Mom used to make, when I was growing up, and I always loved it. Mine doesn't look quite the same, cause I didn't chop the apples up quite as much...although if I make it again, I probably will. I didn't actually taste it, before I canned it, so I don't know if it tastes right or not either...now I kinda wish I had, but what can I say, I don't think of doing that usually. LOL

Mincemeat is something I wouldn't want to make much of because of the time it takes...not to mention buying all the ingredients, and really I can't imagine eating it a LOT, I just wanted some since it has been YEARS since I had any. It has WAY to much sugar in it, to want to have it much. LOL It's for special times...like we always made a pie for thanksgiving...and maybe a few other times through the year. Here though, it won't be to often, as DH prefers the "real" mincemeat and I'm not to sure I could eat a whole pie myself, before it spoiled. DH did say he would eat some of it...but we will see when it comes down to it, if he will like it enough to eat it. *giggle*

I got this recipe from my mom, but...we were talking and we aren't sure if it's the one she made or not, because she got it from my Grandma years ago, and we think it should have been a handwritten recipe...and the one I have is a scan of part of a page from a book (with color on it...so it couldn't have been a photocopy from that many years ago). Who knows if it's going to turn out how I remember...but I'm hoping it is close. :)

If anyone is interested in using some of their green tomatoes and trying it I'll post the recipe below. It's not the cheapest thing to make and takes a little while to get it done, but....if it's like I remember, it's yummy. I'll try to remember to let you know if it's any good in a month or so, when I make a pie from it. (It should sit for a while so all the spices and flavors can merge with each other.)

I made two recipes and came up with 6 qt. (Please note the edit at the end of the post...as I edited the recipe, so you may get that with just one recipe if you follow the recipe.)



Green Tomato Mincemeat (Mock Mincemeat)

1 peck green tomatoes chopped (from what I could find, a peck is about 13 pounds...least that's what I used)
2 tablespoons salt

1 cup suet (I left this out, because Mom said she did when she discovered that Grandma's would developed an odd rancid taste over time)
1/2 cup water

3 pounds brown sugar

2 pounds raisins
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons nutmeg
Grated rind of 1 orange
6 qts of ground up apples
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (raw is best) OR 3 lemons, pulp and juice

Chop the tomatoes into tiny pieces (food processor is easiest), sprinkle salt over them and allow to stand for 1 hour. Drain and discard juice.

Cover with cold water. Place over fire and boil for 5 minutes.

Drain off liquid, add suet (if you are using it) and 1/2 cup water, return to fire and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir in sugar and boil until dissolved.

Add other ingredients, heat stirring often. Simmer 10 min.

Pack into clean Hot Ball Jars and seal immediately. Let sit for at least a month before using, so the flavors merge.

***Edited***

Mom just sent me another recipe...and she thinks it's what she made. The only thing different is the amount of apples is WAY higher (instead of the 3 cups in the one I did), which would make way more qts in one recipe (it says it does 7 qts...and I only got 3 qt per recipe out of the other). Making more with one recipe, mean there is less sugar per qt...which is a good thing!! LOL So I would put more apples in it, like the 2nd recipe she sent me does if I were doing it again. I changed the amount above, to go with the new recipe!

I may have to cut up some more apples and open the jars and add it too them...just so I don't have so much sugar in each pie. LOL