Prepare dried fruit as usual, stone and remove loose skins from grapes and quarter the apples, removing the cores. Add the juice of both lemons and the grated rind of one. Mix all together* ** and put through a mincing machine. Add remaining ingredients and mix well, then put in sterilized bottles and seal.
The grapes, which make the mincemeat very digestible, take the place of suet. No wine or spirit of any kind is required and it will keep for two or three years.
* You can adjust the amount of spices after mixing as desired.
** I find that mixing the dried and fresh fruit together, mincing that, then mixing in the rest of the ingredients is the easiest way to ensure everything is well mixed.
*** I found this was not sweet enough with only 1lb sugar.
Notes
This recipe is in my grandmother’s handwriting; it’s one we have always used as it is much lighter than the traditional mincemeat made with suet. Of course, that means it is great for vegetarians, though it should not be offered to teetotalers as some of the sugars do convert to alcohol (not very much, and it is perfectly suitable for children). I added the cranberries last time I made this and can recommend the addition.
Forkchop