Mincemeat

There used to be UK-produced shredded suet in that Asian shop that was in the Vasarcsarnok basement -- have you checked recently? They also had liquid glucose and other such fancies.

The suet is meant to cover the ingredients in a protective film of fat. But this is only essential when you intend to store the mincemeat. If you intend to put it in mince pies soon, even butter will do.

fidobsa wrote:

One of the things I miss since leaving UK is mince pies, ...I just wondered what other expats do about mincemeat?

Yup. difficult one. At one point M&S had mince pies but don't know now. I used to bring mine from the UK.

eghzarw wrote:

The suet is meant to cover the ingredients in a protective film of fat. But this is only essential when you intend to store the mincemeat. If you intend to put it in mince pies soon, even butter will do.

As I said, the suet recipes are not normally cooked and you can often see the pieces of suet when you look at it in the jar. It won't form a film on anything until it melts, though I can see that the actual mince pies would keep better. I remember a neighbour in England getting a biscuit tin out to fill it with newly made mince pies and discovering there were still some left from last year! She would not eat them but I tried one and it was fine.

fidobsa wrote:

As I said, the suet recipes are not normally cooked and you can often see the pieces of suet when you look at it in the jar. It won't form a film on anything until it melts, though I can see that the actual mince pies would keep better. I remember a neighbour in England getting a biscuit tin out to fill it with newly made mince pies and discovering there were still some left from last year! She would not eat them but I tried one and it was fine.

Well, this is the explanation Delia gives, but then indeed she is baking hers.