(Makes approx. 1.75 kg or enough to fill three half-litre jars)

250 g green apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
300 g seedless raisins, roughly chopped
200 g currants
200 g sultanas
250 g dark brown sugar
150 g vegetable suet
60 g chopped almonds
100 g chopped candied orange peel
100 g chopped glacé cherries
2 tsp mixed spice
Pinch each ground cloves and cinnamon
Half tsp salt
Grated rind and juice of 1 large orange
90 ml brandy or sherry

Simply measure out all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix them all together thoroughly, then tip the mincemeat into a container with a lid and leave for three days.

Give it a good stir every day, but don’t refrigerate it. Pack it into spotlessly clean dry jars, press a small round of greaseproof paper on to the surface of the mincemeat, then close them with airtight lids. Although it’s essentially a Christmas preserve, it will in fact keep for months.

After it’s been stored for a while, the juices tend to migrate to the bottom of the jar and the top looks dry. Don’t worry – when you want to use it, just turn it into a bowl, give it a good stir and it will be as good as new. Adding a touch more brandy won’t hurt either.