Green Tomato Mincemeat Pie Recipe: A Day Of Thanks and Feasting

Well, it is Thanksgiving 2011.  My husband and I are home alone...it's lovely.  We have been enjoying each other's company all day, cooking together and remembering Thanksgivings gone by.   I have been reflecting on how the smell of the different foods is so very comforting, evoking strong memories of family sharing a beautifully prepared meal together.  It makes me feel very calm and serene today, the gray weather outside is intensifying that feeling.  

This week, one of my co-workers brought me two big bags full of heirloom tomatoes.  I had mentioned that I wished I had some to make my tomato mincemeat pie recipe.  Put it out in the universe and the universe will conspire a way for you to have exactly what you desire!  This recipe is an heirloom recipe from my Grandfather's sister (there were 16 siblings) who got it from her mother, so it dates to at least 1890. 

Grandpa is 5th from the right in the back.

 Many stories were told about how the girls would stay up all night 3 nights a week with their mother to bake bread for the family.  They had a large store house next to their home.  The bottom was a root cellar which was always full of apples, carrots, potatoes and the like, the upstairs had shelves all around the walls on which were stored the food that the women would put up at harvest.  These jars of mincemeat would have been among them.

The family home, which still exists today!

Okay, so here we go! This is an heirloom recipe and I am using heirloom tomatoes!

You will need a very large bowl and a very large pot to cook this in.

9 cups Chopped Green Tomatoes
9 cups Chopped Green Apple (or tart cooking apple)
3 lbs raisins
9 cups sugar
3 tsp. salt
3 tsp ground allspice
3 tsp ground cloves
6 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
(the next two ingredients are my "improvement" on the recipe and are optional)
1 cup of bourbon
1 large vanilla bean cut in half length wise.

All ingredients in the pot to boil

Stem the tomatoes and dice. Peel, core and dice the apples. You can do all this in your food processor, but I find that you get a better textured product if you will take the time to dice. Mix all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a rapid boil...for those of you who don't know what that is...it's a boil that you cannot stir down. Reduce the heat a bit and simmer until thick. The time will vary depending on how juicy the tomatoes and apples are...just check on it now and then and give it a stir...when it's thick and all the ingredients have a lovely brown color...you are ready to bottle it. Pour into clean (sterilized) canning jars to within 1" of the top, put the lid on and tighten. Process in a water bath for 25 minutes. Makes enough for 12 pies...you can cut the recipe in thirds and make smaller batches...but the goal here is to put up enough to have for presents, pies for Holiday parties, etc. Makes great mincemeat cookies too! Enjoy!

Your mincemeat should look like this when you are ready to bottle it.

Can in Quart canning jars.