Since Atora returned it's far too expensive for me. I now buy suet from the butcher, render it down and mix it with the fruit while liquid. Works perfectly and costs very little. I found Vegemite very little different from Marmite, btw, when I was in Oz in May!
Joyce in RSA.
That might be a solution for me, Canadian suet is not always great suet but if I rendered it and used it, it would work. I think the problem here is often it is fat, not true suet.
Did you have a good trip ? I believe you were moving from Bethulie, did you ?
I had a wonderful trip, thoroughly enjoyed everything. I stayed in Newcastle a couple of days, where Trish and her family treated me royally, and Mike took me for lunch while I was in Canberra. I stayed mostly in Perth with DD Margot, and met cousins I hadn't seen for more than 50 years, if ever.
We had to move from Bethulie, because it's too small to have the facilities one needs with age. We're now near DS in Johannesburg, where we can have all the medical attention without 2 or more hours' travelling. Still getting things organised, but mostly settled.
Cathy is now arranging for me to go to UK for my 80th birthday in March, so it will be another eventful year!
If you get the suet raw, you can see that it is genuine, and rendering it down is easier than mincing, with all the membranes to contend with.
Joyce in RSA.
That looks great, but way out of my league pricewise! Our exchange rate makes a big difference!
Joyce in RSA.
That's a lovely time to go, all the spring flowers and the trees flowering but you are going to be shell shocked when you see England :(
I am not sure that we get true suet here (should come from round the kidneys I think) the suet here often has traces of blood in it.
Ah, yes - didn't think about that.
Ellice
Wow - the things the people here know. I just recently gave in and bought rendered duck fat for cooking some potato & morels dish that we used to make in France. Right next to it, I saw the netting stuff, I think it's called something like "caul" - it's the membrane from sheep, again I think, and some sausage casings. I just saw either something on Julia Child with Master Chefs where they cooked something - a stuffed turkey leg (deboned) and the guy wrapped it in this caul netting rather than tie it - so the fat kept it basting, plus kept the whole thing together. Who knew.
So, what do you use the suet for?
I don't think I've ever used suet - but having grown up without cooking pork, well.... Freaked me out the first time that in NM the then beau made some dough with real lard. But, now if I'm in the "I'm eating pork" phase, then I'll use it for some things.
Ellice
The only thing we use suet (beef suet) for is feeding the birds.
Nancy
The pastry for steak and kidney pudding, and it's needed in mincemeat for Xmas mincemeat pies (Canadians actually put meat in it but we used all fruit) - make when fruits are cheap and preserve with the suet so it doesn't start to ferment in the jars before Xmas.
Suet is usually from beef but can be from sheep. Pork I don't know.
Yes, that too, hung out in nets the birds in cold climates love it and it sure helps them through -30degC nights out on branches.
OK - thanks. I had no idea, the only time I've seen it used was in bird food to be hung out in the winter. Guess I just assumed it was from pork, but interesting.
Ellice
I've never made mincemeat pie from scratch so never used suet for that. Once DGM went the condensed Nonesuch route I don't think anyone in the family has made it from scratch. Instead we now order several packages from Smuckers since none of the local grocery stores carry it anymore. Mincemeat pie is a favorite around here and is eaten at Thanksgiving instead of pumpkin and many other times of the year. In fact half a pie is awaiting dinner tonight.
Nancy
Can I come to your house??? I'm trying to get it together and head out for the necessary minimal Costco run, including gas. And thinking about dinner
- I had planned chili, but forgot to soak the awesome dried bean mix I have, so it's something else. We'll see. But, could do something with the leftover pound from the roast lamb I did the other night.
In new or old cooking things - the other night at a friends, I got there while only the teen & her buddies were present. With a can boiling away on the stove (in a saucepan of water). It was sweetened condensed milk - evidently this is the way they make caramel in her mother's family. When mom came home - she checked, and well, the kid had the stuff boiling for 5 hours - according to Wikipedia (mom checked) it is some southern way to do this, and should be about 2 hours - the kid said that her big sister told her "I don't know, maybe 3 hours" so typically that meant ok - let's just keep on going. Then it came out, quenched & she chilled it down in the freezer. Kind of ended up like a sweet glob between caramel & pudding in consistency. Don't think worth all the time on the stove, but hey...Anyone else ever seen that?
Ellice
*snipping the well written details* *snip*
Thanks for sharing, Shirley. When I was very young, the family friends who lived next to the house my grandparents had in Brooklyn (they no longer lived there) still had a kosher butcher shop. My DM would regale us with the tales of growing up with the neighboring grandfather and the chickens running about, then what to them was both horrid & fascinating of the chickens being killed. Only once did I get that thrill on some visit.
But, the first year I was working in France, I had gotten quite close with my French counterpart. I lived in a small town (5000??), and it's pretty rural - lots of geese, sheep raised in that area, as well as other things. Anyhow, my pal Marc was from outside of Lyon, and his family had a farm & restaurant. So, his home down near us (sort of north of Toulouse, South of Limoge, edge of Bordeaux) was several kms outside of the town, in a mixed, more rural area, and he actually raised some pigs - I think on property shared with some uncle. I'd broken the social barrier, and been to a fair amount of dinners, casual meals, parties with he & other folks who were now friends. But, then came the big invitation - he was taking 2 days off work
- as it was the weekend-Tues that they slaughter the pigs. Yup, our head tech went nuts when he found out that his boss has asked me to come to this and warned me I'd not have fun. But, indeed, it was kind of a full-fledged family affair - his young kids evidently were there, and they did pretty much as you described. I believe someone with a license to put down the animals came, and then Marc & his uncle did all this butchery - the extra time being taken for hanging the pigs. It was way too much for me. IIRC the techs were always a little annoyed with their boss, as they didn't get why this engineer did some of these things, and, truth be told, he tended to be quite thrifty with things when we'd do communal dinings out - so they never let him pick the wine 'cause when he did it was usually horrid.
Shirley, your description really reminded me of this event...For me, I'm glad I didn't see the animals being put down, but some of the rest, and then the big sausage making party - that I was allowed to participate in. Once was enough.
Ellice
lol None gets left here. I still make it yearly. I use Delia Smith's recipe, leaving out the almonds.
DELIA SMITH'S MINCEMEAT
1 lb Cooking Apples (Granny Smith) peeled, cored and chopped 8 oz Shredded Suet 12 oz Raisins 8 oz. Sultanas (golden raisins) 8 oz Currants 8 oz whole mixed peel, chopped 12 oz Soft brown sugar Grated rind and juice of 2 oranges Grated rind and juice of 2 lemons 2 oz. whole almonds cut into slivers (I leave this out) 4 tsps. mixed spice 1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon 1/2 nutmeg, grated 6 tablespoons brandyMix all the ingredients, except for the brandy, together in a large bowl very thoroughly. Cover with a cloth and leave for at least 12 hours.
Place the mincemeat, loosely covered with foil in a cool oven, 225 deg, for three hours. This process slowly melts the suet which coats the rest of the ingredients and prevents fermentation taking place if too much juice seeps from the apples during storage. Then allow it to get quite cold, stir in the brandy and spoon into clean, dry jars. Cover and seal.
I vary it somewhat. Our fruit is terribly dry so I start by soaking the fruit in brandy, whisky, rum, sherry whatever is to hand, for 24 hours. Then I do it her way and add a bit more booze in the jars! Often add more just before I use it too. What the hell, its Christmas!
Three hours is plenty and you can make Banoffee Pie
Banoffee Pie
Blind bake a pastry case.
Two cans of Eagle Condensed (not evaporated) milk. Put in a large saucepan, completely cover with water. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook for three hours. Make sure they remain covered with water, adding more boiling water from the kettle if need be.
Turn off heat and allow everything to cool. When safe, pour off water and remove cans. Make sure cans are cool before you open.
I cooked the cans on another day and put the toffee in the 'fridge. When I went to use, I gave it a quick minute in the microwave to make it more spreadable.
Take the cooked pastry shell, slice a couple of bananas and spread on the bottom. Spread the toffee over them and then top with whipped cream.
snip....the mincemeat recipe
In past years there wouldn't be any left here either (especially before DF passed away, but DM eats smaller portions these days and so a pie lasts two meals.
Nancy
We have this one:
sue
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