This is another food (in addition to Chicken Fried Steak) that I made friends with since moving south. At the end of the growing season, there are always pounds and pounds of green tomatoes. This is another way to use them up. It is so good to make pies at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

• 8 cups Green Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Salt
• 4 cups boiling Water
• 10 cups tart Apples (Like Granny Smith) peeled, cored and chopped
• 2 cups White or Dark seedless Raisins
• 2 cups Red Currants (I have also used pitted and chopped Prunes if you can’t find currants)
• 1 tablespoon dried Lemon Peel
• 1 tablespoon dried Orange Peel
• 4 cups Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup White Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Allspice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted Butter

Place tomatoes in a large bowl and sprinkle salt over them. Toss. Let stand for 1 hour to let the salt draw out excess moisture. Rinse tomatoes and drain well. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain well.

Combine all ingredients except butter in a large saucepan. Cook slowly, stirring often until, until tender and thickened about 35 to 40 minutes.  One reader of this blog suggested using a crock pot over night to make the apples soft in my Apple Butter. I’m sure that same technique could be used for this mince recipe.

Add the butter into teh mixture and mix well. Spoon the hot mixture into prepared, sterilized pint jars leaving 1/2 inch head space and removing air bubbles from the mince. Wipe the rims of the jars to ensure a good seal. Place warm lids on the jars and tighten the rings on the jar only finger tip tight. Process in a boiling hot water bath for 30 minutes for pints and quarts. Makes about 5 quarts or 10 pints.

To make into a pie:

Fill an unbaked pie shell with the green tomato mincemeat. I use 2 pint jars. Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 F and continue to bake for 30 minutes.  It is great served warm with French Vanilla Ice Cream.