Green Tomato Sweet Mincemeat

So this is all I have left from my juicy beefsteak tomato plants. Once the weatherman called for frost I went out and picked the biggest green tomatoes that were left on the vine before it hit.

These will make lovely sweet mincemeat tarts!

Ingredients:

6 cups chopped green tomatoes
6 cups chopped crisp tart apples
1 cup raisins (I used golden)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped glazed cherries
5 cups brown sugar
1 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup rum
1 tbsp. cinnamon
2 tsp salt
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 cup butter (the substitute for actual meat that used to be used in making mincemeat in 19th century Britain)

Except for the butter, slowly bring everything else to a boil in a large pot. Simmer covered for 1  1/2 hours, stirring often.

Uncover and continue simmering another 1  1/2 hours. Remove from heat and stir in the butter.
(It's starting to smell like Christmas!)

Fill sterilized jars and process in a hot water bath for 25 minutes.
It's amazing how you can turn this

into this

I made 4 pint jars of sweet mincemeat, ready to make tarts and pies!