We did from scratch too - luckily my mate is a butcher so sorted me some suet out. QUOTE]


Please tell me where you can get suet? and lard? (mince pies were a disaster last year!!

PS What is suet?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suet

Out of interest I pulled the receipt out, last one I bought was Aug 2 and cost $1.59. Your being ripped off if you are paying over $2

suet is the shredded fat from around the kidneys ! I asked in the local supermarket butchers dept and they produced a solid lump of the stuff in a sealed packet - and told me i would have to buy it all. Cost me about 5 bucks (was about the size of 2 fists). I just cut it into lumps and stuck the unused stuff in the freezer - and then shredded it in the blended. I actually bought some vegetarian suet from blightly when i was last there too!

i got a tub of what is supposed to be lard from the same supermarket - on a shelf adjacent to the butchers dept. Doesnt look exactly like the british stuff either. My mince pies were a disaster too! will work on them again this year - now I have a bit more time to plan.

Look for manteca in the "ethnic" section

Once you've made this stuffing yourself, you'll never, ever look at a box of Paxo again!

This is absolutely devine. I've made it for 4 years in a row - last year managed to get away with it just the once, but previously (before moving to the US) at least 3 times. It's absolutely lush!

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/m...as-or-any-time

Oh, and the same goes for Delia's Christmas pudding. Not even a F&M one comes close!

what was the problem with the mince pies?

You have to have lard to make great mince pies -(half and half with butter) the pastry is so much richer and crumblier.

I made christmas pudding last year with some suet my sis gave me but didn't know how to explain it at the grocery store - great to know that it can be bought someplaces.

I was in Tescos 2 weeks ago and nearly bought a load of suet, but then thought better of it because we just don't need mince pies!

Mind you, I could have sold it to you lot

I've always been lazy and used ready made pastry - usually shortcrust.

try lingerie..

probably work a lot better.

You have a one track mind!

and I hate Xmas pud.

No - you put the water in (to about 3/4 way up pyrex). But slow cookers aren't designed to boil anything down so you don't get the same liquid loss (I didn't change the water once)

I used a standard pyrex bowl, covered with greaseproof and tied it (just like you would on a saucepan. I can't remember how long I put the slow cooker on for - mine has 4, 6, 8 and 10 hours. A google would advise you...(I'm in a hurry so can't do it - sorry). Main thing is - you can just leave it and go to work / sleep or whatever cos the water won't go down. Totally hassle free!

Ta very much!