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If you use Nonesuch Mincemeat it does contain beef suet. It's pretty tasty for something that comes from a jar but mincemeat is one of those things (like puff pastry) that require too many gyrations to make from scratch. Beef suet is a requirement in traditional mincemeat pie but there are lots of recipes for "mock" mincemeat pie that don't call for beef suet.

Absolutely make it from scratch and consider going the British path and make small mince pies (tarts). It's a more managable bite. They are traditionally offered to guest who come to the house throughout the season--they freeze well! I use vegetarian suet but Delia Smith has a recipe for making mincemeat without suet at all. There are endless varieties of mincemeat recipes--BBC Good Food Magazine can get you there as can the Australian Women's Weekly. My mother once made it with meat--I was a kid and I have no memory of it at all except it seemed a lot of work. I have been happy with meatless for many years--and one more thing: properly stored it will keep for a year so you don't have to worry if the batch seems large. In a pinch you can use the jar but I always add extra brandy.

Vegetarian suet???

ok here goes - this is my mom's recipe:

1 pound raisins (sultanas are good)
1/2 pound ground suet
1 pound apples (three good sized ones) peeled and chopped
1/2 pound currants (any kind)
1 pound mixed peel
1 1/2 pounds brown sugar
1 t nutmeg
the juice of 2 oranges and one lemon
3 t lemon zest
2 t salt
1 t cinammon
1/2 t cloves
1/2 t allspice

Put the apples, suet, raisins, peel into a food processor and pulse - DO NOT turn it into mush. You want recognizable bits. Mix this with all the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Ladel into hot sterlized jars and seal. No you don't have to cook the stuff, nor process the jars but make sure your jars are hot and your sealers are warm. Store in a cool dry place. Much better if you can keep it for a month or so before using. This makes approximately 5 pints. One pint makes an eight inch pie or about 12 to 18 tarts, depending on size.

Hope this helps!

James Beard has a great recipe for "Mock Mincemeat" in his American cookbook. I've made it for years, and it always draws praise. No need to make it in advance, no suet, and I think it's my only use for mace.

Delia Smith has a recipe online in which she cooks the filling. According to Delia, when stored, the apple juice will ferment (this is bad? ;-) Cooking the mincemeat in a slow oven melts the suet, coating the fruit which prevents the fermentation. See here.

Yes--Vegetarian Suet--it's the only type I can find here in Singapore--imported from the UK. It's made by Amora and obviously it isn't really suet-but a form of fat--which is actually all you need. I have made the Delia Smith recipe but found the extra step of melting the suet in the oven unneeded. Ihave never had the appples ferment--probably because, living in a hot climate, I have to store mine in a fridge. But when we lived in the UK I was able to store it in a cellar with no problem.

Update: I read Good Food, the BBC food mag, and they had a quickie recipe that called for store-bought puff pastry rolled out and cut in 4-inch circles. On each one, they put a small spoonful of mincemeat, gathered and sealed the top like a pouch-type dumpling, flipped the whole thing over and pushed it down until it was (their phrase) puck-shaped. They then cut a couple of small holes in the now-top, brushed it with a little beaten egg (which was also used around the edge of the circle before the gathering-up and sealing) and baked it at 200 C for 15 minutes or froze them to bake from the freezer for 25-30 minutes. Looked cute, nice size, easy to eat. Now if I can just convert 200 C to Fahrenheit; I don't have my table in reach.