christie, my grandmother and mother used the meat from the hog's head....never had beef because they had no refrigeration back then (Mom did, but not grandma). Nothing was wasted. The took out the eyes, cut off the ears (those were scrubbed and used too), cut off snout and boiled the whole head (minus the brains of course). When cool, took off all the meat bits and pieces with some fat too. This is what they used for mincemeat and souse. Citron is a citrus fruit and most Ozarkians would never have had that. I made up my own recipe using what I had in the pantry...no meat!. I used dark and golden raisins, candied cherries, frozen Red Haven peaches that had turned very dark, apples peeled and cored, sugar, boiled down apple cider, my hard cider, minced candied orange peel and the flesh only of the oranges. I ran all through the KA grinder and let it age for several days on the porch.....then cooked it down for 20 minutes and it is now aging in the fridge. I think it tastes like Mom's and Grandma's did....the real test will be my cooking expert sister when she tastes it! I have a half gallon of it. I even enjoy it on toast. I have copied your family recipe and put it in my Mincemeat File. I now have about 6 different recipes, most calling for meat....except the green tomato one. I will try that next summer. Thanks for taking the time to look it up and post it for me. Yours is a simpler recipe than most; calling for less ingredients. Glenda

This one is very good and has been repeated several times here on the forum: BRAISED SWEET AND SOUR RED CABBAGE Serves 4 - 6 1 TBS olive oil 1 onion, sliced 1 large apple, cored and chopped 1 small red cabbage, quartered, cored and thinly shredded - (6 cups shredded) 1 full cup (9 fl oz) apple juice (250 ml) 3 TBS balsamic vinegar 1 TBS sugar substitute 1 teasp sea salt 1/2 teasp freshly ground black pepper 1. Heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat in a deep frying pan. Cook the onion and apple for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the cabbage and toss well. Add the apple juice, vinegar, sugar substitute and seasoning and stir. 2. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until the liquid reduces completely and the cabbage is tender. Check seasoning and serve. Leftovers can be chilled for one day and reheated over a moderate heat. Source: Adapted from Rick Gallop's GI Diet Green-Light Cookbook My Comments: This is a really good, tangy side dish for those who love red cabbage! I halved the recipe for just the two of us but it was so good we nearly finished it all, so no problem with making too much. When finely shredded  with a mandolin - the cabbage measured exactly 3 cups (200 grams) for my halved version. I used one small apple and half an onion but didnÂt reduce the olive oil. Wolf was very pleased with this dish ! SharonCb

OMG - Someone needs to point the author of the Regrettable Foods site to this one...... I can't EVEN imagine serving (or eating) most of these! Alexa Here is a link that might be useful: For your next cocktail party

Makalu,what I am going to expain next will surprise you..The sp.gr. reading really has no bearing in this recipe..Well it does in a way..but you need to read the other side of the hydrometer..The Brix or Balling scale..I have 3 different hydrometers and one does not even say what the scales mean..but to clarify this..It is the scale that starts with 0::::5::::10::::15 etc... Usually after working the fruit and when I get rid of the seeds, hulls etc..I then take a reading before adding sugar melted in water..On the last bottle of strawberry it read a little above 5 on the brix/ball or 1020 on the gravity..But in most cases you may not even get a reading..pay NO attention to that reading..As what you are going to do now is make wine to your taste..If it tastes good..then use the same recipe as you did now... next time..If you want it sweeter or not as sweet use the Ball scale to do it!! You will always end up with the same sweetness as before even thought the fruit may be sweeter or sour...as my strawberrys were.. A local food store that I have a friend working there will call me if he has a batch of anything he is going to trash can..The strawberrys were quart size containers..And maybe 2 or three in each had started mold..I threw them away any washed the rest of them and had almost 4 gallons left to make the batch of wine..THEY were so sour my wife had to sprinkle salt on them to taste a few..Came from Calif. I think.LOL certainly was not the local berrys I pick from the sandhills in North Carolina.. Ok back to the recipe..(sorry about the rambling).I have taught this class at wine classes so much that I feel I must take up the whole hour talking because the recipe only takes a few minutes..LOL What you are trying to do now is melt sugar in a pot with the smallest amount of water as possible. I use a 6 qt pot..and add 2 qts. water and stir and stir and stir until I get a 5lb bag of sugar dissolved..You CAN use more water if you have more space to fill the 5 gal carboy..But remember your are trying to fill the carboy without wasting any fruit juice! After experience you will be able to tell just how much you need to add.. Pour the sugar water into the juice in your primary..take a hydrometer reading and see what your reading is..Example.. my strawberry told me after the first reading of 5 on the ball scale I would not need much sugar as some wines..After I mixed the first pot of water (with 5 lbs sugar)..I had a reading of 13..And was just a little under 4 gallons in the primary..Make sure you rinse the hyrdometer after each time to get a true reading.. From experience.. I like to come up with final reading of 18 1/2 to 20 1/2 before putting in carboy...HOW do you like your sweet wine.Sweet..Simi sweet?? Mix another 5 lb sugar and water..as done before..Add a little...take a reading...My sugession for beginners is to start with a carboy of a reading of 20..If you want it sweeter add sugar with the chemical to do it later..If it is too sweet for your taste.. make it less next time..Or use more sugar next time for sweeter..BUT use the Brix/Ball scale .. Remember using sugar water and the ball scale keep adding more sugar water or just plain water to adjust the scale to reach a 20 on the hydrometer..to have exactly five gallons for your bottle.. I hope I have explained this enought..for you to try the recipe..BUT NOW IS THE most important part to the recipe, before putting into carboy.. ADD another pack of yeast.. Yes I said ANOTHER PACK OF YEAST... I take the carboy and swirl it around for the first few days to rinse the residue that builds up at the top of ring..No reason really, except it make cleaning the bottle more easily and looks a lot better while working..You should know the rest..It usually take 2 months before it dies down from working..You can sample a little by using a meat baser?? I think it is called..the little thing with the lille rubber squeezer on top..but you will get a yeast taste until the wine is ready. The first time we did this method,we made it on a 22 ball..My friend makes his on that scale today.I found out it was just to sweet for my taste..I had one guy that bottled one at a 30..And he said it was un-drinkable..but his wife loved it.LOl It is all about your palate.. But on thing for sure you will FILL the alchol..You will not believe the war stories I have with this wine... Please ask questions...and let me know how yours turned out ....If you like sweet wine...Then this recipe is for you...Jerry