The basic mince recipe will be the basis for many of your favorite dishes.
This recipe uses minced beef, but you can substitute it for other types of mince if you prefer – lamb, pork, or turkey will all work. You can use any mince you like – pork, lamb, or Quorn – but the beef stock will need to be replaced with vegetable stock if vegetarian. A little marmite, or miso paste, added for richness, is also a good idea. This flavourful mince can create spaghetti Bolognese, chili con carne, or cottage pie. The basic mince contains mushrooms, carrots, and onions, so you can quickly get your five-a-day.
Ingredients
- Sunflower oil, 1 tbsp
- One medium onion, peeled & chopped
- Peel and dice two carrots
- 500g minced beef
- 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
- 2 level tbsp plain flour
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- One beef cube
- Black pepper and salt freshly ground
Method
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- In a large saute pan, heat the oil. Add the carrots and onion, and cook on medium-high for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have softened. To break the meat up, cook the beef in the pan for 5-10 minutes until it is browned. Stir the heart occasionally once it is crumbly to avoid it burning and sticking. Do not keep stirring; this will cool the mixture instead of letting it brown. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook them for a few minutes.
- The flour will be cooked in 3-4 minutes by adding the flour and mixing it well. The flour will absorb any fat from the meat and thicken the sauce.
- Stirring constantly, add the tomato can, the stock cube, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened and the vegetables have become tender before serving; season to taste with pepper and salt. You can also use this sauce as the base for another recipe. Add some boiling water if the sauce is too thick.
Make essential mince meat with this tip.
- It’s great knowing you have some essential mince portions in your freezer. For freezing, quickly cool the mixture, then place it in an appropriate container or bag. You can freeze this for up to 3 months. Let the sauce defrost for a few minutes before heating. Pour the sauce into plastic containers lined with freezer bags to prevent the red color of the tomatoes from staining them.