Master marvellous meals with mince

Different types of mince dishes

There are two main types of beef mince dishes. Recognise these crowd-pleasing favourites?

1. Sauce-based mince dishes like bolognaise, chilli con carne, cottage pie, moussaka, lasagne, tacos, nachos and savoury mince.
2. Shaped mince dishes like meatballs, rissoles, burgers, meatloaf and kofta.

All sauce-based mince dishes start with browning to release the flavour and colour, while shaped mince dishes need a little help to bind the ingredients together. 

How to brown mince like a pro 

Preheat pan or wok to hot.

• Cook mince in a couple of batches of about 250 g. 
• Remove batches of mince from pan and set aside once browned.
• Reheat the pan to hot between browning batches.
• Crumble the mince into the pan or wok, moving it from the outside of the pan to the centre where it will be hottest.
• Let the mince brown lightly before using a fork or spatula to break up the larger pieces and flip them over.
• Using a moderately high heat will help any water evaporate. Keep a check on it, as it will begin to cook quickly at this stage.
• Keep moving the mince so it browns evenly but doesn’t dry out.
• Add seasonings (herbs and spices), tomato or stir-fry sauces as per your recipe.
• Only return mince to pan to cook or simmer when specified in the recipe.

Top three tips for binding mince

1. Use a little water or a mix of milk and bread to moisten and bind your mince shape.
2. Shape mixture with wet hands for a less sticky and great result.
3. Form shape loosely – you want it to hold together without compressing it.

Find mince beef recipes