Make It Mince

Make it mince

Mince is a brilliant starting point for so many family meals.

• Beef mince can take on robust flavours. Season with lots of crushed garlic or finely chopped rosemary or basil for mince sauces, a dollop of smoky barbecue sauce or a little soy sauce add a flavour punch.
• Lamb mince makes delicious, moist burgers or rissoles. Teams with spices like ground cumin, coriander, dried mint or oregano.
• Chicken, turkey and pork mince a versatile choice. Adding a dollop of tomato sauce or Dijon mustard boosts the taste when you're making burgers, meatballs or rissoles.

Tasty, healthy and not too complicated, these meals are sure to hit the spot:

Savoury mince in lettuce cups

• Stir-fry pork, chicken or turkey mince until brown, add finely diced carrot, onion, shallots or garlic, chopped capsicum and stir-fry until vegies are just cooked.
• Add a good splash of oyster sauce and lots of chopped herbs (go for coriander, basil or parsley).
• Serve the savoury mince in chilled lettuce cups, with extra soy on the side.

Tasty burritos

• Replace the beef mince in your regular Bolognese sauce with chicken or turkey mince.
• Cook the sauce, so it's not too runny, you want it drier rather than wet.
• Serve the mince in warm tortillas, top with shredded lettuce, tomato and avocado mashed with a little sour cream.
• Add some pickled jalapeno chillies.

Burgers or rissoles with a cheese filling

• As you shape the burgers or small rissoles, push a small cube of cheddar or mozzarella cheese into the centre of the patty.
• Make sure the cheese cube is entirely covered by the meat.
• Cook as you normally would, and serve in toasted buns with your favourite toppings.

Mildly spicy beef and bean chilli

• Make your favourite Bolognese sauce using beef mince and add a 35g sachet of taco seasoning mix or 2 tsp chilli powder (or to taste) to the sauce and simmer.
• When you're ready to serve, add a 400g can drained red kidney beans.
• Serve with rice, a dollop of sour cream, roughly chopped coriander and a few corn chips to scoop the chilli beef up.

Tips for beef burgers and meatballs

• Use wet hands to shape the burgers (so the mince doesn't stick to your hands).
• Gently form it into a patty.
• Brush them with oil before cooking.
• Preheat the pan or barbecue to moderately hot before adding the burgers and then reduce the heat to moderate so they cook evenly.
• Turn them once only as they cook.
• Ensure meat is cooked all the way through.

Tips for tacos and savoury mince

• Preheat the fry pan to hot before adding the mince.
• Cook the mince over a moderately high heat.
• Brown the mince in small batches - too much mince in the pan makes the mince stew.
• Use a spatula to break up the mince as it cooks.
• Let the water and meat juices cook off. The mince can then begin to brown.
• Cook it only until it is lightly browned. Avoid overcooking the mince to a dark, dry texture.