If you’re looking to elevate your dishes that include minced beef you might want to take note of this genius culinary tip that promises to make your mince better than ever.
Be it for the perfect barbecue burger or a weeknight lasagne, minced beef stands as a staple in countless classic recipes, so it makes sense to get it right.
There is one little-known trick that can ensure your minced beef remains tasty without losing its moistness during cooking. First, choose good-quality mince – and one that’s not too lean.
Contrary to popular belief, fat equals flavour, so you want to make sure there’s a bit of it going on in your mince. The alternative? Lean mince can be dry and chewy when it cooks, which is the complete opposite of what you want.
Marion’s Kitchen says the first step starts in the supermarket. Mince with less than 10% fat is considered lean – you want to avoid this. Instead, opt for mince with about 15-20, so that you get a good balance of flavours.
Don’t be put off by what looks like brown meat – this just means it has oxidised – it can still be fresh. Check the use-by date for freshness or just smell it – your nose will give you your answer.
Expert chef Marion said her tip for the actual cooking portion is all in the pan. The key is to get it piping hot by turning up the heat and getting a sizzling spread of oil.
She said: “It’s simple, and it starts with a ripping hot pan or wok (yes, you can cook spag bol in a wok and it is all the better for it). Add your cooking oil followed by the mince, then spread the ground meat over the pan and – here’s the important part – leave it.”
The mistake we all make is fussing the mince in the pan. Leaving the meat – without touching it is what Marion says makes the perfect mince.
She added: “That’s it. I don’t touch it at all for 5 or 6 minutes, giving it time to really sizzle and become coloured, crusty and golden”
You will know when its done as your kitchen will start to smell of perfectly cooked hamburger patties. Marion added: “A good giveaway that it’s had time to char and get delicious is when things start to smell like hamburger patties cooking.”
At this point you can touch your mince again. She said that when you flip your meat over in the pan it should have a crested golden finish. Then at this point you can break up any clumps and repeat the process on the other side.
She added: “You can pour off some of the fat that’s formed in your pan, but I’m a ‘go with the fat’ kind of a girl and I think it gives incredible flavour.”
Another tip is to avoid salt. This is because it can toughen the meat, according to Marion. She said: “I prefer to season the patties as I cook them in the pan, preferably over a reasonably high heat and for not too long as the mince can dry out.”