Easy Savoury Mince

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Close up of a casserole dish of savoury mince.

4.92 from 12 votes

Classic savoury mince made with beef mince and vegetables, just as your Grandmother made it, is a family favourite I've enjoyed since childhood. Adaptable and ideal for filling the freezer.

Servings:

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Ingredients

1 tbs dripping / ghee / oil - 1
1 onion (peeled and diced)
2 cloves garlic (peeled and diced)
450 g minced beef - 2
2 tsp mixed herbs - 3
2 tbs flour
2 tbs tomato puree
425 ml beef stock
250 g frozen mixed vegetables

Optional - for extra flavour (choose from, any but not all)

1 - 2 tsp Bovril / Marmite / miso / Worcestershire sauce / soy sauce - 4
1 - 2 tbs red / white wine - 4
1 tbs chilli sauce - 4

To serve

1 tbsp parsley - finely chopped

Instructions

Fry the onion - Heat the oil in a shallow casserole dish or saute pan that has a tightly fitting lid. Add the onion and cook for a fry for a few minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute or so, until starting to turn golden.
1 tbs dripping / ghee / oil, 2 cloves garlic (peeled and diced), 1 onion (peeled and diced)
Add & fry the mince - Add the mince to the onion to cook. It's best to do this in stages so that the mince has enough room in the pan to fry, rather than steam. Cook until all the meat is browned and there is no liquid left in the pan.
450 g minced beef
Add the flour - Add the flour and stir in. Continue to cook, stirring all the time. Make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan and burns.
2 tbs flour
Add the tomatoes & flavourings - Add herbs, tomato puree and beef stock, together with wine and yeast/beef extract/ soy sauce / Worcestershire sauce if used. Stir briefly, and bring to a gentle simmer.
2 tsp mixed herbs, 2 tbs tomato puree, 425 ml beef stock, 1 - 2 tsp Bovril / Marmite / miso / Worcestershire sauce / soy sauce, 1 tbs chilli sauce, 1 - 2 tbs red / white wine
Cook - Turn the heat right down and cover with the lid. The pot should be on a very gentle simmer. Leave for 20 minutes.
Add the vegetables - After 20 minutes, it should be dark and glossy, with a rich, thick gravy. Add the frozen vegetables and cook for a further 5-8 minutes.
250 g frozen mixed vegetables
Season & Serve - Check the seasoning and garnish with parsley to serve. Serve with potatoes, rice, pasta or on toast as a sloppy joe. Or allow to cool and freeze.
1 tbsp parsley

Notes

Ingredients

Fat to fry - My first choice is increasingly dripping or ghee, if not use a splash of olive oil
Mince / ground beef - most of the flavour is in the fat - I like to use one that is 12-15% fat.
Herbs - oregano / thyme work well here
Flavourings - Choose 2 or 3 of these according to taste and what is in the cupboard

Slow cooker method – Cook to step 4 and then transfer to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours. You might need a little less liquid, or alternatively, leave the lid ajar for the last 30 minutes of cooking to allow the mince to thicken.

In the oven – Cook to step 4. Then transfer to the oven in a covered casserole dish for 40 minutes.

Use dripping rather than oil to make a far nicer and much more traditional mince.

Brown the beef mince properly before adding the flour. It needs to be properly broken up with no liquid in the pan. It is best to do add the mince in stages when you brown it.

For batch cooking / making ahead - cook to stage 5, pack into freezer safe boxes and add the vegetables once the mince has defrosted and you are ready to reheat it.

Add more vegetables - it is really easy to add extra veg to this, finely chopped celery or sliced peppers along with the onion and garlic. Add extra frozen vegetables.

Nutritional Information

This recipe is 9 Weight Watchers points per portion

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.