How do you cook mince? Tips and tricks

Mince is a versatile ingredient that can be used in countless dishes, so there is no single way to prepare it. Whether you are making meatballs, burgers or a minced meat sauce, below you will find handy tips and tricks for preparing mince, so you will always get a flavoursome, juicy result!

Step 1: choose good-quality mince

Preparation starts with choosing the right mince. If you choose quality meat, moisture loss will be considerably lower, for example. Lower-quality mince often seems cheap, but because of moisture loss, it can often work out more expensive. We always say: eat meat less often, but choose better-quality meat. 

Depending on your dish, you can choose from beef mince, mixed mince, chicken mince or lamb mince. Pay attention to the fat percentage: lean mince, such as this Ground beef Simmentaler, is ideal for a healthy meal, while a higher fat content (for example 15-20%) provides extra flavour and juiciness. For meatballs, you may be better off choosing a slightly fattier variety, while lean mince is perfect for light sauces or tacos.

Step 2: preparing mince

Take the mince out of the fridge around 15-20 minutes before cooking. This allows the meat to come to room temperature, ensuring it cooks more evenly. Preferably use a wooden or silicone spatula to break up the mince while frying. This prevents the meat from becoming too fine and losing its texture.

Step 3: add herbs and flavours

Mince has a mild flavour on its own, so herbs and spices are essential. Add salt and pepper just before frying to prevent the meat from losing moisture. Depending on the dish, you can add extra flavourings such as garlic, onions, cumin, paprika or Italian herbs. For a more complex flavour, you can also use fresh herbs such as parsley or thyme. And if you want to make things easy for yourself, there are of course ready-made mince seasoning mixes in all sorts of flavours. 

Step 4: frying or roasting

Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add a small amount of oil or butter. Let the pan get nice and hot before adding the mince. This gives the mince a lovely brown colour straight away and means it loses less moisture. Add the mince to the pan and fry it without stirring for the first few minutes, allowing the meat to form a crust. Then use a (wooden) spatula to break the mince into smaller pieces.

Continue frying the mince until it is no longer pink and no raw pieces are visible. This generally takes 5-10 minutes, depending on the quantity and type of mince.

Preparing meatballs

Want to make a tasty meatball with beef mince? Our chef Ruben shows you how to put a delicious meatball on the table. You cannot go wrong: how to serve delicious meatballs.

Making smash burgers

Beef mince is also perfect for making smash burgers. There are several recipes online, so you cannot go wrong. How about:

• Wagyu smash cheeseburgers
• Smash burgers with homemade burger sauce
• Naked Gunpowder Smashburgers
• Big Mac smashed tacos
• Smashed tacos with tomato & jalapeño salsa
• Pulled beef loaded smash burger

Every one of them is a delicious dish and super easy to make.