Cooking with mince

Mince is the fastest way to fill the freezer: the nine recipes below each take 45 minutes or less, and the method is almost always the same. Get the browning right and every one tastes better.

Which mince?

1. 5% fat is the leanest. It has less fat to skim off but can turn a little dry, so don’t overcook it.
2. 10 to 12% fat is the best all-rounder for these blocks: enough flavour, not much fat to drain. The recipes assume this.
3. 20% fat has the most flavour and is cheapest. Spoon off the fat that pools after browning.

Brown it, don’t steam it

1. Use your largest pan and get it hot before the mince goes in. If the pan is crowded, brown it in two batches.
2. Leave it alone for 2 to 3 minutes before stirring, so it gets a proper brown crust, then break it up finely so it portions evenly into blocks.
3. Stretch it. Grated carrot, beans and lentils make 500g of mince go further and add fibre without anyone noticing.
4. Swap freely. Turkey, pork or lamb mince work in almost every recipe here; cook times stay the same.

Nine quick recipes

Each uses a 500g pack of 10% fat beef mince. Times are prep plus cooking.

• Beef & Broccoli Noodle Base: sweet soy and garlic with plenty of broccoli; just add noodles. 25 min, 15 blocks.
• Chinese Black Bean Beef: peppers and onion in a savoury black bean sauce. 30 min, 16 blocks.
• Korean Bulgogi Beef Mince: soy, ginger and grated pear for rice bowls. 30 min, 17 blocks.
• Crispy Chilli Beef Noodle Base: a sticky sweet chilli glaze, and the only one here with medium heat. 30 min, 15 blocks.
• Cheeseburger Mince: ketchup, mustard and gherkins for tacos, wraps or fries. 35 min, 13 blocks.
• Sloppy Joe Mince: tangy and smoky, for soft buns or jacket potatoes. 35 min, 16 blocks.
• Beef Taco Mince: peppers, black beans and smoked paprika for taco night. 40 min, 18 blocks.
• Beef Kofta Mince: cumin, cinnamon and chickpeas, with none of the shaping. 45 min, 19 blocks.
• Beef Picadillo: Cuban-style, with olives, raisins and a little potato. 45 min, 20 blocks.

For mild turkey mince dishes from the IBS-friendly recipes, see Turkey mince day.