Content

• Ingredients
• Cooking minced meat on the stove
• Cooking minced meat in the microwave
• Cooking minced meat with spices
• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Method 1: on the stove
• Part 2 of 3: Method 2: in the microwave
• Part 3 of 3: Method 3: Seasoned
• Tips
• What do you need
• Cooking minced meat on the stove
• Cooking minced meat in the microwave
• Cooking minced meat with spices

Minced meat is a key ingredient in many dishes. Usually it is first prepared separately and then the rest of the ingredients are added to it. This article explains some of the methods for preparing minced meat.

Ingredients

Cooking minced meat on the stove

For preparing 750 g minced meat

• 750 g minced meat or chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) table salt (optional)
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vegetable oil (optional)

Cooking minced meat in the microwave

For cooking 500 g minced meat

• 500 g minced meat or chicken
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
• 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 ml) Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Cooking minced meat with spices

For cooking 500 g minced meat

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 500 g minced meat or chicken
• 400 g canned tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup (125 g) hot water
• 1 beef bouillon cube (optional)

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Method 1: on the stove

1. 1 Heat the oil. Pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into a large skillet.Place the skillet on the stove over high heat.
   • This step is optional. Most minced meat contains enough fat so you can cook without oil. Greasing the pan with oil, however, prevents the food from burning. This can come in handy if you have a stainless steel pan.
   • If you cook without oil, you will need to stir the minced meat for the first few minutes to prevent it from burning.
2. 2 Place the minced meat in the skillet. Place the minced meat in the center of the heated skillet. Divide it into large pieces using a hard, heat-resistant spatula.
   • Only cook fresh or thawed minced meat.
   • If your skillet does not fit all the minced meat, cook it in portions. Before cooking the next portion, pour the oil back into the pan and heat it up.
3. 3 Grind the minced meat. While the minced meat is roasting, divide the large pieces into small pieces.
   • Stir the minced meat from time to time so that it does not burn and turn out dry. It will also contribute to an even cooking.
   • On medium to high heat, the liquid will evaporate quite quickly. If there is too much liquid, drain off the excess by gently tilting the pan over the sink. In principle, you can cook minced meat in your own juice, but then it will taste not fried, but boiled.
4. 4 Add salt. Sprinkle the minced meat with salt and stir gently with a spatula.
   • You can also skip this step, but salt enhances the flavor and extends the shelf life of the finished minced meat. You can also add seasonings if desired.
5. 5 Check the readiness of the minced meat. When the minced meat is evenly fried, take a larger piece, break it and check the degree of doneness. The meat should not be pink on the inside.
   • You can determine the readiness by eye. If you want to use a meat thermometer, the temperature of the minced meat inside should be 70 ° C.
6. 6 Prepare a minced meat dish or put it aside. The finished minced meat can be used immediately for cooking or stored for later use.
   • If you intend to store cooked minced meat, remove the skillet from the stove and let the minced meat cool to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Part 2 of 3: Method 2: in the microwave

1. 1 Place the minced meat in a deep microwave dish. Place a microwave-safe colander in the center of the bowl, then place the minced meat in the center of the colander.
   • It is not necessary to put in a colander, but it can help you get rid of excess fat. You can also use a sieve or dish rack instead of a colander.
   • If the minced meat is frozen, remove it from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
2. 2 Add water. Pour about half a centimeter of water into the container.
   • Food may be dry after microwave cooking. Water will humidify the air and prevent the minced meat from drying out.
3. 3 Season the mince with Worcestershire sauce. Cover the visible surface of the minced meat evenly with the sauce.
   • Minced meat usually does not have time to brown during cooking in the microwave. The sauce will give it a brownish color and also enhance its flavor.
   • You can also use other brown sauces and seasonings to add color, such as onion soup mixture, teriyaki sauce, barbecue sauce, and steak sauce.
4. 4 Cover the container. Wrap the container with microwave-safe cling film. If using a colander, cover the colander and container with plastic.
   • If you have a microwaveable lid, use it.
   • Minced meat will evaporate less liquid in a covered dish. The film will also protect the oven from splashing.
5. 5 Cook for 2 minutes. Place the bowl in the microwave, set the power to maximum and cook for 2 minutes.
   • It may take more than 2 minutes (it all depends on the power of the oven), but just in case, start with two minutes - during this time the minced meat will definitely not boil down even with a high power of the microwave oven.
6. 6 Stir the minced meat from time to time. Take a fork or spatula and stir the minced meat. Put the container back in the oven, cook for another 30 seconds and stir again, and so on, until the minced meat is cooked through.
   • The minced meat is done when it is dark brown and steam is coming out of it. Break a large piece of minced meat and check if the meat is cooked inside.
   • It is not necessary to check the minced meat with a thermometer, but if you want to do this, the temperature inside the minced meat must be at least 70 ° C.
7. 7 Prepare a minced meat dish or set it aside. Drain off the water and fat and start cooking or leave the minced meat until better days.
   • In an airtight container, minced meat can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a week, and in the freezer for no more than three months.

Part 3 of 3: Method 3: Seasoned

1. 1 Heat the oil. Pour oil into a large skillet and place on the stove over high heat.
2. 2 Sauté the onion and garlic. Chop the onion and garlic and place in a heated skillet. Cook for about three minutes, stirring constantly
   • Cook until the onions and garlic are softer and more flavorful. The onion should become translucent and the garlic should darken slightly.
3. 3 Add minced meat. Place the minced meat in a skillet and divide it into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Toss with onion and garlic.
   • Use fresh or defrosted minced meat for cooking. Leave the frozen minced meat to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. If you need to quickly defrost minced meat, use the defrosting mode in the microwave.
4. 4 Fry the minced meat. Stir while the minced meat is cooking. The cooking time should be 8-10 minutes. Roast the meat thoroughly before moving on to the next step.
   • Minced meat should be fried evenly on all sides. If not completely fried pieces remain, it's okay - the meat will be cooked later.
   • Drain any excess liquid and fat from the pan before moving on to the next step.
5. 5 Add tomatoes and seasonings. Cut the canned tomatoes into cubes and add to the minced meat. Then sprinkle the minced meat with tomato oregano and black pepper evenly and stir.
   • Other seasonings can be added. Try using a mixture of dried Italian herbs instead of oregano. You can also season the dish with red pepper and paprika instead of black pepper with oregano.
6. 6 Add the beef bouillon cube to the water. Dissolve the beef cube in half a glass of hot water. Pour the resulting broth into a skillet and bring to a boil.
   • If you don't like the beef flavor, do not add the cube to the water, but simply pour hot water into the pan. Alternatively, you can add a vegetable cube instead of a beef cube.
7. 7 Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender.
   • Stir the contents of the pan every 5 minutes.
   • If the liquid evaporates before the minced meat is cooked, add more water. Top up with water in 1/4 cup portions.
   • Do not add water in the last 5 minutes. When the minced meat is cooked, it should be dry.
8. 8 Serve minced meat to the table or store it in the refrigerator. You can eat ready-made minced meat or prepare a dish from it later.
   • If you are going to store minced meat, remove the skillet from the stove and let the minced meat cool to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.

Tips

• Prepare minced meat in advance to save time. Prepared mince can be used in lasagna, spaghetti sauce, chili sauce, meat casserole, Mexican tacos, kebabs, and more.

What do you need

Cooking minced meat on the stove

• Large non-stick frying pan
• Scapula
• Sealed container (optional)

Cooking minced meat in the microwave

• Microwave safe dishes
• Microwave-safe colander (optional)
• Cling film
• Fork or spatula
• Sealed container (optional)

Cooking minced meat with spices

• Large non-stick frying pan
• Scapula
• Sealed container (optional)