Minced meat

Pat it dry if it looks wet, then cook it in a hot, wide pan with a little oil. Brown it in batches so the meat has room to fry; overcrowding makes it steam.

For a sauce or chilli, simmer browned mince for at least 20 minutes so the flavours develop. For safety, cook it right through; the centre should reach 75 °C, especially for minced poultry.

For juicy burgers, choose mince with some fat; very lean mince can turn dry, so handle it gently and avoid pressing it down as it cooks. For a lighter sauce, leaner mince works well, especially with a little oil and plenty of liquid.

Keep it covered on the bottom shelf and use it within 1–2 days. Freeze it if you will not cook it in that time.

Freeze it in meal-sized portions, flattened in a sealed bag so it freezes and thaws quickly. Defrost it in the fridge and cook it promptly; do not refreeze it raw after thawing.

Use it for cottage pie, meatballs, bolognese-style sauce, chilli con carne or stuffed vegetables. Brown it first for sauces and fillings; shape it gently for meatballs so they stay tender.

Yes: cooked brown or green lentils work well in bolognese-style sauce, cottage pie and chilli. Add them after softening the onion and spices, and simmer until the sauce is rich; lentils hold their shape better than red lentils.