For my mince I use beef and sometimes add 1/3 pork, but you can use chicken, lamb, turkey or any other mince you like.
Ingredients
2kg mince meat
2 cups grated carrots
2 chopped onions
2-3 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped (optional)
3t salt
pepper & other seasonings to taste
olive oil or cooking fat of your choice
2-3 cups broth (optional)
I like to make the veggies almost undetectable since I have a picky one-year-old. There are two ways to do this: either chop the veggies really finely beforehand (use a food processor) or sauté roughly chopped veggies and dump in a blender afterwards.
Heat a large pan on medium heat and add the oil or fat and vegetables. Sauté the vegetables until tender and fragrant. Scoop out into a large bowl and return the pan to the heat. Brown the meat in batches, making sure to season every batch. Finally, mix the cooked meat and vegetables together and taste it to make sure that it is seasoned to your liking. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
I found that broth really makes the meat moist, tender and taste incredible, but it is up to you if you want to go through the extra trouble (which is not difficult or hands on, it just takes time). Add the broth to the meat and veggie mixture in a large stockpot, stir to combine and leave on med-high heat to reduce. It is ready when the liquid no longer pools on top and when there is no runny liquid when stirring through.
I try to make all my at-hand food to be as nutritionally dense as possible, because my one-year-old eats very little. That is why all my food is packed with veggies and the broth I use is homemade bone broth.
Let the mixture cool to room temperature before dividing it into freezer bags or bowls. I like storing mine in 500g portions for ease of use later.
To use later, pull the amount you need out of the freezer and thaw (it can be defrosted in the microwave). That's it! Easy!
Notes: You can add any other vegetables as well. Onions, carrots and celery give an amazing flavour to the meat and it also makes it moist. Check your refrigerator for vegetables that will go bad before you can use it or buy some on special. Good choices include spinach, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, eggplant, grated potatoes, etc.
If you're on a tight budget, you can also stretch the meat further with oatmeal. I recommend using about half a cup per 500g meat. If you use more, it could take over.
Quick meals using the mince meat
Bolognaise Sauce: Add a can of chopped tomatoes and some balsamic vinegar if you want.
Shephard's Pie: Add some peas to the mince, place in a baking dish and top with mashed potatoes. Bake in the oven if you like.
Chilli Con Carne: Add a can of mixed beans (and/or corn or chickpeas), dried or fresh chillies to taste and taco seasoning. Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream or greek yoghurt, spring onions and cheddar cheese.
Spanish Rice: Add cooked rice, bacon bits and spring onions.
