Batch Cook – Burger/Meatball Mince
Batch Cook – Burger/Meatball Mince
What you will need:
Instructions:
Step 1:- Add the cup of Red Lentils to a saucepan along with the Stock Cube and a cup of water (you want enough water to cover the lentils if not enough for your size saucepan then top up with more) cook with the lid on until all the water has been absorbed and leave to cool with the lid on.
Step 2:-Finely chop the Onions and Mushrooms and cook in a frying pan on medium heat until soft. Add the seasonings to the cooked mixture, (Worcester Sauce, Onion Powder, Italian Seasoning, Mustard Powder, and Salt and Pepper (to taste). Leave to cool.
Step 3:- Add the cooked mixture and red lentils in a large bowl with the Beef Mince and Pork Mince.
Step 4:-Mix until fully combined.
Step 5:- shape into the end product – depending on how your shape your mince these can become a variety of met products, balls = meatballs, flat cylinders for burgers or oval balls for koftas. – to help wit the shape of my burgers I use a burger press.
Top Tips
Batch Cooking Freezer Prep
To make it easier to prep burgers for the freezer – if using a burger press wrap the top of the press in cling film and place another piece on top of the bottom section. Add your mince and press. Then flip the bottom one out onto a silicone mat or parchment paper and peel off the cling film. place the cling film back onto the bottom half of the press and repeat filling, pressing and flipping out until all the mixture is gone. For my base for freezing I used a chopping board with a sheet or parchment and a silicone mat on top. lining twice like this helps to loosen the meat from the parchment paper after freezing. once frozen I then cut the parchment paper into squares and stack them between each burger before adding to a food bag.
Freezing the mince in singular portions before adding to a food bag ensures that the portions are not frozen together once they are wanted.
Ingredient Tips
Pork and Beef Mince – using both pork and mince gives extra flavour as the pork has a higher fat content, it also is cheaper than the beef so is more friendly on the pocket.
Red Lentils – using them helps to bind up the meat and also gives extra protein for a fraction of the cost of meat.
Onion and Mushrooms – gives flavour to the mince and bulks out the mixture without the cost.