Prepping Minced Beef Meals
A Step-by-Step Guide to Meal Prep: Four Recipes Using Minced Beef
Here are some ideas for prepping minced beef meals. I’m a reluctant cook, and I don’t particularly enjoy it. If the opportunity arises to afford my own chef, I will definitely do that! But back in the real world, I have to cook meals that are quick, easy, and that can freeze well. I usually use ingredients that are in tins or frozen. Then whenever I feel inspired to cook, I can go for it.
Over the years, I have read various recipes, and then I changed them to make them simpler and a lot more budget-friendly. Also, I like to put lots of vegetables with all my meat recipes to bulk them out.
Meat is expensive, so if I add as many vegetables as I can, I feel like I’m getting more for my money, plus it’s healthier.
Here are 4 recipes that use minced beef (ground beef) and freeze brilliantly. They use similar ingredients but taste very different.
Lasagne
Ingredients
- 500g mince
- 100g onion (chopped)
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- 500g lasagne red tomato sauce
- 100g peas
- 100g carrots
- 100g sweetcorn
- Lasagne pasta sheets
- 75g mature cheddar grated
Instructions
Cook the minced beef and onion over medium-high heat in a pan until browned and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Then add the chopped tomatoes, Bolognese sauce, peas, carrots and sweetcorn and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Next, spread a small amount of spaghetti sauce mix to the bottom of your tray. Then place a pasta sheet, followed by more spaghetti sauce. Keep layering with another pasta sheet and spaghetti sauce, and do this for as many layers as you can manage. Finish it off by sprinkling over the top grated mature cheddar.
This made 5 single portions.
Mince and Onion pie
Ingredients
- 1000g mince
- 100g onion (chopped)
- 3 Oxo’s
- 1 tablespoon of corn flour
- Water
Prepare the filling
Cook the minced beef and onion over medium-high heat in a pan until browned and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the cornflour and oxos, mixing everything well. Add water to the pan just enough to cover the mixture. Add the pan lid and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After 10 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to allow the gravy to thicken. Once it’s done, place the meat mixture into trays and let it cool.
Prepare the pastry lid
Ingredients
- 125g plain flour
- Pinch salt
- 55g butter
Put all ingredients into a bowl. Make into breadcrumbs and add water slowly until it sticks together and knead into dough. Then, with a rolling pin, roll out the pastry and cover your tray.
When the meat mixture has cooled, and you have added a pastry lid, preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and bake the pie for 35-40 minutes until it reaches a golden-brown colour.
This made 4 single portions.
Meat and vegetable pie
Ingredients
- 500g mince
- 100g onion (chopped)
- 100g peas
- 100g carrots
- 100g sweetcorn
- 3 Oxo’s
- 1 tablespoon of cornflour
- Water
Prepare the filling
Heat the minced beef and onion over medium-high heat in a pan until browned and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Then sprinkle the cornflour and oxos, mixing everything well. Add water to the pan just enough to cover the mixture and add peas, sweetcorn and carrots. Put the pan lid on and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After 10 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking for an additional 5/10 minutes to allow the gravy to thicken. Place the meat mixture into trays and let it cool.
Prepare the pastry lid
Ingredients
- 125g plain flour
- Pinch salt
- 55g butter
Put all ingredients into a bowl. Make into breadcrumbs and add water slowly until it sticks together and knead into dough. Then, with a rolling pin, roll out the pastry and cover your tray.
When the meat mixture has cooled, and you have added a pastry lid, preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and bake the pie for 35-40 minutes until it reaches a golden-brown colour.
This made 3 single portions.
Mince and Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 500g mince
- 100g onion
- 820g beans (2 big tins)
- 3 Oxo’s
- 1 tablespoon of cornflour
Instructions
Heat the minced beef and onion over medium-high heat in a pan until browned and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the cornflour and oxos into the pan and mix well. Add the baked beans and cook for 10 minutes. Then serve this with chips or mashed potatoes.
This made 4 single portions.
Freezing instructions for the recipes
When you are ready to eat them, take them out of the freezer the night before, let them defrost in the fridge and then cook as you normally would.
I hope at least one of the recipes has inspired you. I would imagine the mince and baked bean one surprised you! I wasn’t sure about that one myself, but I really enjoy it!
Don’t forget you can change the amounts of ingredients and add extra items for flavour.
For more ideas for cooking with minced beef, check out the link below from the BBC.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/beef_mince
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