Saving Money on Food: Cheap meals with mince

Lots of people buy steak but minced beef is not just more economical but more versatile for saving time and money. I always buy good quality mince - there's no point paying less per kilo if it's just bulked out by fat and gristle. There are much better ways of making your meat go further.

Basic beef mince & onions

So many recipes are based on this and you can turn it into lots of different meals. I usually cook it in bulk so we have convenient leftovers for a day or two, or freeze in meal-size portions. Almost all mince meals taste better the next day.

Quantities and ingredients vary with what's available and your own taste. There are no rules.

1. Fry a chopped online in oil, stirring so it doesn't burn (I prefer olive oil). When the onion is transparent, add garlic, chopped celery or carrot if you want to. Fry for a little longer.
2. Add the mince and fry till brown. Use a fork, spatula etc to keep it moving and break up. (If you have lots of fat, pour it off and buy better mince next time)
3. Add some liquid. This can be a jar or can of tomatoes, a bit of leftover red wine, water, beef stock etc.  A spoonful or two of tomato paste is good.
4. Add some mixed herbs (fresh or dried).
5. Allow to simmer (bubble gently) for 30 minutes or more.

Variations on the night:

Standard mince and onions or Bolognese are the most versatile if you are planning to use variations on the leftovers.

• More tomato and some red wine and you have Bolognese sauce.
• Leave out the wine, add curry powder (at the garlic stage being careful not to burn it)
• Add peppers and a tin of kidney beans and you have Chilli con carne

Variations and ways with leftovers:

Even the smallest amount of left-over cooked mince can be useful in creating a meal.

• You can add any of the ingredients above. Bulk out if need be with extra vegetables. Frozen green peas go well with curry.
• Buy frozen puff pastry and make a pie. Not only will it taste so much better than the pies you buy, a small amount of filling can go a long way.
• If you've only got a bit of filling, make pastry parcels instead. Make a variety, use the meat for some, cheese and tomato, spinach and feta etc for others. Cut a square of puff pastry into two rectangles to make long tubes, or cut diagonally to make triangles.
• Just heat it up and have it on toast with a bit of sauce (tomato, Worcestershire etc).

More Ways to Produce Great Meals on a Budget

• Standard items to have on hand
• Growing Herbs and other ingredients
• Buying in Bulk
• The Humble Cooked Chook - 3 meals from one chicken
• Mince and onions - so many uses
• Roast meats - don't forget to use the left overs
• Lessons from the take-away shops

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