Mince & Tatties Recipe: Traditional Scottish Comfort Food (2024)

FAQs

What are mince and tatties made of? ›

Mince and tatties is a Scottish dish which consists of ground beef and mashed potato. Other vegetables or thickening agents are sometimes added to the dish as well.

While savoury mince is usually thickened with flour, the secret to our favourite savoury mince recipe is the addition of a couple of tablespoons of Gravox. This not only thickens the mixture but adds an extra beefy flavour.

It is always served with mashed potatoes (called "tatties") and mashed turnips (called "neeps"). Keep in mind that depending on where you are located, neeps may mean something different. In England, neeps are considered turnips.

mince ... nonsense, rubbish: 'Yer heid's full a mince', 'He talks a lot a mince. ' ...

However, in the UK and some other Commonwealth countries, ground beef is commonly referred to as "mince" or "minced beef." The term "mince" is used to describe meat that has been finely chopped or ground into small pieces. This includes not only beef but also other meats like lamb, pork, and poultry.

The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins. Whole milk (not reduced fat), buttermilk, and yogurt all get the job done – with a special nod to buttermilk and yogurt for their optimal tenderizing acidity levels.

Minced chicken is a good low-fat choice. Venison mince is very lean. Lean minced pork is another healthy option and can be used in place of other mince.

Although any cut of beef can be used to produce ground beef, chuck steak is a popular choice because of its rich flavor and meat-to-fat ratio. Round steak is also often used. In the United States, ground beef is usually categorized based on the cut and fat percentage: Chuck: 78–84% lean.

So, what is a full Scottish breakfast? Usually made up of bacon, link sausages, Lorne sausage (also known as square sausage or slice), black pudding, haggis, baked beans, fried mushrooms and tomatoes, toast, tattie scones and fried eggs, the full Scottish breakfast is a sight to behold.

What did Scots eat before potatoes? ›

In pre-industrial Scotland ordinary people had a fairly frugal diet of 'broses' made from barley, oats, beans and pease cooked in a cauldron over an open fire. Foods such as kale and porridge featured prominently ¬are now promoted as superfoods.

The word "tattie" comes from the Scots word for potato.

How do you cook mince so it's tender? To cook tender minced beef make sure it has enough fat content to stop it drying out, and then use it in dishes that allow it to cook for long enough to become tender. Even in very simple dishes like this classic mince and tatties the meat is cooked for long enough to tenderise it.

Lean mince can be dry and chewy when it cooks, which is the complete opposite of what you want. Mince with less than 10% fat is considered lean; mince with about 15% fat is the best of both worlds as it's not too fatty (mince can go up to 20% fat) but it's not super lean either, so you get a good balance of flavours.

Ground beef, minced beef or beef mince is beef that has been finely chopped with a knife, meat grinder (American English), mincer or mincing machine (British English).

The terms “ground meat” and “minced meat” are sometimes used interchangeably. But they indicate two techniques for processing raw meat: ground meat is an emulsion of lean meat and fat, whereas minced meat is finely chopped skeletal-muscle meat. Ground meat is consistent and smooth; minced meat is choppy and textured.

Mince can be from a variety of different cuts of lamb; the middle neck, scrag end, breast or other forequarter offcuts. Lamb mince is perfect for dishes like shepherd's pie, moussaka, burgers and koftas.

In case you are wondering, Christmas mincemeat is not, as the name suggests, made from meat, although it once was. It does contain suet, however, a saturated animal fat that's used in British baking, but there are vegetarian suet options; you can also use vegetable shortening (freeze it first).