I’ve never cooked mince in a slow cooker before. Mince is one of those things that is quick to cook and easy enough to make on the stove ….. before you know it, dinner is ready.

On one of our weekly deliveries, a client mentioned how she loved cooking our mince in the slow cooker – and I made a mental note. Recently a new client had questions about cooking lean mince and how it clumps together and, while this is common because it has so little fat mixed in, I reminded her that the clumping is worse when its cooked on a high heat.

I don’t usually order lean mince but happened to order an extra kilo recently, so I decided to try the slow cooker experiment. And it was a huge success. So much so that slow cooker mince is a family favourite at the moment. The only downside is that it takes 2 hours to cook, but a little planning means that a lot less effort goes into cooking this way.

I put the raw mince into the slow cooker, added salt and spices and mixed it all together. I put the lid on, turned it on to ‘low’ and came back 2 hours later. Easy peasy. I took a minute or two to go through the mince with a fork, separating it, and was so surprised to find it was loose and didn’t have any clumps that I couldn’t break up with the fork. And, it wasn’t a major gym workout either! In fact, as grass-fed beef is when cooked on a low heat, it was juicy and tender – and delicious!

I could have used this mince to make pies or sandwiches, but I whipped up a bolognaise sauce on the stove top and added the cooked mince to it just before serving. It was absolutely delicious!

Ofcourse, frying up your onion and garlic, and browning your mince, before putting it in the slow cooker will add so much more depth and flavour to your meal. But skipping that step and starting all the ingredients in the slow cooker makes a delicious meal too. It cooks beautifully and evenly in the slow cooker – even without stirring it while cooking. In fact, go ahead and add your tomato-based sauce, finely cut veggies and herbs from the start. This is a one-pot wonder!

Experiment a little, but I can highly recommend cooking our beef in a slow cooker, it’s a winner!

PS:  Slow cookers are different, and some are definitely slower than others. Mine is very slow, and the 2 hours on ‘low’ was perfect timing. Most recipes I’ve researched say to cook mince for 2 and 4 hours, so keep an eye on your slow cooker the first time you do it to determine the length of time it takes.

There are so many yummy meals one can make with mince in a slow cooker.

Here is a recipe for a Bolognese Sauce:

INGREDIENTS

1kg Lean Beef Mince

2 Onions finely chopped

3 Cloves of garlic minced

125ml red wine or beef broth

1 can of chopped tomatoes

6 Tablespoons tomato puree

1 large carrot grated

150g Mushrooms finely diced (add half an hour before the end)

2 teaspoons salt

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

A dash of pepper to taste

1. Add all the ingredients (except the mushrooms) to your slow cooker and mix well. (You could fry up your onion and garlic in a little oil, and brown the mince in a pan beforehand if you have the time. This will add an extra flavour dimension but isn’t essential).
2. Cook on low for 2 hours.
3. Add the mushrooms and cook for 30 minutes longer.
4. Cook and rinse your spaghetti, then add it to the sauce in your slow cooker and mix well.
5. Serve with a dash of fresh basil or parsley and some grated parmesan or cheddar.