Minced meat malaise

Question

I've been cooking a Dutch pie lately, and the results are not very regular. Using the exact same ingredients (I'm trying to get the best minced meat, but that's hard), sometimes the minced meat becomes nice and juicy and sometimes it gets dry and chewy.

I've tried putting everything raw into the oven, but the result is a bit too compact for my taste.

I try to sauté the meat for a short period of time and add some brandy to flambé. The meat should get a little crust, but not be done entirely as it'll go into the oven.

With this description, do you think there's anything wrong with the technique? Should I use higher heat but leave the meat less time? Should I skip the flambé? Should I leave the meat on longer (like a bolognese)?

Answer

I think if you're going try to brown mince as mince, it's going to get dry and tough, especially if lean. You could try making it into a patty, browning the outside to get the flavour reactions started, then breaking up with wooden spoon (see Nicholas Klee, 'Don't Sweat the Aubergine' 2005). If you're also cooking onions and other veg like you would for a shepherd's pie, you could cook these separately until browned. Shepherd's pie is often made with left over (and browned) meat from a joint.The key to a good shepherd's pie is slow cooking for at least an hour.

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