How to reheat mince

Tips for reheating mince safely

1. Cool mince rapidly by spreading out on a baking sheet for 30 minutes - no longer as this could create the perfect conditions to promote bacterial growth.
2. Immediately place the cooked mince into an airtight container and place on a lower shelf of the refrigerator or freezer. Don’t store it next to raw meat to avoid cross contamination.
3. Cooked mince can be stored safely in the fridge for up to 3 days without the flavour and texture being compromised. After this the mince must be reheated or disposed of.
4. Leftover mince can be stored safely in the freezer for up to 3 months, after this point the food quality will be compromised.
5. Frozen leftover mince must be defrosted thoroughly before cooking. We recommend defrosting is done in the fridge overnight, or using the defrost setting on your microwave. It should then be cooked and consumed immediately.
6. Leftover mince should be reheated only once and frozen only once to prevent food poisoning and food deterioration.
7. An exception to the reheating once rule is when you brown mince before cooking. It is acceptable to brown mince the night before you want to cook it. As long as you refrigerate it immediately then cook within 24 hours, as you would in a slow cooker or in a pie or lasagne for example.

Different ways to reheat cooked mince

When reheating cooked mince, all types of mince can be treated in exactly the same way. Reheating is not just warming the mince up, it is essentially re-cooking the dish which must reach a safe internal temperature of at least 75℃ to eliminate bacteria.

Reheating cooked mince in a pan on the hob

Reheating mince in a pan is the best way to retain the texture and flavour of the dish.

• Place the mince in a large pan to maximise the surface area which will be in contact with the heat. Cover with a lid to speed up the cooking.
• Place over medium heat.
• Stir frequently to encourage even reheating.
• If the meat gets dry add a little liquid - this could be water, stock, tomato puree or sauce.
• Cook for 5-10 minutes until bubbling. Check the internal temperature has reached a minimum of 75℃ .

Reheating cooked mince in the microwave

The microwave is the fastest method of reheating cooked mince and is recommended for smaller portions and if you’ve defrosted the mince in the microwave.

• Place the mince in a microwave-safe dish and cover to speed up cooking.
• Use the reheating setting if you have one, alternatively cook in short bursts of 1 minute, stirring between each to encourage even cooking.
• Add liquid if it begins to dry out.
• Cook for 3-5 minutes for each portion. Check the internal temperature has reached a minimum of 75℃.

Reheating cooked mince in the oven

Reheating mince in the oven is regarded as the best method to enhance the flavour so you may find it tastes better after reheating than before. 

• Heat oven to 180℃.
• Spread the mince evenly over an oven proof dish and add sauce if desired.
• Cover with a lid or foil to seal the moisture in.
• Reheat for 20 minutes then stir thoroughly.
• Reheat for a further 10 minutes before checking if the internal temperature has reached 75℃.

Reheating cooked mince in an airfryer

• Place the mince in the air fryer basket. Set the temperature to a low 150℃ as you don’t want the surface to burn.
• Spritz the surface with cold water.
• Cook for 5 minutes then stir thoroughly.
• Cook and stir at 5 minute intervals until the temperature has reached 75℃.
• 500g of mince should be reheated fully within 15 minutes.

Reheating cooked mince in the slow cooker

Reheating mince in the slow cooker is the slowest method but is a great way to retain moisture and enhance the flavour.

• Place the mince in the slow cooker and cover with the lid.
• Heat on low stirring every 30 minutes.
• Add a bit of liquid if dry or a sauce if you like.
• Cook for 2 hours then check the internal temperature has reached 75℃.

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