Mince and Tatties

5 from 1 vote

Easy, hearty and full of flavour, traditional Mince and Tatties is Scottish comfort food at its best. Savoury beef mince simmered in a tasty gravy, with buttery mashed potatoes on the side, perfect for family dinner on a cold evening.

Prep Time5

Cook Time55

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Scottish

Servings: servings

Calories: 508kcal

Author: Carrie Carvalho

Equipment

Dutch oven or large pot

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil
500 grams Beef mince
1 OXO Beef stock cube OXO would be traditional but you can use another brand or sub 1 tbsp Better than Bouillon beef for 1 stock cube
1 Onion diced
2 Carrots diced
1 leek white and light green part halved and sliced
3 tbsp bisto (or gravy) granules see notes if using gravy powder
1 tsp thyme or mixed herbs
750 ml hot water
White pepper and salt to taste, be aware stock and gravy have plenty salt so I only season at the end of cooking
Steamed Peas to serve
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce optional

Mashed Potato

800 grams potatoes peeled and roughly chopped
3 tbsp Butter more or less as desired
salt and pepper

Metric - US Measures

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and add the onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until starting to soften.
1 Onion, 2 tbsp oil
Add the mince and brown, breaking up with a spoon as it cooks.
500 grams Beef mince
Crumble in the OXO Cube and sprinkle over the thyme or mixed herbs then stir in the carrots and leeks. Cook for another 5 minutes before pouring in the water. Add Worcestershire sauce if using.
1 OXO Beef stock cube, 2 Carrots, 1 leek, 1 tsp thyme or mixed herbs, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 750 ml hot water
Allow to simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the gravy granules and allow to simmer another 5 minutes, or until the gravy has thickened to your liking. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
3 tbsp bisto (or gravy) granules, White pepper and salt
Meanwhile, to make the mash add the chopped potatoes to a large pan and cover with cold water. Add a dash of salt and bring to a boil uncovered, then simmer for about 20 minutes until soft. Drain in a colander and add back to the warm pot. Cover with a clean tea towel and allow to rest for 5 minutes before mashing.
800 grams potatoes, salt and pepper
As you mash the potatoes, season generously with salt and pepper and add the butter a bit at a time until you have soft and fluffy mash (add milk or cream if you prefer.)
3 tbsp Butter
Best served with steamed buttered peas on the side (or you can stir them directly into the mince for the last few minutes of cooking.)
Steamed Peas

Notes

If using Bisto gravy powder, not granules (typically sold in a box rather than a tub) Add 2 tsp gravy powder mixed with a bit of warm water to form a paste. Take the pot off the heat and stir in to the warm (not bubbling) mince, mixing well so it disperses. If you don’t mix quickly or if the mince is too hot it will clump together.

Be wary with the salt - both the stock cube and gravy have a fair amount of salt, so this is one recipe where I typically avoid adding any seasoning till the end as it is very easy to add too much. You can also use low salt stock cube and gravy (I do this when serving kids).

Nutrition