Mince and Tatties (Scottish Ground Beef Recipe) (2024)

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Mince and tatties is simply a Scottish name for ground beef and potatoes. The ground beef recipe includes a tasty gravy. When served alongside fluffy mashed or boiled potatoes, it’s a hearty, comforting dish that’s perfect for colder weather.

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Growing up in Scotland, mince and tatties was a meal that came with the territory, despite having an Italian mother.

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It would be like a Scot moving to Italy and not making pasta, if my mother hadn’t joined the ranks of everyone around her who made this traditional Scottish meal.

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It is a perfect meal for cold and rainy days, which is probably the reason it’s so popular in Scotland!

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For those of you in North America, you may need an explanation for the name of the recipe, but if you have a meat and potatoes lover in the family, you will want to make this asap!

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What is British Beef Mince?

You may already know that ground beef is called “mince” in Great Britain. It’s called this because the meat is minced.

I don’t know about you, but I hate it when ground beef stays in long hard strips in the way it was ground. It always seems more tough, and not as pleasant to eat.I’m a fan of the ground beef from Farm Foods, which only sells grass fed meat from smaller, sustainable farms, and wild-caught seafood. It breaks down beautifully, and I don’t have to fight to break it up as it cooks.

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I’ve loved everything I’ve tried so far including their ground beef, heritage pork shoulder roast, and bacon. It’s a great farm-to-table meat delivery service! Sign up for my free email subscription as I’ll be sending out discount codes if you want to give them a try.

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What are Tatties in Scotland?

Tatties are a nickname for potatoes. Sometimes the word “totties” is also used, but tatties is more common. You can serve mince with boiled potatoes instead of mashing them, as this is probably the most classic and traditional way to serve it. However, I find most people prefer mashed, so that’s what I’ve presented here.

You may have seen the recipe for my potato scones, which are also referred to as “tattie scones”. They’re great with a full Scottish breakfast or fry up, along with square sausage.

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Mince and tatties might be described as a deconstructed cottage pie. It’s essentially the same basic recipe, but assembled differently and not baked (unlike these cottage pie potatoes!) It’s a superb weeknight meal that can be made ahead and just heated to serve. It also freezes beautifully.

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You can add peas right into the mince if you like, instead of serving them on the side. Both ways are acceptable in Scotland. However, if you’re like me, I keep them on the side for whoever wants them because I dislike peas, can you believe it?

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Need a Scottish dessert to end this meal? Check out my Scottish dessert recipes!

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Note: if you know me, you’ll probably be wondering why I’ve got two processed ingredients in this recipe. The main reason is that I use these products so rarely, and they add so much to the end result that I do use them in this dish. I give options so you can skip them, so please just use beef stock if you want to skip OXO and Bisto.

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Mince and Tatties (Scottish Ground Beef Recipe)

Recipe by Christina Conte (as my mother made it from my childhood) serves 4

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Prepare the Mince (Ground Beef and Gravy)

Boil 12 ounces of water, pour into a jug and add the OXO cube or Better Than Bouillon, and stir to dissolve.

Sauté the onion and carrot in a heavy pot with the olive oil over medium high heat until the onion becomes translucent.

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Add the mince, or ground beef. Use a wooden spoon to break it up into smaller bits.

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Continue cooking for about 7 minutes, stirring often.

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Pour in the beef stock and stir. At this time, add the Bisto granules and Worcestershire sauce. Add more water if you want more gravy, but adjust the seasoning later.

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Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat so that it simmers gently. Cook for about 20 minutes (or until the mashed potatoes are ready), then taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

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Make the Mashed Potatoes (Tatties)

Put the potatoes in cold, salted water that just covers them. Bring to a boil, then simmer until cooked (a fork is inserted easily). Drain, mash with the butter, then add enough milk or milk and cream until the mashed potatoes are light and fluffy.

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Serve the Mince and Tatties

Spoon a quarter of the mashed potatoes onto each of four plates, then do the same with the mince.

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If desired, serve with cooked peas.

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The Peas can be Served in two Ways with the Mince and Tatties

Alternatively, you can mix the peas into the mince and then serve.

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Serve immediately, and enjoy a taste of Scotland!

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Can I Freeze the Ground Beef and Mashed Potatoes Dish?

Yes, mince and tatties freezes very well. You can dish up individual servings, too. Just put as much meat and potatoes (and peas, if desired) as you like in freezer proof bowls, seal and freeze for up to 2 months.

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Mince and Tatties (Scottish Ground Beef Recipe)

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

A traditional, hearty, Scottish recipe of ground beef and mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

Mince

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 large carrot
  • 1 lb ground beef, organic if possible
  • 1 Tbsp Better than Bouillon beef flavor or 1 OXO beef cube (or 10 oz beef stock)
  • 1 Tbsp Bisto (beef flavor in red)
  • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher or sea salt (if needed)
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mashed potatoes (or boiled)

  • 4 large potatoes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 oz (1/2 stick) good quality butter
  • milk or half and half (enough to make the mashed potatoes fluffy)

Instructions

Prepare the Mince (Ground Beef and Gravy)

  1. Boil 10 ounces of water, pour into a jug and add the OXO cube or bouillon, and stir to dissolve. (If using stock, skip this.)
  2. Sauté the onion and carrot in a pot with the olive oil over medium high heat until the onion becomes translucent.
  3. Add the mince, or ground beef. Use a wooden spoon to break it up into smaller bits.
  4. Continue cooking for about 7 minutes, stirring often.
    Pour in the beef stock and stir. At this time, add the Bisto and Worcestershire sauce. If you want a thicker gravy, add more Bisto, but remember, you're also adding salt. Add more water if you want a runnier gravy or more gravy, but adjust the seasoning later.
  5. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat so that it simmers gently. Cook for about 20 minutes (or until the mashed potatoes are ready), then taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

Make the Mashed Potatoes (Tatties)

  1. Put the potatoes in cold, salted water that just covers them. Bring to a boil, then simmer until cooked (a fork is inserted easily).
  2. Drain, mash with the butter, then add enough milk or milk and cream until the mashed potatoes are light and fluffy.

Serve the Mince and Tatties

  1. Spoon a quarter of the mashed potatoes onto each of four plates, then do the same with the mince.
  2. If desired, serve with cooked peas.
  3. Alternatively, you can mix the peas into the mince and serve this way, also.

Notes

OXO cubes may be difficult to find in the US, however, beef flavored BISTO is readily available on Amazon, Cost Plus, and British shops.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 866Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 1476mgCarbohydrates: 71gFiber: 8gSugar: 9gProtein: 52g

Nutrition information is only estimated.

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Mince and Tatties (Scottish Ground Beef Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is 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.

What dish can I make with mince and potatoes? ›

Here's a fun change from spaghetti bolognese - serve the mince on potato wedges instead. The kids will love it.

What's the difference between ground beef and minced beef? ›

The main difference between ground and minced meat is its contents. Ground meat is bulked up with additional ingredients. Minced meat is made from 100% meat and doesn't contain additional ingredients.

What does mince mean in Scotland? ›

nonsense, rubbish. Apart from haggis, mince and tatties is one of Scotland's most iconic national dishes which has nurtured many generations of Scots. Mince is so embedded in the national psyche that it has developed many unusual and inexplicable meanings.

What do British people call ground beef? ›

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).

How to cook mince for dummies? ›

Add a dash of oil to a hot pan & add your mince. Stir to make sure the mince doesn't stick to the pan and browns evenly. If too many juices escape, pour the mince into a strainer to remove liquid and then add just the mince back into the pan until it's browned on the outside.

Is it OK to eat meat and potatoes together? ›

Over the past several years, scientists in the U.S., New Zealand, Scotland, and beyond have debunked the myth that red meat and starch are double trouble. In fact, they've shown that eating resistant carbs like potatoes with red meat promotes better digestive health than eating red meat on its own.

Why do Brits call ground beef mince? ›

Yes, we have ground beef in the UK, and, yes, we call it “mince”, which is short for “minced meat”, so called because it is meat that is minced: in a mincer.

Are burgers just minced beef? ›

Choose your meat

Choose a standard minced meat (usually around 20% fat) or, if you are set on leaner cuisine, then 10 % fat is okay, but don't go for less. Beef is the typical meat used in burgers but you could use lamb or pork, or a mixture of beef and pork.

Why is it called mincemeat? ›

The "mince" in mincemeat comes from the Middle English mincen, and the Old French mincier both traceable to the Vulgar Latin minutiare, meaning chop finely. The word mincemeat is an adaptation of an earlier term minced meat, meaning finely chopped meat. Meat was also a term for food in general, not only animal flesh.

What makes the best beef mince? ›

Here's our 3 rules to look out for to make sure you're getting premium quality beef mince:
  1. Keep It Good. The meat in premium mince is fresh, using quality meat and good fats. ...
  2. Keep It Clean. Premium mince has no tendons, bones or hard spots in the meat. ...
  3. Keep It Lean. Have some fat but don't over do it.

How long should you cook mince for? ›

Mince is cooked when the temperature has reached 75°C. If you don't have a thermometer, ensure it's been simmering on the heat (it should be bubbling gently) for at least 15 minutes. If you're cooking meatballs or meatloaf, use a thermometer to check the temperature or cut open to check it is cooked through.

What is Tatties made of? ›

It's not a dish. It's a foodstuff. 'Tatties' is short for potatoes, and is used in Scotland, Nothumberland and Cumbria. Though there is a dish 'neeps and tatties' (bashed up or mashed turnips* and potatoes), the word alone is used for any kind of potato.

What type of meat is mince? ›

Ground meat, called mince or minced meat outside North America, is meat finely chopped by a meat grinder or a chopping knife. A common type of ground meat is ground beef, but many other types of meats are prepared in a similar fashion, including pork, veal, lamb, goat meat, and poultry.

What does mince meat consist of? ›

Mincemeat is a combination of chopped dried fruits, spices, sugar, nuts, distilled spirits, a fat of some type and sometimes meat. The name is a carryover from 15th century England when mincemeat did indeed have meat in the mix; in fact, the whole point of mincemeat was to preserve meat with sugar and alcohol.

What is mince made of UK? ›

UK government guidelines currently state that minced meat must not include meat containing bone fragments or skin, meat of the head, mechanically separated meat or scrap cuttings or trimmings. Instead, it must derive from fresh meat, skeletal muscle and any adherent fatty tissues.

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