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What Is Pork Mince?

Terrie Brockmann
Terrie Brockmann

Generally, people in the United States refer to pork mince as ground pork, but in other regions people usually use the term minced pork. Although it is most common to use uncooked pork, cooks may mince cooked pork, which gives it a very different taste and texture. Minced meat, such as pork, beef, or poultry, is economical and versatile, which is why many cooks use it. Commercial food companies use almost any part of the hog for minced pork, though many cooks normally prefer the shoulder sections with a small amount of belly fat to improve the texture and taste.

Cooks make minced meat with mincing knives or appliances called mincers or grinders. Mincing knives usually have one or two curved blades positioned between two handles. Some people prefer to use a chef's knife or meat cleaver. The cook works the pork until it is the texture desired. Whether a cook uses coarser minces or finer minces depends on the recipe, such as a fine mince for a pate.

Pork mince can be made from a roast.
Pork mince can be made from a roast.

The appliances, called meat mincers or meat grinders, may be manual or electric. Generally, these mincers work in the same fashion. An auger forces chunks of the meat through a set of cutting blades. The grind changes from coarse to fine, depending on which blades are in place. Sometimes cooks use food processors to make pork mince, but usually the processor produces a very fine texture that is more suitable for pates than for burgers or fried minced meat.

Pork can be minced with knives or a meat grinder.
Pork can be minced with knives or a meat grinder.

Although almost any part of the pig may be minced, many butchers use only select cuts in order to please their customers. Some cooks buy a select cut, such as a roast, and ask the butcher to custom mince it. Many food experts suggest that a mixture of lean and marbled pieces results in a premier quality pork mince. Some people prefer to mix the pork with other meats, such as beef, lamb, or poultry, either while mincing or after.

Pork mince can be used for stuffing pasta shells.
Pork mince can be used for stuffing pasta shells.

Various recipes call for pork mince, and in American recipes it is usually listed as ground pork. Many dishes from southeastern Asia feature minced pork, such as Thai pork balls. Pork mince is very versatile, and cooks may form it into balls, burgers, and loaves or fry it loosely. Commonly, cooks use loose meat for casseroles, sauces, and chili. Other uses include sausage, pates, and stuffing for pasta or larger cuts of meat.

Discussion Comments

brockmann

I thank all of you for your comments. First, you can use minced or ground pork in many different recipes. I like to use it in my Spanish rice (subbing it for the traditional beef). I sometimes use seasoned pork for it.

As kentuckycat mentioned, you can use it in Shepherd's pie. I use it in chili and chili mac, in Betty Crocker's Hamburger Helper meals, and for a delicious meatloaf/meatballs.

I tried grinding cooked pork to make sandwiches, but did not like it as much as beef roast. The pork was fattier and changed the taste and texture of the sandwich spread too much. You should experiment because it minced or ground cooked pork may work great in a different recipe.

In regards to "minced" and "ground," in my research I found that some cultures use the word "minced" for the same technique that others call "ground." Another difference was that some cooks use special two-bladed mincing knives to finely chop the meat.

kentuckycat

@TreeMan - I really like making my own pork mince. I think the difference in flavor really comes from cooking the pork after mincing. Since it isn't a big cut of meat, the pieces get kind of crispy. I really like it that way. It is great to sprinkle over salads or mix with green beans or other vegetables.

If you're looking for an English recipe, shepherd's pie is about as English as it gets. It's traditionally made with beef, but there's no reason you couldn't use pork to give a new spin to the dish. You'd probably want to change some of the seasonings to match the new meat, though. I'm sure adding thyme would be good.

TreeMan

Does anyone know of any good minced pork recipes? I have been looking around, but haven't really found anything that sounds like I'd care for it. I agree that a lot of the recipes seem to be Asian. I'm looking for something that is more western. Maybe something Spanish. I'm sure there are probably some good English recipes.

As far as getting pork mince, do people prefer to have the pork cooked before or after mincing? I don't know that I've ever noticed a big difference, but maybe I've just never thought about the difference in taste.

Emilski

Usually I think of minced pork and ground pork as being two different things. I guess technically it is all pork, but I consider minced pork to usually be a higher quality cut like pork roast that is cut up into small pieces smaller than a dice.

Whenever I think of ground pork, I usually consider it to be lower quality parts that have been put through a grinder or processor and sold in the same form as ground beef.

As far as what I consider minced pork to be, it seems to be most common in Asian dishes. I figure that is just because they have more access to pork than beef. Plus a lot of Asian countries don't eat beef, period.

titans62

I swear by using ground pork in my burgers and meatballs. I usually mix hamburger and pork together either half and half or with a little extra beef. It gives them a whole other flavor that I have found most people really like.

If you do add pork to your burgers, though, it isn't a good idea to serve them anything above medium well done. Otherwise the pork might not be fully cooked and that could be bad.

I don't think I have ever had anything with minced pork in it at a restaurant. Besides the dishes mentioned in the article, are there any other popular pork mince recipes?

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    • Pork mince can be made from a roast.
      By: igorborodin
      Pork mince can be made from a roast.
    • Pork can be minced with knives or a meat grinder.
      By: Natalia Mylova
      Pork can be minced with knives or a meat grinder.
    • Pork mince can be used for stuffing pasta shells.
      By: MSPhotographic
      Pork mince can be used for stuffing pasta shells.