Fresh Pork Mince — Ground Daily

Pork mince is cheaper than beef, cooks faster and carries spice and aromatics beautifully — the backbone of dumplings, larb, ragù, meatballs and sausage rolls.

Choosing pork mince

Our standard pork mince runs around 80/20 lean-to-fat — the all-rounder for burgers, meatballs, bolognese and sausage rolls, where the fat keeps things juicy. Lean pork mince (around 90/10) is the one for dumplings, san choy bau, stir-fries and anything where rendered fat would pool in the pan or dilute a sauce. All of it is Australian, ground fresh each day from whole-muscle shoulder, with nothing added.

Cooking pork mince safely and well

Brown pork mince in a hot, wide pan in batches so it sears rather than stews, and don't drain all the fat if it is going into a sauce — that fat is flavour. Pork mince should be cooked right through to 71°C (no pink, juices run clear); unlike a steak there is no safe rare. For dumpling and meatball fillings, mix the raw mince with a little cornflour, soy and cold water or stock and beat it in one direction until sticky — that is what gives a springy, juicy bite. Store it below 4°C and use within two to three days, or freeze in meal-size portions. Cooking temperatures follow the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand guidance.

Buying pork mince by the dish

For dumplings and wontons, allow about 100g of lean pork mince per person; for a bolognese or ragù, 125–150g; for sausage rolls, roughly 1kg of filling makes 24 party rolls. Pork mince freezes well for up to 3 months — portion it flat in bags so it thaws in minutes.

Flavour partners

Pork mince is a blank canvas that takes assertive seasoning: fish sauce, white pepper and ginger for Southeast Asian dishes; fennel, garlic and chilli for an Italian-style ragù or a quick 'nduja-style sauce; sage, nutmeg and lemon for a British sausage-roll filling. Because it is milder than beef, don't under-salt it — taste a fried teaspoon of the mix before you commit the whole batch to a terrine or meatball.