La carne molida y la carne picada tienen texturas y usos distintos

Both terms describe finely chopped meat, usually beef, lamb, pork, or poultry. British and Australian recipes prefer minced meat, while in the United States, ground meat is more common.

Ground meat is not 100% meat: it can include water, soy, or fat from other animals, and may be a mixture of two types of meat, such as beef and pork. That's why it's important to read the label, which indicates the composition and the proportion of meat. Minced meat, on the other hand, is 100% meat from a single animal, including muscles and tendons, and has no added ingredients.

The texture also changes. To grind meat at home, you need a meat grinder: it's best to cut the meat into appropriately sized pieces and chill it in the refrigerator, because hot meat falls apart instead of grinding evenly. Then, carefully grind it until you obtain smooth, uniform strands. Minced meat is cut with a knife or in a food processor and retains larger pieces and a consistent texture that holds its shape when cooked.

For hamburgers, ground beef works well with 80% meat and 20% fat, which keeps it juicy. Season it with spices and Worcestershire sauce, divide it into equal portions, and shape the burgers to your liking: classic, with cheese and tomato, or more sophisticated, with blue cheese and apple.

Minced meat is key in meatloaf, made with beef, and in shepherd's pie, made with lamb. For the latter, not all minced meats are created equal: lamb shoulder has more marbling and a more intense flavor, although this isn't immediately apparent in a generic supermarket package.

Even in desserts, minced meat appears: old British mince pies were filled with meat, dried fruit, spices, and brandy or other spirits. Over time, the recipe evolved into a mixture of fruit, spices, and sugar, without meat, but it retained the name.