Minced meat: meatloaf, meatballs, köfte

Why

Minced meat holds together thanks to muscle proteins, mainly myosin: salt partly dissolves them, and mixing turns them into a sticky film that sets with heat and binds the bits of meat into a whole. An under-mixed or unsalted mixture therefore falls apart during cooking, while one that has been worked for a long time forms a dense network, and the meatball turns tough and springy like a sausage. Soaked bread or breadcrumbs hold on to water and fat and loosen the protein network, keeping the meatball softer, while egg mainly binds the mixture; fat content also keeps it juicy, which is why meatballs made from very lean meat tend to be dry. Unlike a whole steak, where bacteria sit only on the surface, mincing spreads them through the whole mass, so minced meat must be cooked through to the centre: to at least 71 °C according to the USDA, or 70 °C for 2 minutes in European practice (FSA, BfR), and a brown colour alone doesn't tell you it's done.

How to do it

• Keep the meat and the bowl chilled; warm fat melts during mixing and makes the mixture greasy.
• Salt the mixture for meatloaf and meatballs and mix until it turns sticky and holds its shape; mix burgers only briefly and salt just the surface right before cooking.
• For 500 g of meat add 1 egg and a handful of soaked bread or breadcrumbs to keep the mixture tender.
• Check the seasoning on a small fried sample; don't taste the raw mixture.
• Shape meatballs and köfte to the same size so they cook evenly.
• Check doneness with a thermometer from the side: at least 71 °C, and at least 74 °C for minced poultry.

If it goes wrong

A crumbly mixture can be saved with another egg or a spoonful of breadcrumbs and a brief mix; then chill the shaped meatballs in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up. A tough, overworked meatloaf can't be softened – serve it thinly sliced with a sauce. Finish a raw centre in the oven, or fry the slices through in a pan.