Nan's dinner, back where it belongs — piled on thick buttered toast

Some dinners don't need reinventing. Savoury mince kept half of Australia fed for the best part of a century — mince, onion, carrot, a good slosh of Worcestershire and a handful of peas, simmered until it makes its own gravy, then spooned over thick buttered toast. It was the after-footy-training dinner of my childhood, and it disappears just as fast today. Twenty-eight minutes, one pan, and made with grass-fed lamb it comes out richer than the beef version Nan used to make. She'd approve, I reckon.

28 mins 4 servings Prep 8 minsCook 20 minsMain CourseAustralian

Ingredients

  • 480g Your Farmer grass-fed lamb mince
  • 1 brown onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 375ml beef stock
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • 4 thick slices white bread or sourdough, toasted and buttered, to serve

Instructions

Set a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mince and cook for 5–6 minutes, breaking it up as it browns — no oil needed, its own fat will render out.

480g lamb mince

Add the onion and carrot and cook in that fat for 4–5 minutes until softened.

1 onion1 carrot

Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.

1 tbsp plain flour

Pour in the stock, Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan, and simmer for 8–10 minutes until thick and gravy-like.

375ml beef stock1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp tomato sauce

Stir through the peas for the last 2 minutes, then season to taste.

1 cup frozen peas

Spoon generously over hot buttered toast and serve straight away.

4 slices toast

Appears in

In every lamb share — Mince (approx 480g)

Your Farmer CSA grass-fed lamb share — Pack B selection of pasture-raised lamb cuts, vacuum-sealed, NSW & ACT delivery
CSA Pastured Lamb Share
From $183.33

The Dinner Australia Ran On

Savoury mince is what thrift tasted like in the best Australian kitchens — a pan of mince stretched with vegetables and gravy until it fed everyone at the table. Making it with lamb instead of beef isn't a modern cheffy twist; plenty of households did exactly that, and lamb arguably does it better. The grass-fed lamb mince in your Your Farmer® lamb share renders enough of its own fat to cook the onion and carrot in — which is why this recipe doesn't need a drop of oil, and why the gravy ends up tasting properly of lamb rather than of stock cube. Ours is minced from whole-animal trim off the same pastured lambs as your chops and roasts — one animal, nothing wasted — so the flavour holds its own even under a good slosh of Worcestershire.

Two small things make the difference between good and great here. Brown the mince hard before the vegetables go in — colour is flavour. And give the flour its full minute of cooking so the gravy thickens silky instead of pasty.

Swaps and Variations

  • Curried mince: stir 2 teaspoons of curry powder in with the softened onion and you've made the other great Australian nostalgia dinner.
  • Beef mince: the original — add a splash of olive oil at the start, as beef mince runs leaner. If you like this instinct in pie form, our beef cottage pie is the same idea grown up.
  • Over mash or jackets: skip the toast and spoon it over mashed potato or a split baked spud.
  • Hide extra veg: grated zucchini or a handful of corn disappear into the gravy without complaint.

Storage and Leftovers

Savoury mince keeps 3 days in the fridge and, like most simmered things, honestly tastes better on day two. It freezes for up to 3 months — portion it flat in freezer bags so it thaws quickly. Reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of water to loosen the gravy. And the finest leftover use known to this country: jaffle filling. Buttered bread, cold savoury mince, jaffle iron. Thank me later.

Reserve your share and there's a pack of lamb mince in every box — Tuesday night, solved for good.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my savoury mince watery?

Either the flour step was skipped or the simmer was cut short. Give it the full 8–10 minutes uncovered and the gravy will thicken to a spoon-coating consistency.

Can I use chicken stock instead of beef stock?

Yes — beef stock gives a deeper, old-school gravy, but chicken stock works fine and lets the lamb flavour lead.

Does savoury mince freeze well?

Very well — up to 3 months in portioned freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of water.

Can I make it in advance for the week?

Absolutely. It keeps 3 days in the fridge and improves overnight. Just toast the bread fresh each time.

What bread works best?

Thick-cut white is traditional, sourdough holds up best under the gravy, and day-old bread makes the ultimate jaffle with the leftovers.

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