Stop beef mince from being dry and tough if you add 1 simple ingredient

Minced beef is a culinary chameleon, from sizzling burgers to sumptuous lasagne or a robust pie. But there's a secret ingredient that can elevate your mince from mundane to magnificent, ensuring it retains its tenderness and flavour.

The cooking pros Chowhound have shared an unconventional tip for browning mince to perfection: adding bicarbonate of soda. Sprinkling a bit of baking soda into the mix during cooking can raise the pH level of the meat. This prevens proteins from clumping together and squeezing out moisture, thus yielding a more tender minced beef.

Chowhound's method is simple: "Mix the baking soda (about half a teaspoon per pound of ground beef) with a small amount of water before mixing it into the meat."

"After you've fully combined the baking soda/water mixture with the ground beef, let it sit for at least 15 minutes before you add it to your hot pan."

This kitchen wizardry isn't just internet lore; it's backed by none other than top UK chef Tom Kerridge. On ITV's This Morning earlier this year, Kerridge himself vouched for using baking soda to keep burgers delectably juicy.

This Morning's Ben Shephard posed a question to culinary whiz Tom from a viewer named Josh, who was struggling with his barbecue technique.

"Josh says, 'How can I get my meat to not stick to the grill? Sometimes the burgers get stuck and then they rip apart, so it's quite frustrating.'"

In response, he suggested a nifty burger-making tip: "But also in your burger mix, if you're making the burgers yourself, put a little pinch of bicarbonate soda."

He explained the kitchen hack: "And as you mix it together, bicarbonate soda helps to bind the proteins in the meat, which means that when you come to move it, it sticks and the burger stays in one piece."

Culinary experts at The Kitchn have backed up this advice, confirming that bicarbonate of soda acts as a tenderiser, particularly for minced beef.

Incorporating it into your burger patties ensures that they remain succulent throughout the cooking process.