Mincing

{{Short description|Food preparation technique}}

{{redirect|Minced|other uses of "Mince"|Mince (disambiguation)}}

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Mincing is a food preparation technique in which food ingredients are finely divided into uniform pieces.{{cite web|title=Mince - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mince|work=Merriam-Webster Dictionary|publisher=Merriam-Webster, Incorporated|accessdate=8 December 2011}} Minced food is in smaller pieces than diced or chopped foods, and is often prepared with a chef's knife or food processor,{{cite book|title=Food Network Kitchens Cookbook|year=2003|publisher=Meredith Books|isbn=978-0-696-21854-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y10g98-eUdkC&pg=PA268 |author=Food Network|editor=Jennifer Darling|accessdate=8 December 2011|page=268}}{{cite book|title=The Elements of Cooking: Translating the Chef's Craft for Every Kitchen|year=2010|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-1-4391-7252-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nb3ziIO-GEQC&pg=PT217 |author=Michael Ruhlman, Anthony Bourdain|edition=reprint}} or in the case of meat by a specialised meat grinder.

For a true mince, the effect is to create a closely bonded mixture of ingredients and a soft or pasty texture. However, in many recipes, the intention is for firmer foods such as onions and other root vegetables to remain in individual chunks when minced.{{cite book|last=Hertzmann|first=Peter|title=Knife Skills Illustrated: A User's Manual|year=2007|publisher=W. W. Norton & Company|isbn=978-0-393-06178-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fo5W0V77IcoC}}

Flavoring ingredients such as garlic, ginger, and fresh herbs may be minced in this way to distribute flavor more evenly in a mixture. Additionally, bruising of the tissue can release juices and oils to deliver flavors uniformly in a sauce. Mincemeat tarts/mince pies and pâtés employ mincing in the preparation of mouldable paste. Meat is also minced, and this cooking technique is used in Greek cuisine.{{OR|date=January 2015}}{{citation needed|date=January 2015}}