How To Repurpose Overcooked Meat With Your Food Processor

It is an inevitability that at some point in your life you — yes, even you — are going to overcook your meat. Even the greatest chefs in the world aren't perfect. Whether it's braised short ribs that simmered a little too long or lamb that overstayed its welcome in the oven, it'll happen eventually. But disheartening as it may be, it's not the end of the world. You can still make something delicious out of overcooked meat; all it takes is a little ingenuity and a food processor.

Simply take your overcooked meat and blitz it with some Ina Garten-worthy olive oil — the meat will take on a beautifully smooth, paste-like consistency. Then, the rest is up to you. You can use it as a filling for stuffed pastas like ravioli or casoncelli, for Chinese-style steamed buns, or even for empanadas. These are dishes where the texture of the filling is secondary to the flavor it carries (because it's often chopped up until reasonably smooth). So it won't really matter if the texture of that meat isn't great when it goes into the food processor — the flavor is what really counts.

This all works because meat is primarily composed of muscle, fat, connective tissue, and liquid. When it's overcooked, the liquids are removed, and you end up with tough connective tissue and muscle — a bit of a textural nightmare. By blending with oil, you solve the texture problem and reintroduce that lost liquid content and some extra fat (which will, in turn, enhance the flavors).

You could also take inspiration from Chinese cuisine. There's thing or two to learn about dumplings — and what is stuffed pasta (or, debatably, an empanada) if not a form of dumpling? You can replace some of that lost liquid through a process known as daxian. Traditionally, this technique is used to help keep dumpling fillings moist, and it involves slowly streaming in your liquid of choice as you beat your filling continuously in one direction. You can achieve the same effect by incorporating liquid (water, stock, or anything else you fancy) into the food processor as you blend your overcooked meat. When your filling's raw, a ratio of about 6 tablespoons of liquid per 250 grams of meat works well — but overcooked meat has less moisture, so you can use a little more liquid. You'll know it's done when the liquid is incorporated, leaving you with a slightly tacky, pliable paste.

Of course, there are other options beyond just stuffing dumplings! You could take your meat and turn it into mouthwatering rillettes by shredding and confiting it in fat before jarring. Or, take things further in the food processor and blend in some aromatics until you get a wonderfully smooth pâté. Throw your rillettes or pâté in the fridge, and they'll keep for several weeks or several days, respectively, meaning you might actually be able enjoy your overcooked meat for longer than if you'd cooked it correctly!