Quick Questions on ANYTHING part 2. Please read first post for links to other threads

Savvy_Sue

Thinking about it, this link answers the question, and just the question, and shows the icon I'm talking about as well ... So thank sra for that!

BeenieCat

Hi - just realised i had some pork steaks in the fridge dated 25th but they smelled okay so i figured i would throw something together and have something tonight.

Instead of trawling the threads for ideas i thought at the time i'd just improvise myself :eek:

Anyway i cut them into strips, sweated some onion and sealed the pork.... Added somewater and stock cubes, carrots and finely chopped green cabbage. I've left it to simmer now..

Is this going to be totally flavourless?! Don't know whether to put some bisto in it or make some separate? I've got some potatoes boiling for mash...

ChocClare

BeenieCat wrote: »

Hi - just realised i had some pork steaks in the fridge dated 25th but they smelled okay so i figured i would throw something together and have something tonight.

Instead of trawling the threads for ideas i thought at the time i'd just improvise myself :eek:

Anyway i cut them into strips, sweated some onion and sealed the pork.... Added somewater and stock cubes, carrots and finely chopped green cabbage. I've left it to simmer now..

Is this going to be totally flavourless?! Don't know whether to put some bisto in it or make some separate? I've got some potatoes boiling for mash...

How much water? How many stock cubes? If there's a LOT of liquid, then it probably will be lacking in flavour. Can you reduce it right down to intensify the flavour of the stock? Add a dash of wine when it's reduced? I would try reducing it right down so it's quite sticky (it may be worth transferring it to a large frying pan if your potatoes are already boiling!) and then taste the liquid. If it's bland, then you could crumble half an oxo cube over the top, stir in and add some milk or cream rather than water, together with a sprinkling of fresh or dried sage. That will give you a creamy sauce with some flavour to it. It's masses of liquid that usually make things taste flavourless! Good luck!

ChocClare

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

OK, do you see the 'world' icon with a chain link in front of it?

Type the text you want in the reply box. Then highlight it, then click on that 'world' icon and in there you type the web address you want to point to. Or, if it's a long link, you can open that page, copy the address and paste it into the box.

Like this. Which will not only tell you how to do this, but a whole load more besides.

Thank you! I bow to your superior... thing...

I'll have a go in a minute when I've made the dinner!

Thanks again.

BeenieCat

There;s not much liquid i just added enough to cover the meat and veg and i keep checking on it to see if it needs topping up!

I added one beef and one veg Oxo cubes (thought it might add more flavour to have both!:o)

Good tip about the milk i never thought that would work! I have no cream or wine in though

I have plenty of stock cubes so hopefully i can salvage it, i only have dried chives, all my fresh herbs were eaten by the dog outside lol.

Savvy_Sue

Chives will be good - either with the pork or mashed in with the ... mash.

ChocClare

If you have no cream you can just add milk and a bit of butter - it comes to the same, after all! Or you could sprinkle a teaspoon of flour over your meat and stir in, then add your milk to make a "white" sauce (except it won't be white with all that stock and onions, it'll be browny and creamy - yum!).

BeenieCat

Okay i just went and tasted it, it's surprisingly tasty but tastes quite beefy, cos of the cubes i guess, which is fine but a bit weird if it's pork.

So i added some apple sauce (?! well you can see my train of thought?! ) and it's made it sweeter but brings out the porkyness of it

Oooh Sue i like the chives in mash idea, i'll do that to mine but not DS cos he reckons he doesn't like "green bits" in stuff :rolleyes: Funny that since he never notices it in my mince dishes :rotfl:

BeenieCat

Well i didn't add flour in the end as pots were ready, but i added a bit of milk to lighten it.

DS is eating it now and says h doesn't like the "gravy" :rolleyes: So i've done a jug of bisto so he can mask it.

But i like it, it's yum and i'm sure it's healthier than what my ex used to do with pork chops - serve with apple sauces and loads of melted cheese, and a load of deep fried chips on the side :rotfl:

So big thanks to Clare and Sue for the quick responses!

morganlefay

Idiot washing machine question: when I do my blindingly hot wash with washing soda to make the machine not smell nasty can I add a bit of detergent and some white linen teatowels and perhaps a white bath towel ? It seems so wasteful to run it empty, but perhaps the soda will destroy fabric ?