What to do with dodgy casserole beef?

ragz_2

I have some beef in the freezer that I hid there when it arrived in my Asda grocery order! It's not off or anything, just didn't look very appetising, bad cuts, a bit fatty, dark coloured bits...
I'm very fussy with my meat and if I had it my way would not eat this at all but OH would go ape if I chucked it out and I am trying to feed us out of the freezer for the next week.
So, I need to cook it...
I was hoping some of you lovely people could suggest the best way to cook this meat so that it's mankyness won't be so obvious! I have a slow cooker, if that helps.
Many thanks
Ragz

SavvyStudent_2

Can you trim it? I often get the tesco value stuff, which can be quite fatty, and just trim it down to cubes of lean meat for a casserole? You end up with a bit less but its so much better for you. Cook it long and slow and I'm sure it'll tasty!

V.Lucky

Could you not phone Asda to complain about it or take it back to your local store for a better pack?

I would say you didn't notice how nasty it was as you put it straight in the freezer and have only noticed when you came to use it today.

ragz_2

V.Lucky wrote: »

Could you not phone Asda to complain about it or take it back to your local store for a better pack?

I would say you didn't notice how nasty it was as you put it straight in the freezer and have only noticed when you came to use it today.

It was a few months ago that I ordered it so I'm not sure they'd have that! May be worth a try though. I should have known better really, Asda meat usually seems to be a bit rubbish, but tesco veg are rubbish so I can't win!

miss_phish

I too am super fussy with cuts of meat, but if you have a slow cooker you have no probs at all. Cube it up and any fat will melt, even the nasty gristle stuff that makes me gag melts away too.
By cooking it all together you get all the goodness & flavour and if you wait till the stew is cold the liquified fat will rise to the top and solidify and you can just scrape it off.
I only buy the cheaper fattier cuts nowadays and cook this way. Enjoy!

Penelope_Penguin

ragz wrote: »

Asda meat usually seems to be a bit rubbish, but tesco veg are rubbish so I can't win!

Do you not have access to a butcher and greengrocer/farm shop They sell much better (and cheaper ) produce, IME

The best thing to do with this meat is to cook it long and slow (not necessarily in a slow cooker ) which will break down any gristle and fat, and help flavour the stew.

Penny. x

skiTTish

Bung it in the slow cooker for a good 8 hours or even over night on low
Took me 12 hours to cook some tough meat from Asda once!
I would cook it in water or stock then shred it and use for curry or stick it in a pie with some mushroom and ale (both the ale and curry ,being strongly flavoured ,would hide the fact that most of the flavour would have been cooked out of the meant)

SUESMITH_2

cube, cook long and slow with red wine, thyme or bay leaves and seasoning - maybe tossed in a little seasoned flour first

i agree asda's meat isn't good

maman

SUESMITH wrote: »

cube, cook long and slow with red wine, thyme or bay leaves and seasoning - maybe tossed in a little seasoned flour first

i agree asda's meat isn't good

And onions and carrots mushrooms and celery and potatoes. It will be delicious and a cheap meal if you bought it months ago!

Stephen_Leak

Make a ...

DODGY BEEF CASSEROLE

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

375g of dodgy beef
2 carrots
2 potatoes
½ an onion
1 tablespoon of oil
200g (½ a 400g tin) of plum tomatoes*
125ml of water
125ml of beer
1 beef stock cube
1 teaspoon of parsley
Ground pepper to taste

METHOD

Chop the beef into 2 cm (1 inch) pieces. Peel the carrots and cut them into slices. Peel the potatoes and chop them into 2 cm (1 inch) pieces. Peel the onion, cut it in half, chop one half into tiny pieces and save the other half.

Put the oil in a frying pan on a moderate heat. Add the beef and onion, and fry for about 5 minutes until the meat is brown with no pink bits. Stir frequently to stop it sticking.

Open the tin of tomatoes. Put the juice into a bowl. Chop the tomatoes while they are still in the can (it’s easier than chasing them around the bowl). Put the chopped tomatoes into the bowl. Use half and save the other half.

Put the beef and onion, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, water, beer or wine, stock cube and parsley into a large ovenproof dish with a lid. Stir thoroughly. Put the lid on the dish.

Cook in a preheated oven at 150°C, 300°F, gas mark 2 for about 2 hours. Check the liquid level from time to time and top it up if it starts to dry out.

Season with the pepper.

ADDITIONS & ALTERATIONS

Use wine instead of beer. Use mixed herbs instead of the parsley.

Substitute 125ml more beer for the water.

Substitute 125g of mushrooms for 125g of the beef. Wipe the mushrooms clean. Cut the ends off the stalks and chop them into halves or quarters depending on their size. Add them at the same time as the other vegetables.

Serve with a green vegetable, or add 100g of peas 15 minutes before the end of cooking.

TIPS
Any cheap beer or wine will do. The long, slow cooking in the alcohol tenderises even the dodgiest meat.
　
* Plum tomatoes can be used either whole or chopped. It is difficult to stick chopped tomatoes back together again if you need to use them whole.