Using Value/Basic Minced Beef

Gigervamp

The thing is, buying cheap mince is a false economy. A lot of the weight is made up of fat, so once that's been cooked and drained off, you're getting less meat for your money. Better to buy decent mince as once it's cooked, it will be nearer the original weight.

Adding red lentils to bulk the mince out, is, I feel, better than oats, as lentils are high in protein and are a very good substitute for meat protein.

OrkneyStar

I would find every and any other way to cut corners rather than buy value mince (I did buy value chicken once or twice but never again!).....I would rather get decent steak mince and eke the dish out with more veggies, beans, some folks even use oats (although not me). Each to his own but value mince is false economy as it is rank imho!

flea72

Gigervamp wrote: »

The thing is, buying cheap mince is a false economy. A lot of the weight is made up of fat, so once that's been cooked and drained off, you're getting less meat for your money. Better to buy decent mince as once it's cooked, it will be nearer the original weight.

Adding red lentils to bulk the mince out, is, I feel, better than oats, as lentils are high in protein and are a very good substitute for meat protein.

but unless you are losing at least half the weight, then you are still getting more for your money

value mince £2.40kg
mid range mince £4.40kg
lean steak mince £5.80kg
lean organic steak mince £8.20kg

F

I_luv_cats

my Choice :

(1) Morrisons The Best Scotch Lean mince steak 400g £2.69

(2) Lean Steak Mince

(3) Iceland Lean mince 800g? £4.00


Ok for home made burgers / Bolognese / Stews/casseroles/pies

Don't see the point of buying cheap mince and % is fat for the bin or arteries!!!

LittlePrincessAnge

jcr16 wrote: »

i tried it once, and it was horrid. had hard gristly lumps in. the amount of fat was last thing on my mind. ( i try these things once)

i've heard of peeps saying it is fine as long as you boil it !!! that seems weird. surely it would go rubbery when boil?

we use alot of mince, but for us personally i'd rather use less lean steak mince and enjoy it , than alot of cheaper horrible mince.

I agree value mince is awful, but I always buy steak mince as I like the "wormy" texture of it. For me I feel like I'm eating meat, rather than mince beef be it value or non value mince it always turns to mush & I wonder what the point is of using it.
I always buy steak mince when its on an offer ie. 2 for £5/£6 & stock up on it so we always have a freezer full of the stuff.
IMO I always thinks its worth the extra pennies.
HTH

sausagesandwich19

I would not eat basic mince if you paid me. However when i did buy mince a few years ago when i used to make it i would always boil the mince first. The basic mince looks like rope eww

pinkmami

one thing I won't use is non-lean mince. I hate it. The fat contents is "eurgh" & you have to skim the fat off it. I've also notice when I do something like spag bolg the quantity of the stuff I use is great for 2 adults & 3 kids & I have a portion left over. I once used non lean mince & there wasn't enough of it to go round.......cos its thicker it serve us.

So only lean mince in our house!

WishI'dReadSooner

Just don't like the look or taste of basic mince. Unless I minced it myself I wouldn't use.
I finally found an alternative - Quorn. IMHO it's FAR better than cheap mince & can be used in anything you'd use mince in.

I'm a meat eater & never thought a meal was complete without meat. It's surprised me how Quorn (beef & chicken style) substitutes so well for meat especially where you use sauces with it.

Looking at the quality (or not!) of mince & cheaper chicken - both have HUGELY abnormal amounts of fat in them because of intensive farming and in the case of mince adding fat to bulk it out. Also considering the low fat & fewer calories in Quorn it's a tasty, non noticeable healthy alternative.

YES, I've fed it to people and no-one has realised they aren't eating meat. Most are amazed when I tell them it's quorn not meat.

TimBear

I have no problems with value mince - I only ever use it in spag bol, lasagne etc, so as long as I drain the fat off it tastes fine.

I did make the mistake once of buying frozen value mince once, however, and that was disgusting! Turned to mush in the pan and looked like cat food. Yuk yuk yuk.

Lip_Stick

SilverFoxe wrote: »

In the dim and distant past I worked in the butchery section of a now vanished supermarket, and one of my jobs was to feed the body parts into the mincer.

I will refrain from giving you a horror story list of what went in (it would make you heave) and just say that if you buy mince go for some with a tag like super lean or premium, NEVER under any circumstances put cheap mince into your body!!

I use meat as the Japanese do, as a garnish rather than the main part of the meal.

Come on - do tell. You'll be doing us all a favour if you put us off the cheap stuff*. I'm sure we can cope with the gory details.

*I only buy the lean or extra lean, just to be clear.