Good and Bad Buys from Aldi & Lidl *Do NOT Expire Please*

teddysmum

I have bought Aldi's beef roasts, from the fresh cabinet,for some time, but am disappointed to have recently bought my third poor one.


The first, bought last year, unravelled once the net was removed, after cooking, so since I have avoided those with a red net.


A couple of months ago, I bought what was labelled as ( topside/silverside ?)roasting beef on the front but the cooking instructions were for brisket. I opted to cook as brisket and ended up with a fatty, gristle laden strip, although there was no red net.Luckily, I still had the label, so was able to return the wrapper and have a full refund, as the manager suspected the meat was brisket.


Two weeks ago, I bought another joint, which appeared to be a complete round, but on opening it had string.I cut it in two,as it was a large piece and the cooked result had so much waste that it did a few slices of meat for just two of us.


Tonight ,I have cooked the other piece, which I'd frozen,hoping the other was the poor end,but it is as bad and ,unfortunately,I binned the wrapper after cutting the meat in two (too deep in the bin to retrieve), so have no evidence to prove it was an Aldi product.


If I buy again, I will be making sure I keep the wrapper, but these experiences have put me off

Doc_N

Just out of curiosity, given that washing powder's cheaper and more effective, according to Which?, what's the big advantage of shifting away from powder?

Stompa

Doc_N wrote: »

Just out of curiosity, given that washing powder's cheaper and more effective, according to Which?, what's the big advantage of shifting away from powder?

I doubt there is one! Though I'm not entirely sure why powder would be more effective, surely the tablets are essentially just compressed powder?

meer53

I work on this theory. Tablets in with the washing (net or not) liquid in the plastic ball provided, powder in the drawer. It's all detergent ! I don't think it matters how it ends up in the drum.

Doc_N

According to Which?, who've tested them all:

Powders, liquids and gels or capsules: which should you use?

With so many different types of detergents, how do you know which type to choose? We know what certain types of detergents are better for - based on our tests and the ingredients that detergents are made of.

Capsules, liquids and gels are generally great when it comes to keeping your coloured clothes bright – all the capsules, liquids and gels in our latest tests did this really well.

Although capsules are great on colours, don’t expect them to shift very tough stains. Powders are your best bet (assuming you go for a high scorer) if you want to shift tough stains.

Powders are also the best out of all three types at keeping your whites gleaming. This is because they contain bleach, which capsules, liquids and gels don't. Powders are also cheaper, but they are a little less convenient than capsules - instead of simply chucking a capsule into the drum, you have to measure out the powder.


Really does seem pointless paying more for capsules, liquids or gels.

System

I can't use powder as the strong smell makes me feel sick and sometimes clothes have a powdery residue left on there, most is invisible, which affects my eczema

Feral_Moon

Back to the inedible joints! I've recently also been disappointed with a pork shoulder joint which was rolled so much it contained random meat in the middle. It cooked up terribly and the majority ended up binned. Aldi used to supply such lovely pork joints too.

Hope they don't sell us down the river by substituting cheap tat! Considering my nearest branch is 10+ miles away, I certainly won't be making the effort to travel. Not when I can buy family sized portions of potatoes, carrots, parsnips, cabbage and broccoli for less than £2 (all at 29p each) at my local Asda.

his_missus

Doc_N wrote: »

Just out of curiosity, given that washing powder's cheaper and more effective, according to Which?, what's the big advantage of shifting away from powder?

Pre-measured tablets, liquitabs etc mean Hubby can't use the "I didn't know how much to put in so I didn't bother doing the washing" excuse anymore

A._Badger

Doc_N wrote: »

According to Which?, who've tested them all:

Powders, liquids and gels or capsules: which should you use?

.

They might have added that the absence of optical bleaches in liquids leads to the build up of the unpleasant black/green slime that can form in the drawer and other parts of the machine. This isn't helped by the fad for washing things in ever cooler temperatures, regardless of the health and hygiene implications.

A._Badger

teddysmum wrote: »

I have bought Aldi's beef roasts, from the fresh cabinet,for some time, but am disappointed to have recently bought my third poor one.

I took a vow more than ten years ago to stop wasting my money on 'roasting joints' of beef - even ones bought from otherwise good butchers. I've been told all manner of reasons why they are tough as shoe leather and often tasteless and read of all manner of cooking 'dodges' to make them palatable.

The former (breed of cattle, type of feed, treatment before and after slaughter, length and method of hanging) may or may not be true but whatever the cause, I have never found a successful way of cooking these joints reliably.

What I did instead was switch to rib of beef with the bone in (that's the important bit - it tenderises the meat and also conducts the heat through the meat during cooking). the downside is that ribs are always big and invariably expensive.

I recently broke my rule with a piece of topside. It came from a good butcher whom I can usually trust. It was rubbish.

I don't suppose Aldi is immune to whatever has ruined the beef joints we are sold and after your post I won't be buying one to find out if they are. I will stick to my guns and carry on only buying rib - which, on the rare occasions I've found one in Aldi, has been good.