General Chat

As a child, I had a very traumatic experience with mince.
We were coming back to live in England, and catching the midnight train from Glasgow, but the last boat from our island was at 6.00pm. So we had to kill about 6 hours in Glasgow, that is, me mother with three children, and luggage. Fortunately, a friend of a friend of me mother's offered to give us a meal, and a place to stay until the midnight train. Oh, I wish she hadn't.
And to boot, she lived in one of those God forsaken Glasgow tenaments, that somehow had managed to escape the bombing in the war, but had not been repaired much, since. Or so my memory tells me. I think the first thing me mother did with us when we arrived at our new home, was to boil gallons of hot water, and scrub us with Lysol and disinfectant, and comb our hair with a nit comb.
She served us with a dish she called Monce n Beans. The mince was floating in fat, and baked beans had been added. Urg,urg, it was positively evil, and revolting.
This experience has styayed with me for nearly sixty years, and to this day, I cannot stand Mince with any fat in it. Amen

Julia in Derbyshire

Julia....thats sounds absolutely delicious:))))....must try it :-)

jude :-)

Ann, you can just add a little milk. It is not often I have any cream in and when i do, it is Elmlea Whipping. It just makes it rasre smoother.

Julia in Derbyshire

Sandie....noooo don't delete anything :-)

jude xx

Julia similar to how I cook it except I use bisto not Bovril but that's a thought for the future, and I don't add cream as I rarely have any in.

Ann, I waited until everyone had posted, then forgot about the thread, then waited for it to come back to the front page.
So, I use Scottish Steak Mince, which is very lean. Put the mince into a frying pan, but no added fat. Put in chopped onions, mix together and dry fry. Do this untill all the mince is cooked through, turning all the time, say about 15 mins.
Then at this stage, decide what I am making, and act accordingly.
If it is SHEPHEARDS PIE, I then put in some pre-cooked mixed veg, either tinned or frozen, turning and stiring well. I then shake in some flour, about a tablespoonful, again stirring until all the meat is coated. Then add some water a ;little at a time, to loosly bind together, then add a couple of heaped tablespoons of Bovril. When cooled slightely cover with potatoes mashed and mixec with cheese, and finish off with a generous covering of grated cheese.
We find that with the veggies in it, and the potatoes on top, it is sufficient for us with just some nice gravy.
If making SPAG. BOG., I put in about half a tube of tomato paste, then a large tin of chopped tomatoes, stirring amd mixing all the time.
Add generous amounts of Basil and Oregano, to taste, and a few sprinklings of Worcester Sauce. Finally, just a little slurp of cream, to make a smoother taste. Garlic, of course, is optional.
Will be doing the last one, tomorrow night.

Julia in Derbyshire

Miced steak is different - our lady who helps OH out brought some venison steaks this morning -mmmmmmm

No, just checked and edited my mice for mince, then noticed that Merlin has miced steak as well but obody has commented!!!! :-D

Cannot see it either Ann!

Julia, don't keep us in suspense then. How do you cook your mince? Or have you posted that already? I'll look back.

That's up to you Sandie. My post has very little to do with yours.

Julia in Derbyshire

I did say we all have differing tastes, and different ways of cooking Julia :-)

I clear my threads out regularly, and if this one has run it's course ,as I said my posts go. I'm sure Jude won't mind.

Sandie.

With the greatest respect, because it is each to their own, I cook my mince differently to everyone posted on here.

Julia in Derbyshire

Think I've killed this thread , Jude . :-|

Will delete my posts when I have cooked my Spag Bol ;-)

Sandie.x

No offence.. AnnGlos ( I didn't notice who did their mince in 30 mins ) we all cook differently and have differing tastes, I couldn't eat mince how I cook it after 30 mins..

Joan, sometimes the mince looks very lean but in long strands and if I buy it I cut it very small before I cook it.... it's good then.
Having said that I mostly chop the mince however long the strands are :)

Well I can assure you Sandie, my OH would soon complain if it was not tender. (You will see I cook for 30 minutes.

l cook it in shallow water for about half hour, then leave to cool either over night or put it in the fridge. Scrape the fat off, then add oxo (sometimes 2), onions, mush, chopped toms, garlic, black pepper and a few mixed herbs, soya sauce if l remember, also a couple of spoon fulls of Pesto sauce, green. This is cooking for half hour or so....then l leave it turned right down and cook for another hour at least, stirring often:)) sometimes l also add mustard seeds.

Yummy :-D ;-)

jude :-D

Hi Jude~~

I use lean steak mince from the supermarket, occasionally I buy some lean braising beef and mince it myself.
I only use it these days for Lasagne or Spag Bol.... my 2 ...still at home don't like Cottage Pie.
I usually lightly brown it, add an Ox* ( a must) add whatever stock I have available or water if none and leave it simmer in the pan for at least 2 hrs.
Garlic and herbs as apt. Children don't not fussed on onions or carrots cooked, but I sometimes grate a small onion and carrot and throw it in, oh and small amount of chopped tomato, tinned or fresh ..what's ever available. I always skim off any fat whilst it's simmering, sometimes add in some grated cheese too...
I keep an watch on it as I do it on the hob and top it up with liquid as necessary, slop of wine if there's any opened in the fridge ,else water.
However good your mince is I don't think 30 mins is anywhere near sufficient for tender mince.....
I like my Fillet Steak very medium rare, where as the rest like theirs well done, they say their steak is tender well done,I'd say you could tap your shoes with it ;-)

Talking of food...better make a start on what's on menu tonight :-)

Sandie.x

When I do it I use Miced Steak, have to put a little fat with it (Its Very Lean) fry it with a little Garlic, Onions Soy Sauce and Tomatoe Puree, bung it in the oven for about half an hour, make some Mash adding Chees to it,Shove it back in the oven till the top is brown.then eat it with a Thick Onion Gravy and a few Peas. :-D :-D Tastes Good.

Oh yes it was dead...and l promise you it was delicious:))....the 3 hrs did it good...lol

jude :-D