Gransnet forums

Ask a gran

Lumpy mince beef.......

(80 Posts)
DanniRae Tue 02-Jul-24 13:27:07

Now I am using the newish mince beef which is vacuum packed I find it really difficult to break it up. I use a wooden spoon to break up all the lumps before I cook it. This hardly works so as it is cooking I have another go, then another go, then another go...... You get the picture! hmm
Has anyone out there solved this problem? If so please let us know!!

Catterygirl Wed 03-Jul-24 00:36:12

Tried vacuum packed twice from Sainsburys. It’s awful and there’s an Irish butcher next door so guess where we buy.

Freshair Tue 02-Jul-24 23:58:19

I buy 2% fat turkey mince or 5% fat pork mince from the supermarket. It doesn't take much to break it up, I just put it I'm a clean bowl, fork it through with some salt and pepper, herbs and smoked paprika, then turn it out into the frying pain when the onions and garlic have softened

keepingquiet Tue 02-Jul-24 23:49:55

merlotgran

There are some very smug and self satisfied posts on here.

Indeed- why am I reading about mince?

Mollygo Tue 02-Jul-24 23:39:44

I don’t but mince except turkey mince, (bad memories of tasteless gristle in school dinners), but DD2 uses 2 forks to separate it initially.

pinkprincess Tue 02-Jul-24 20:15:56

When I was a young child, many moons ago, I had a great uncle who was ''did the books'' for a wholesale butcher.
He would go to the cattle auctions with his employer then on to the slaughter house. He always knew the best cattle and would get free meat as a perks.My mother and many of his relatives would often get some.The meat he got for us was always of the highest quality, and I used to love ''Uncle's mince'' as we called it.
Now many yeas later I have never tasted mince so delicious.

DanniRae Tue 02-Jul-24 19:57:49

I am going to try and get a meat masher.
The mince I buy is from Sainsburys and is 5 per cent fat. And it definitely doesn't go 'stringy' or 'wormy'.....it's too busy being 'lumpy'
Thank you everyone for your suggestions.

Elusivebutterfly Tue 02-Jul-24 19:52:06

Since the supermarkets have introduced the vacuum packed mince, I find it too difficult to separate and cook properly. I can't be the only customer they have lost due to this.
I only use turkey mince now, as it is packed in the traditional way and turkey is healthier than beef anyway.

dragonfly46 Tue 02-Jul-24 19:45:53

merlotgran

There are some very smug and self satisfied posts on here.

I agree - we can not all be so lucky as to have a caring butcher in the vicinity.

merlotgran Tue 02-Jul-24 19:25:35

There are some very smug and self satisfied posts on here.

MissInterpreted Tue 02-Jul-24 19:20:44

That's what I hate about supermarket mince too - the 'stringy, wormy' way it cooks. I've just made good old mince and tatties for tea and there were clean plates all round.

Tenko Tue 02-Jul-24 19:10:08

I buy my meat from a farm shop locally . They know where it’s come from . I get the high quality mince which doesn’t go wormy when you brown it and has minimal fat and water

Iam64 Tue 02-Jul-24 18:54:28

Butchers meat is nothing like supermarket. Good butchers know where their meat is from, how it’s cared for and slaughtered. If we eat meat, the least we can do is try to find the animals were well cared for

Pittcity Tue 02-Jul-24 18:52:45

I live in a City that has no butcher, fishmonger or greengrocer in the centre. It's a drive to get anything other than supermarket fayre.
I hate the vacuum packs, but sometimes beggars can't be choosers.
Never heard of a meat masher Minimoon. Will have to get one.

Moonwatcher1904 Tue 02-Jul-24 18:36:43

I have a lovely local butcher and his meat especially the mince is top class. I never buy supermarket meat. The mince is always like string. I'm never without mince in my freezer.

Calendargirl Tue 02-Jul-24 18:19:12

Germanshepherdsmum

I have two good butchers in my local market town but not a Waitrose in miles and they don’t deliver here either.

This sounds just like where I live, but Waitrose do deliver.

But not to me.

MiniMoon Tue 02-Jul-24 18:05:02

You need a meat masher. I've been going to purchase one of these for ages, but I've never got around to it.

shysal Tue 02-Jul-24 17:48:28

A friend told me that Asda sells frozen beef mince with added chopped onion. I had a look this morning out of interest, it contains 37% fat!!!! I didn't buy it!
I too find the normal 5% fat mince difficult to break up.

Lovetopaint037 Tue 02-Jul-24 17:11:31

Do you buy the low far 5% mince. I have bought from our very good butcher and found his mince contains fat which is obvious. Don’t get this when I buy 5% organic which is more expensive. I too find a tendency for it to be lumpy no matter how I cook it. I only buy this as it seems far more healthy than the butchers which has no information on it. Sure it is the lack of fat and fat would bind it.

paddyann54 Tue 02-Jul-24 16:53:07

I always use a fork to separate mince in the pan while I brown it.Its how I,ve always done it never used a wooden spoon

Germanshepherdsmum Tue 02-Jul-24 16:43:53

I have two good butchers in my local market town but not a Waitrose in miles and they don’t deliver here either.

Charleygirl5 Tue 02-Jul-24 16:37:52

A butcher, please may I ask what that is ?!

I find it very annoying and it does not matter where I buy it, usually Waitrose as it is my nearest.

Jaxjacky Tue 02-Jul-24 16:25:59

I’ve not had the problem DanniRae and I wouldn’t dream of commenting on your shopping habits.
I suppose you just have to stand over it breaking it up more than you did the previous packages, or perhaps buy from another shop who still packs the mince as before.
Apparently you’re not the only one finding it annoying.

tanith Tue 02-Jul-24 16:23:21

Be lucky to find a butcher near me. I have to make do with super market best mince, I use a wooden spoon to break it up while I brown it off works for me.

Calendargirl Tue 02-Jul-24 15:49:14

I’m another who buys butchers mince, the best quality one. I’d rather have the quality and use less, bulked out with veg.

pascal30 Tue 02-Jul-24 15:29:40

I bought some wagyu minced beef from Aldi.. It was delicious and no problem with lumps.. I don't think they have it very often but worth looking out for..