Blogs and forums
welcome Guestforum: Introductions and FAQs
Subscribe to forums RSS#1 Mon 19 Nov 12 5:40pm
MULLIE3103
- Member
- Member since Mon 19 Nov 12
When Minced Beef turns to Worms
Some times when the other half cooks 2 kgs of minced beef for either cottage pie or spag bog, the mince seems to congeal and turns to worms. On other occasions the cooked mince is fine.
Can you tell me what causes this, and how you cure the problem.
Regards Peter
Offline
#2 Mon 19 Nov 12 7:33pm
mummza
Occupation avoiding housework
- From The land of song.
- Member since Tue 04 Oct 05
Re: When Minced Beef turns to Worms
welcome to the forum Peter 
2kg of mince seems quite a lot to cook in one go.
Does she always buy the mince from the same place each time ?
Does she freeze it ?
My gut feeling on this is that sometimes as the mince gets cooked it might get stirred more than at other times or stirred earlier in the cooking process.
If it gets stirred more it would break up more.
But if the mince comes from different shops then it could just be due to how the mince has been ground , or the type of meat that is used in making the mince.
Online
#3 Mon 19 Nov 12 8:09pm
Kye
- Member since Fri 04 Apr 08
Re: When Minced Beef turns to Worms
Supermarket mince as far as i can remember looks worm length and shape. I used to break it up myself before cooking with a spatula. Now i have the chance to buy mince meat from a shop that knows what it should look like with less fat, otherwise i mince it myself.
Offline
#4 Tue 20 Nov 12 7:50pm
MULLIE3103
- Member
- Member since Mon 19 Nov 12
Re: When Minced Beef turns to Worms
Dear Mummza & Kye
Thanks for your reply and imput.
Normally buys the minced beef at Waitrose (premium mince in packets - that does look wormy) or sometimes the local butcher.
She does freeze the mince once cooked and prepared with spag bog ingredients, or cottage pie. Minimum 2 / 3 hours slow heat.
Are you suggesting to stir the mince more during the cooking process, in order to break the mince down more.
Could it also be the supermarket cooling process from mincing to cooking that makes the mince compact and congeal.
Look forward to your replies.
Regards Peter
PS: No doubt I will get told off for interfering!!!
Offline
#5 Tue 20 Nov 12 8:47pm
Kye
- Member since Fri 04 Apr 08
Re: When Minced Beef turns to Worms
Good to see you back Peter.
I read that it is typical of supermarkets in England to sell minced beef that are not minced as i am able to find myself, Waitrose was the 1st on the list of those supermarkets. When in England i met with the same problem, so i mince the meat with a spatula before cooking and continued while cooking to have the 'mince' that i am used to.
I really don't know what the supermarkets suppliers do with that mince.
As to interfering 
i would be interesting to read the contents of those packs 
when i buy sausages in England i search for the meat content in them and only buy when it is over 87%..but thats me.
Offline
#6 Tue 20 Nov 12 11:55pm
mummza
-
Occupation avoiding housework
- From The land of song.
- Member since Tue 04 Oct 05
Re: When Minced Beef turns to Worms
Waitrose usually has pretty good meat , so, I would think just stir it a bit more to break it up if thats what you like . It could be that he meat on that day is just a bit drier textured than on some ther days.
Online