Forget the burgers

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Still looking rainy outside so rather than make hamburgers I'm going to
make
what my Scottish grandmother called "mince". Yeah, I know mince means
ground beef. But done her way, it's absolutely delicious if you simply
brown it, reserve about 1 tablespoonful of the fat, add 1 cup of hot water
and 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce. Cook it down about 30 minutes and then
serve it over mashed potatoes with green beans or peas on the side.

Jill

I grew up in Scotland with mince and tatties. But I can't get the hamburger
here minced enough. It's always lumpy.

Elaine

elaine said:

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Still looking rainy outside so rather than make hamburgers I'm going to
make what my Scottish grandmother called "mince".

I grew up in Scotland with mince and tatties. But I can't get the hamburger
here minced enough. It's always lumpy.

Perhaps my way for crumbling hamburger while cooking for tacos could
work for you? After most all the meat is at least cooked to grey in
color, just use your hand-held potato masher on the meat to better and
more uniformly crumble as it browns.

Picky

PickyJaz said:

elaine said:

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Still looking rainy outside so rather than make hamburgers I'm
going to make what my Scottish grandmother called "mince".

I grew up in Scotland with mince and tatties. But I can't get the
hamburger here minced enough. It's always lumpy.

Perhaps my way for crumbling hamburger while cooking for tacos could
work for you? After most all the meat is at least cooked to grey in
color, just use your hand-held potato masher on the meat to better and
more uniformly crumble as it browns.

Picky

That, or I use a fork to break it up as it cooks.

Jill

jmcquown said:

Still looking rainy outside so rather than make hamburgers I'm going to make
what my Scottish grandmother called "mince". Yeah, I know mince means
ground beef. But done her way, it's absolutely delicious if you simply
brown it, reserve about 1 tablespoonful of the fat, add 1 cup of hot water
and 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce. Cook it down about 30 minutes and then
serve it over mashed potatoes with green beans or peas on the side.

Jill

Did she use Worchestershire sauce too?
I actually have been craving something along these lines lately. I
wonder what that means? Hmmmmmmmmm...
Goomba

jmcquown said:

Still looking rainy outside so rather than make hamburgers I'm going to make
what my Scottish grandmother called "mince". Yeah, I know mince means
ground beef. But done her way, it's absolutely delicious if you simply
brown it, reserve about 1 tablespoonful of the fat, add 1 cup of hot water
and 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce. Cook it down about 30 minutes and then
serve it over mashed potatoes with green beans or peas on the side.

Jill

Ah, mince. I add tomato paste as well, just a bit, but I realise that
this is not traditional. Comfort food for sure...

Christine

"PickyJaz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

elaine said:

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Still looking rainy outside so rather than make hamburgers I'm going to
make what my Scottish grandmother called "mince".

I grew up in Scotland with mince and tatties. But I can't get the
hamburger
here minced enough. It's always lumpy.

Perhaps my way for crumbling hamburger while cooking for tacos could
work for you? After most all the meat is at least cooked to grey in
color, just use your hand-held potato masher on the meat to better and
more uniformly crumble as it browns.

no, that didn't work for me.

E.

On Tue 14 Mar 2006 02:39:01p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it PickyJaz?

Quoted message said:

elaine said:

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Still looking rainy outside so rather than make hamburgers I'm going
to make what my Scottish grandmother called "mince".

I grew up in Scotland with mince and tatties. But I can't get the
hamburger here minced enough. It's always lumpy.

Perhaps my way for crumbling hamburger while cooking for tacos could
work for you? After most all the meat is at least cooked to grey in
color, just use your hand-held potato masher on the meat to better and
more uniformly crumble as it browns.

Picky

If you know when you buy the meat that you're going to use it for this,
have it ground twice. It still requires a bit of breaking up, but it's a
much finer texture.

--
Wayne Boatwright Õ¿Õ¬
________________________________________

Okay, okay, I take it back! UnScrew you!

Goomba38 said:

jmcquown said:

Still looking rainy outside so rather than make hamburgers I'm going
to make what my Scottish grandmother called "mince". Yeah, I know
mince means ground beef. But done her way, it's absolutely
delicious if you simply brown it, reserve about 1 tablespoonful of
the fat, add 1 cup of hot water and 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce.
Cook it down about 30 minutes and then serve it over mashed potatoes
with green beans or peas on the side.

Jill

Did she use Worchestershire sauce too?

My post said "1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce". You might add more 🙂

Quoted message said:

I actually have been craving something along these lines lately. I
wonder what that means? Hmmmmmmmmm...
Goomba

Means you want some good plain Scottish peasant food 🙂

Jill

jmcquown said:

Still looking rainy outside so rather than make hamburgers I'm going to make
what my Scottish grandmother called "mince". Yeah, I know mince means
ground beef. But done her way, it's absolutely delicious if you simply
brown it, reserve about 1 tablespoonful of the fat, add 1 cup of hot water
and 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce. Cook it down about 30 minutes and then
serve it over mashed potatoes with green beans or peas on the side.

Jill

A common childhood food here in NZ. However, more water is added and
it is thickened with a flour and water slurry.

Great served on toast.
Also used as a filling for individual (or family sized) mince pies

Variations include adding a little beef stock (powder or cube) or no
more than a teaspoon of curry powder, just for flavour, not for
turning it into a curry. Another variation is to add a teaspoon of
marmite or vegemite.

My method is
1 lb mince
cook in a little oil till it turns brown. Break up any lumps
Add water (I can't remember how much, but enough so this quantity will
feed at least 4)
optional: add the extra flavourings (I'd add beef stock,
worcestershire sauce is good; my mother added curry powder, just a
bit)
optional: add diced carrots (yuk, if added, it now changes name to
"savoury mince"😉
1 good tsp salt
cook for about 30 mins
thicken with flour slurry

Kathy in NZ

Kathy in NZ said:

jmcquown said:

Still looking rainy outside so rather than make hamburgers I'm going to make
what my Scottish grandmother called "mince". Yeah, I know mince means
ground beef. But done her way, it's absolutely delicious if you simply
brown it, reserve about 1 tablespoonful of the fat, add 1 cup of hot water
and 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce. Cook it down about 30 minutes and then
serve it over mashed potatoes with green beans or peas on the side.

Jill

A common childhood food here in NZ. However, more water is added and
it is thickened with a flour and water slurry.

Great served on toast.
Also used as a filling for individual (or family sized) mince pies

Variations include adding a little beef stock (powder or cube) or no
more than a teaspoon of curry powder, just for flavour, not for
turning it into a curry. Another variation is to add a teaspoon of
marmite or vegemite.

My method is
1 lb mince
cook in a little oil till it turns brown. Break up any lumps
Add water (I can't remember how much, but enough so this quantity will
feed at least 4)
optional: add the extra flavourings (I'd add beef stock,
worcestershire sauce is good; my mother added curry powder, just a
bit)
optional: add diced carrots (yuk, if added, it now changes name to
"savoury mince"😉
1 good tsp salt
cook for about 30 mins
thicken with flour slurry

Kathy in NZ

That's basically it, but IMHO you really do have to add flavourings. As
I said earlier, I always add a little tomato paste as well as the
Worcestershire sauce. And I usually fry up a finely chopped onion with
the meat.

I like mince with mashed potato and frozen peas. If I'm using it as a
pie filling I season it with a little ground allspice, as a lot of
traditional cake shops do.Have you ever tried breaking an egg into it -
don't stir it, let it poach.

At our place, once you start adding veggies (carrots, frozen peas, sweet
corn) it is known as "Disaster Mince", and is then mixed with penne or
spiral noodles. By this stage it is far removed from its Scottish origins!

Christine

"elaine" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Still looking rainy outside so rather than make hamburgers I'm going to
make
what my Scottish grandmother called "mince". Yeah, I know mince means
ground beef. But done her way, it's absolutely delicious if you simply
brown it, reserve about 1 tablespoonful of the fat, add 1 cup of hot

water

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce. Cook it down about 30 minutes and then
serve it over mashed potatoes with green beans or peas on the side.

Jill

I grew up in Scotland with mince and tatties. But I can't get the

hamburger

Quoted message said:

here minced enough. It's always lumpy.

Elaine

If you want very unlumpy minced beef add about a cup or two of water BEFORE
you start cooking. Stir it into the minced beef and make it a soupy mess
and THEN cook it. It's very smooth then. That's the way Cincinnati chili
is made.

YMMV

helen

"Helen Harrand" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"elaine" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Still looking rainy outside so rather than make hamburgers I'm going

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

make
what my Scottish grandmother called "mince". Yeah, I know mince means
ground beef. But done her way, it's absolutely delicious if you

simply

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

brown it, reserve about 1 tablespoonful of the fat, add 1 cup of hot

water

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce. Cook it down about 30 minutes and

then

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

serve it over mashed potatoes with green beans or peas on the side.

Jill

I grew up in Scotland with mince and tatties. But I can't get the

hamburger

Quoted message said:

here minced enough. It's always lumpy.

Elaine

If you want very unlumpy minced beef add about a cup or two of water

BEFORE

Quoted message said:

you start cooking. Stir it into the minced beef and make it a soupy mess
and THEN cook it. It's very smooth then. That's the way Cincinnati chili
is made.

YMMV

helen

Are you saying it doesn't cook crumbly with the water method? I can't
picture what the result of cooking the "soupy mess" would be. Can you
describe it further?

Is Cincinnati chili the (very) finely ground all-beef almost-sauce that
they use a lot for chili dogs?
--
Lefty

Life is for learning
The worst I ever had was wonderful

Quoted message said:

<snippage>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If you want very unlumpy minced beef add about a cup or two of water

BEFORE

Quoted message said:

you start cooking. Stir it into the minced beef and make it a soupy

mess

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and THEN cook it. It's very smooth then. That's the way Cincinnati

chili

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

is made.

YMMV

helen

Are you saying it doesn't cook crumbly with the water method? I can't
picture what the result of cooking the "soupy mess" would be. Can you
describe it further?

Is Cincinnati chili the (very) finely ground all-beef almost-sauce that
they use a lot for chili dogs?
--

Lefty

Yes, I guess that's what I'm saying in a not so elegant manner. If you mix
some water into the meat (a cup or two to a pound of meat) and cook it that
way it doesn't "lump up". It cooks to a very smooth consistancy (DON'T use
a whisk, you'll be all day cleaning it's tines up) if you stir occasionally
while it cooks.

Cincinnati chili is an almost sauce as you describe but it's usually served
over spaghetti, with cheese, beans, onions. It's also great over hot dogs.
It's the consistancy of spaghetti sauce but with a bit of cinnamon and
chocolate in the background flavors. It's supposed to have started w/Greek
imigrants. If you ever get to Cincinnatti (or however it's spelled) try it.
Fantastic stuff!

helen

"Helen Harrand" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

<snippage>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>
>

If you want very unlumpy minced beef add about a cup or two of water

BEFORE

Quoted message said:

you start cooking. Stir it into the minced beef and make it a soupy

mess

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and THEN cook it. It's very smooth then. That's the way Cincinnati

chili

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

is made.

YMMV

helen

Are you saying it doesn't cook crumbly with the water method? I can't
picture what the result of cooking the "soupy mess" would be. Can you
describe it further?

Is Cincinnati chili the (very) finely ground all-beef almost-sauce that
they use a lot for chili dogs?
--

Lefty

Yes, I guess that's what I'm saying in a not so elegant manner. If you

mix

Quoted message said:

some water into the meat (a cup or two to a pound of meat) and cook it

that

Quoted message said:

way it doesn't "lump up". It cooks to a very smooth consistancy (DON'T

use

Quoted message said:

a whisk, you'll be all day cleaning it's tines up) if you stir

occasionally

Quoted message said:

while it cooks.

Cincinnati chili is an almost sauce as you describe but it's usually

served

Quoted message said:

over spaghetti, with cheese, beans, onions. It's also great over hot

dogs.

Quoted message said:

It's the consistancy of spaghetti sauce but with a bit of cinnamon and
chocolate in the background flavors. It's supposed to have started

w/Greek

Quoted message said:

imigrants. If you ever get to Cincinnatti (or however it's spelled) try

it.

Quoted message said:

Fantastic stuff!

helen

I used to drive through Cincinnatti on the way up and back from Mobile, AL
to Detroit, MI when I played music. I never got to stop in Cincinnatti
because no matter what I did I always hit the Kentucky-Ohio border at the 8
A.M. rush hour --it was a madhouse and I couldn't wait to get out of there.

I have had a similar sounding chili in NJ. It was the best.
--
Lefty

Life is for learning
The worst I ever had was wonderful

Quoted message said:

On Thu 30 Mar 2006 05:44:43p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Lefty?

Quoted message said:

"Helen Harrand" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

<snippage>

Quoted message said:

> >
> >
>
> If you want very unlumpy minced beef add about a cup or two of
> water BEFORE you start cooking. Stir it into the minced beef and
> make it a soupy mess and THEN cook it. It's very smooth then.
> That's the way Cincinnati chili is made.
>
> YMMV
>
> helen

Are you saying it doesn't cook crumbly with the water method? I can't
picture what the result of cooking the "soupy mess" would be. Can
you describe it further?

Is Cincinnati chili the (very) finely ground all-beef almost-sauce
that they use a lot for chili dogs? --

Lefty

Yes, I guess that's what I'm saying in a not so elegant manner. If you
mix some water into the meat (a cup or two to a pound of meat) and cook
it that way it doesn't "lump up". It cooks to a very smooth
consistancy (DON'T use a whisk, you'll be all day cleaning it's tines
up) if you stir occasionally while it cooks.

Cincinnati chili is an almost sauce as you describe but it's usually
served over spaghetti, with cheese, beans, onions. It's also great
over hot dogs. It's the consistancy of spaghetti sauce but with a bit
of cinnamon and chocolate in the background flavors. It's supposed to
have started w/Greek imigrants. If you ever get to Cincinnatti (or
however it's spelled) try it. Fantastic stuff!

helen

I used to drive through Cincinnatti on the way up and back from Mobile,
AL to Detroit, MI when I played music. I never got to stop in
Cincinnatti because no matter what I did I always hit the Kentucky-Ohio
border at the 8 A.M. rush hour --it was a madhouse and I couldn't wait
to get out of there.

I have had a similar sounding chili in NJ. It was the best.

I lived in NE Ohio for decades. The very first time I traveled to
Cincinnati, having some Cincinnati Chili was at the top of my priority
list. Admittedly, I really knew nothing about it other than its
popularity, but I ordered and tasted it, I was dismally disappointed. I
learned that I don't like "chili" over pasta; I don't like the smooth
texture; and I don't like either cinnamon or chocolate in chili. It
didn't help by heaping on the options, either. Calling this stuff "chili"
is being more than generous, yet I know it has many followers. I could
never be one of them.

--
Wayne Boatwright @¿@¬
_____________________