Tinned Stewed Steak

Lissavane

Is tinned stewed steak available any more?

It's not exactly gourmet cuisine but I used to love Clover stewed steak years ago. That was simply canned cooked beef with no added ingredients. I know that disappeared a long time ago.

Up to fairly recently you could buy Princes and Tesco own brand stewed steak. Those had "gravy" but were still fairly good, to my humble taste. I think both were impported from South America. These don't seem to be available in Britain either.

I wonder what happened. Disappearance seemed to coincide with the horsemeat scandal. Maybe that was it?

nuckeythompson

yuck but whatever your into

http://www.delightgrocery.ie/Tins-and-Packets/Tinned-Meat-Pies

Lissavane

nuckeythompson wrote: »

yuck but whatever your into

http://www.delightgrocery.ie/Tins-and-Packets/Tinned-Meat-Pies

Thanks, but site looks just a little strange to me - no prices for a start.

Stewed steak was widely available in Irish and British shops up to a year ago or thereabouts. Seems to have just disappeared.

Dizzyblonde

I think I've seen it in Marks & Spencer.

Merkin

I didn't even know it existed. As an alternative if you can't find it, have you got a slow cooker? There are all kinds of recipes for slow cooked/stewed meats that you could try yourself at home and you'd be able to pick nice cuts of meats from your butcher so you know exactly what's going in there?

Arthur Beesley

OP, have you tried chicken in a can?

It's good eats.

http://geekologie.com/2009/04/good-eats-a-whole-chicken-in-a.php

Tazz T

I believe they have it in the bargain shops such as Dealz

rubadub

Lissavane wrote: »

I wonder what happened. Disappearance seemed to coincide with the horsemeat scandal. Maybe that was it?

Could be, loads of stuff is still missing. The burger section in my tesco is a mere half fridge door now, similar in dunnes too.

I remember some recent article saying something like "so 1 year on tesco value burgers are back on the shelves", but they were actually not back, just some lazy journalist presuming they were.

Tazz T wrote: »

I believe they have it in the bargain shops such as Dealz

knew I saw it somewhere
http://www.dealz.ie/churchfield-stewed-steak-392g

Animord

M&S have it. I was there on Friday and looked specifically - such is my dedication to the Food & Drink forum.

RasTa

rubadub wrote: »

knew I saw it somewhere
http://www.dealz.ie/churchfield-stewed-steak-392g

Pretty sure that's re-branded dog food.

Lissavane

Thank you to all who gave helpful replies.

I don't have a local M&S but will check when next I find one. Don't have a local dealz either but I might be more sceptical about the quality there. In fairness, it might all come from the same packer.

Yes, the slow cooker suggestion is excellent and I know slow cooked beef works particularly well. I'm looking for a store-cupboard standby, though.

Thanks again.

foodaholic

Think I saw some in Aldi or lidl

Thargor

I feel a bit sick after reading this thread

HomelessMidge

Brought some of this camping before and was surprised how tasty it actually was! Lidl or Aldi should definitely have some.

the beer revolu

I remember back in the day, getting intervention meat from welfare.
The stewed beef was fine.
The corned beef was like cat food.

rubadub

RasTa wrote: »

Pretty sure that's re-branded dog food.

I was expecting comments like this. People seem to associate tinned stuff as being poor quality, as if it almost has to turn out bad, and could not possibly be good.

Yet they might have no issue with other sterilized foods, such as tins of beans, or jars of sauces. Maybe it is that you cannot see into the tin, I expect they would not baulk as much if they saw a glass jar of stew at a farmers market, which was sterilized in the exact same way.

Its gotten to the stage where people do not even want to feed dogs with dog food from tins, so they start sterilizing cat & dog food in pouches or plastic containers, which gives the appearance of "fresher" food to some people.

Or maybe people think it must be loaded with preservatives or something to last that long, when really its just sterilization you can do at home in a pressure cooker, no need for any perservatives at all. This guy ate a 50 year old tin of chicken
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/4693520.stm

Animord

rubadub wrote: »

This guy ate a 50 year old tin of chicken
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/4693520.stm

Whilst I agree with everything you say there is something deeply alarming about eating a chicken that was walking the earth the year Elvis first made it into the Hit Parade.

JONJO THE MISER

I get it in dealz now and again.
Love it, its much better than a chilled pie.

RasTa

rubadub wrote: »

I was expecting comments like this. People seem to associate tinned stuff as being poor quality, as if it almost has to turn out bad, and could not possibly be good.

Yet they might have no issue with other sterilized foods, such as tins of beans, or jars of sauces. Maybe it is that you cannot see into the tin, I expect they would not baulk as much if they saw a glass jar of stew at a farmers market, which was sterilized in the exact same way.

Its gotten to the stage where people do not even want to feed dogs with dog food from tins, so they start sterilizing cat & dog food in pouches or plastic containers, which gives the appearance of "fresher" food to some people.

Or maybe people think it must be loaded with preservatives or something to last that long, when really its just sterilization you can do at home in a pressure cooker, no need for any perservatives at all. This guy ate a 50 year old tin of chicken
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/4693520.stm

The only tinned food I eat is tomatoes tbh, not sure what point you are trying to make but how is meat in a can fresher or the same level as meat from the butchers?

rubadub

RasTa wrote: »

not sure what point you are trying to make but how is meat

Point is just I expected comments like this and I find it irrational. If this thread was about tinned fish I would not have expected similar comments.

Just seems weird to me, and wonder if people will question their prejudices.

You say you only eat tinned tomatoes, why is this OK? are there any other sterilized foods you would eat, is it just a presumed inferior quality that puts you off?

RasTa wrote: »

but how is meat in a can fresher or the same level as meat from the butchers?

I never said it was, but in theory it could be. e.g. you could have butcher selling poor quality tough previously frozen meat, or a person who is bad at cooking might make a worse job of meat than the factory did. But the OP wanted this as a standby.

Thargor

Of course its inferior quality, how else do you think they charge what they do for it? Anywhere you can get the same amount of fresh steak for 75 cents?

rubadub

Thargor wrote: »

Of course its inferior quality, how else do you think they charge what they do for it? Anywhere you can get the same amount of fresh steak for 75 cents?

Seems you are missing my point too. I never said the steak in dealz is going to be better quality than something you get in Shanahans.

Price is not always a good indicator anyway, I was watching some cooking program and 2 chefs were agreeing that tinned tomatoes are a good option as they were A- cheaper and B- better quality and had more taste, I am guessing tomatoes may have been out of season at the time too.

The sterilization process allows for easier storage and so can save a lot of money, the bulk of the cost of some foods could be down to fast & careful transport.

Thargor wrote: »

I feel a bit sick after reading this thread

Would you have felt just as sick if the thread was about tinned tuna? This is what I am getting at.

It just confuses me why beef is singled out more, just like it confuses me how pigs ended up being the "breakfast animal" and many people would baulk at the though of eating other animals for breakfast.

Thargor

The people making tinned meat are one step up from the dogfood manufacturers and the price they charge for their meat reflects this because they know their target demographic don't give a crap about quality. Its the cheapest of the cheap left over when every other meat wholesaler has bought everything else. Tinned fish is a completely different industry, same for veg.

RasTa

rubadub wrote: »

Point is just I expected comments like this and I find it irrational. If this thread was about tinned fish I would not have expected similar comments.

Just seems weird to me, and wonder if people will question their prejudices.

You say you only eat tinned tomatoes, why is this OK? are there any other sterilized foods you would eat, is it just a presumed inferior quality that puts you off?


I never said it was, but in theory it could be. e.g. you could have butcher selling poor quality tough previously frozen meat, or a person who is bad at cooking might make a worse job of meat than the factory did. But the OP wanted this as a standby.

Yes I consider tinned tuna as cat food, just check the ingredients on the back of the tin.

Tinned tomates are fine http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/oct/05/tinned-tomatoes-health-benefits-anti-cancer-strong-bones

kneemos

I remember it from back in the day,very tasty.Stew some corned beef with carrot,onions and whatever you fancy,very good alternative.

Animord

RasTa wrote: »

Yes I consider tinned tuna as cat food, just check the ingredients on the back of the tin.
]

I can't imagine what kind of tinned tuna you are eating.

John West tells me his tuna has Tuna, water and salt in it.

What is wrong with that?

rubadub

Thargor wrote: »

The people making tinned meat are one step up from the dogfood manufacturers and the price they charge for their meat reflects this because they know their target demographic don't give a crap about quality. Its the cheapest of the cheap left over when every other meat wholesaler has bought everything else. Tinned fish is a completely different industry, same for veg.

Well you seem to have some in depth knowledge of the industry, not sure how you know all this, I have only eaten 2 brands of tinned meat so could not form a wide opinion on all of them. You can get very cheap tinned fish, in the fitness forum people eat it as a very cheap form of protein, it confuses me why it would be such a "completely different" industry.

One of my early points was that being tinned does have to mean its poor quality, i.e. if there is not a good brand out there already, there could be a brand to decide to, i.e. my farmers market comment about similarly sterilzed jars.

RasTa wrote: »

Yes I consider tinned tuna as cat food, just check the ingredients on the back of the tin.

What should I be looking for on the labels? I am always examining labels and never noticed anything weird. What concerned you?

tesco value tuna
http://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=256557156

Ingredients

Tuna (Fish),Water ,Salt

tesco standard
http://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=260169270

Ingredients

Tuna (Fish),Spring Water

I still very much doubt if this thread was about tinned fish there would have been the same responses. Tinned fish comes up in many threads without such comments.

Delia Smith was not surprised at the backlash to her recommending tinned mince either.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/feb/23/books.news

Last night Smith defended her book, which sold more than 48,000 copies in just two days to top the bestseller list in its first week. But she told the Guardian she understood the surprise at her most controversial recommendation: tinned mince. "It was to be expected," she said. "It is in some ways shocking, because it's such a kind of dated, old-fashioned idea. Tinned mince sounds very weird in this day and age."

But the product had been painstakingly chosen for its high quality and was as good as fresh in nutritional terms, said Smith, who has repeatedly said the book is important because it will help people who feel they are too busy to cook or are scared to do so to create healthy, tasty meals. "I think I will have performed a great service if I can make it possible for families to sit round and eat a meal together," she said. "That's my mission."

Members of the public posting reviews on Amazon and elsewhere have recoiled at the reawakened memory of the "awful cooking" of the 1970s, and complained that highlighting specific products looked like advertising for supermarkets. "This book should be called how not to eat," wrote one. "Tinned mince! Is there anything more revolting? It teaches nothing." Another found the idea of canned meat "risible" and a fan on Smith's site hated the "ethos of Americanism" in the recipes.

I can't find any complaints about her use of tinned fish.

RasTa

rubadub wrote: »

What should I be looking for on the labels? I am always examining labels and never noticed anything weird. What concerned you?

tesco value tuna
http://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=256557156

tesco standard
http://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=260169270


I still very much doubt if this thread was about tinned fish there would have been the same responses. Tinned fish comes up in many threads without such comments.

Delia Smith was not surprised at the backlash to her recommending tinned mince either.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/feb/23/books.news


I can't find any complaints about her use of tinned fish.

Well I prefer a fresh diet personally, nothing excites me about fish in a can so don't buy it. It also tastes completely different than fresh Tuna.

TheBody

My sister loves tinned stewed steak. She convinced me to try a tin of it. Bought a tin of John West. It was vile beyond belief. Dunno how anybody could eat it. The tin said that the "beef" came from Brazil.

Thargor

TheBody wrote: »

My sister loves tinned stewed steak. She convinced me to try a tin of it. Bought a tin of John West. It was vile beyond belief. Dunno how anybody could eat it. The tin said that the "beef" came from Brazil.

But didnt you listen to rubadub? Fish comes in tins too! Surely that means your antibiotic saturated Brazillian dogfood is the same quality as what you get from the butchers...

TheBody

Thargor wrote: »

But didnt you listen to rubadub? Fish comes in tins too! Surely that means your antibiotic saturated Brazillian dogfood is the same quality as what you get from the butchers...

The thing is that I wasn't expecting much. I know it wasn't going to be a prime cut of fillet steak in a can. The taste was just unreal. I could only manage one bite. I guess I wasn't expecting it to be as bad as it actually was!