Has anyone used oats to bulk out mince?

[RabbitSaysWoof]

Does it taste weird? I'd like to get a cottage pie and spag bol out of the one mince beef block. I always use grated carrot and onion I'm not crazy about lentils. I read on here somewhere I think about bulking out with porridge, I wondered what the quantities should be as well.

[TulipsAndSwifts]

I have used breadcrumbs and it worked. About a cupful of breadcrumbs (old wholemeal works best) to a slab of mince.

[BearFoxBear]

I do it all the time, for 800g of mine I add a big handful of oats - my dh apparently hates oats and has never noticed

[UnspecialSnowflake]

Soy mince works too, and the texture isn't far off real meat so it's less noticeable.

[RustyBear]

I've done it for years and no-one's ever complained. Not sure I can help with quantities - like most of my cooking I just stick in whatever looks enough. BearFoxBear's quantity sounds about right.

[RabbitSaysWoof]

Thanks Tulips and Bear, thats what I'm hoping bear for something cheap that will soak up the meaty sauce flavour, I love porridge but I thought it sounded weird together, I was wondering if the oats go creamy because even porridge with water is creamy I couldn't imagine stiring left over porridge into spag bol.

[RabbitSaysWoof]

Thank you, think I'll have a go this week.

[RustyBear]

I also use oats to thicken gravy for a casserole that's going to cook for a long time - it makes a nice thick gravy with a lovely flavour.

[PigletJohn]

Haggis.

[bikeandrun]

I use puy lentils, much smaller and less mushy than other types, ( though not as cheap) I think they really improve the taste and texture of a lasagne or shepherds pie

[Bunbaker]

Sorry, but I think that sounds vile. Red lentils make a good filler and you wouldn't even notice them. I think they are probably more nutritious as well.

[Damnautocorrect]

If was recommended by the ministry of food in the second world war.
Its absolutely fine and you genuinely don't notice it at all.
If your slow cooking the mince then lentils are better but if its a quicker cook like cottage i.e. they are perfect. Just make sure you stir them in well.

[AMcoffeeLover]

Soy mince/TVP are the best I've found. Sometimes I use half meat/half TVP, but If I use just TVP and don't say that its TVP everyone believes its mince......

[BabyGanoush]

I use oats in meat balls, it gives them good texture/flavour

[notapizzaeater]

I use a handful of orange lentils and a couple of grated carrots.

[Cherriesandapples]

Today I whizzed up kidney beans and mushrooms and added a can of tomatoes. It tasted lovely

[Bunbaker]

"What's not to like."

The extra roughage for a start. I have IBS and a high fibre diet crucifies me.

[Nyancat]

I always blitz a load of mushrooms and add them in, works brilliantly.

[WorktoLive]

I was just going to say mushrooms as well. I would also add peas to the cottage pie and finely chopped celery and/or courgette to the spag bol.

Simmer the sauce for ages and it all goes thick and tasty. You haven't said how many people you are feeding or how big your block of mince will be, but it will be fine, the recommended portion size of red meat is much smaller than most people imagine.

[RabbitSaysWoof]

It's for bulk cooking, I make ramekin cottage pies just as many as I can, I'm having a lean couple of months coming up and I'm pinching back on food costs (also preparing myself for the tax cred drop) , I'd rather bulk out than use cheap (non British) meat. I usually use mince, onion and grated carrot for both then for spag bol chuck in frozen mixed pepper slices or frozen sliced mushrooms whatevers in the freezer vegetable drawer, for cottage pies frozen peas/ snapped up frozen green beans or a can of baked beans at the end. Going to dive into the frugal threads later for other ideas.

[Nerris]

Not oats, no. But green lentils (canned are fine) work pretty well and don't affect the taste.

[Daffolil]

My mum used baked beans. And bananas once. She was very good at lots of things, just not cooking.

[RabbitSaysWoof]

Daffolil

[dashoflime]

Piglet John is right: Mince + Oats = Haggis. Its a classic combination :)