Moussaka Please help me/advise

[ILookedintheWater]

I'm a fair cook: mostly from scratch/using recipe rather than jars etc.
My Lasagne is 4 inches tall, holds it's shape and is generally considered pretty good among our friends (it gets requests).
...but moussaka....tastes really good, each square holds its shape on the plate, but there is about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the dish. Thus it looks, well, crap, and even though it tastes fine I can't roll out a tray for parties or anything.
Where am I going wrong? I cook the meat until almost dry with cinnamon, oregano, mint and garlic with red wine and tomatoes: fry off the aubergine with garlic and olive oil until browned. Layer and top with a béchamel with an egg whisked in to make it fluffy and set. ....I cannot believe the amount of water in the dish can have come from just the aubergines. It's bizarre. Please help! putting it back in the oven doesn't help because there's nothing to soak up the liquid.
Thanks in advance

[Orangebird69]

Salt the aubergines before you cook them.

[specialsubject]

Do you salt and squash the aubergine for a while before cooking?

And do you make it the day before, leave it over night and then reheat? Always much better then.

[VerityHabitat]

I seem only capable of making Moussaka soup so I gave up years ago. Following with interest as I'd love to have some proper home made Moussaka.

[Out2pasture]

the moussaka recipe I made two weeks ago suggested the sprinkle with salt and let drain for 1 hour in a colander. then brush with olive oil (one side) and bake for 10 minutes in a 350F oven.
I was pleasantly surprised how nicely the eggplant was (compared to my vegetarian lasagna soup attempts)

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

Assuming you've tried salting the aubergines... Could it be that you're cooking it on too high a temperature, so the milk separates?

Incidentally, the word 'moussaka' means moist, so maybe you're just doing it right

[roundtable]

Slice and salt the aubergine and put a heavy covering over it like a plate over the top for half an hour. Then fry. Would be my guess.

Also a sprinkle of flour over the frying mince to thicken if all else fails? Hmm I love moussaka!

[Out2pasture]

www.recipetineats.com/moussaka-greek-eggplant-beef-bake/

this is the recipe I followed

[VerityHabitat]

I thought that newer erm, versions of aubergines didn't have to be salted and drained?

I am sure I saw this on a cooking program.

[AdaColeman]

Put a good layer of partly cooked sliced potato as your base layer in the dish.
I've made it that way for many years but recently watched Patrick Leigh-Fermor's cook do exactly the same thing so we both can't be wrong!

[DrSpin]

As above but make it in advance and cook it again when you need it. Once cooked set aside for 10/15 mins before serving.

[ILookedintheWater]

Thanks all. Potatoes seems a cheat so I never have. Maybe I'm not leaving the aubergine long enough to drip once it's salted. I agree Verity: the reason aubergines were salted was to take out bitter juices which is no longer necessary, but given my, erm, excess liquid issue, I'll be salting and squishing for all I'm worth. It is just so disappointing: once on the plate it's fine, and tastes (forgive me) really nice, it just leaves a scummy pool behind (which DH eats as soup). I'm taking all your suggest on board: this liquid cannot be right! Thanks

[FurryDogMother]

When you say tomatoes, do you mean tinned tomatoes or fresh? I tend to use tomato puree instead, because of the liquid issue - works better that way.

[hedwig2001]

How do you get your lasagna to stand up? Mine is really sloppy.

[roundtable]

Leave your lasagne to stand for at least 20 mins like you do for a joint of meat hedwick is what I usually do now.

It gives it a chance to firm up. I found this out by accident after not being able to dish up promptly one day a few years ago. Always used to wonder why mine weren't firm. Good luck!

[hedwig2001]

Thanks roundtable I shall try that.

[ChardonnaysPrettySister]

You need potatoes.

Also, bake, don't fry the aubergines.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

I slow cooker the aubs, then drain them so they are not too wet

[Spud90]

No tips for moussaka as I've never made it but could you share your lasagne recipe please?

[Liska]

Potatoes in moussaka are traditional, not cheating. I make mine with just aubergine, from a Greek recipe book, but my Greek mother in law uses potatoes and aubergines. Recipes vary regionally, but apparently in some parts of Greece they only use potato - no aubergine at all! That said, neither my moussaka or hers would 'stand' like a lasagna out of the dish, unless it was completely cold - it's supposed to be very moist, and I love it that way. If yours tastes good, I really wouldn't worry

[ILookedintheWater]

Thanks Liska. It is very most but does stand up. It just leaves a gravy/stock with bits behind which I thought was wrong.
As long as it tastes good I'm going to stop worrying (and start baking the aubergine in case that makes a difference)
We had lamb chops at the weekend and I used the juice from the last moussaka (which I'd frozen) as gravy/dip and it was delicious.

[ILookedintheWater]

moist, not most