AIBU to think you can't make lasagne with raw mince?

[HetMeal]

I had a mild debate with a friend today who says you don't need to cook/brown the meat before you put it in the lasagne. She would do pasta sheets, white sauce, tomato basil sauce from a jar, raw minced beef, in layers.

I do it the normal way, cooking a tomatoey meat sauce first and layering that with bechamel and pasta sheets. She said using raw meat is a perfectly legitimate time saver and tastes fine.

I can't get my head around this, and wondering whether anyone else does it this way?

My existing colleague used to boil mince before adding it to the sauce.

They were both chefs .

ex's not existing!

I knew a chef who bought a frozen turkey from Farmfoods for Christmas Dinner and cooked it on Christmas Eve.
All chef means is that they're qualified at most, and employed as a chef at least.
It doesn't mean they necessarily know anything about food, or in some cases, actually have tastebuds.

@Lucked

Wow impressed with the experiment but in no rush to try it.

I do use dried lasagna sheets rather than fresh and put them in that way - they cook and soften with the cooking. This is how my mum does it and I was about 30 before I realised this wasn’t normal.

Woah hang on a minute! Is that not normal?? That's the way I've always done it and not bad a rubbish lasagne yet!

It doesn't mean they necessarily know anything about food, or in some cases, actually have tastebuds.

Just described my ex husband to a T, although at least he doesn't boil mince

I keep coming back to this thread solely because it makes me furious. I keep thinking about the soggy, mushy mince, the fact that the sauce won't have time to combine with the meat and produce a rich, unctuous lasagne, the water and fat that must seep from the mushy depths when it is served.

I'm struck livid every time I read the title and I just wanted you to know that OP. Your friend is ruining my day every time I log on here.

I use dried pasta and don't cook it first, I thought that was normal?
I do not use raw mince, boiled mince, jars of sauce, or my other pet hate in lasagne, cheese sauce.

@IHaveBrilloHair

I use dried pasta and don't cook it first, I thought that was normal? I do not use raw mince, boiled mince, jars of sauce, or my other pet hate in lasagne, cheese sauce.

Some lasagne sheets claim to require pre-soaking or cooking first, but most do not. There's usually enough flavoured water content in the dish that the pasta absorbs and cooks. Some people might be concerned that high salt (dehydrating) content and tomato (acidic) sauce would stop the pasta cooking. As long as all the sheets are well covered, they will cook fine. However, if a bit peeks out, it can be chewy. I never cook the sheets first. Extra work and less tasty.

My friend does this when she makes slow cooker lasagne. She says it's delicious but I'm not convinced.

Slow cooked ragu, fresh lasagne sheets, homemade cheese sauce (sorry @IHaveBrilloHair although I'm open to trying it with plain bechemel, just won't tell DD!)...and assembled on the morning, or ideally the night before it's needed.

Although tbh I prefer roasted veg to meat lasagne.

If anyone has a favourite roast veg lasagne they would like to give the recipe for I would love to try it.

I havent got a recipe but COOK roasted veg lasagne is delicious and possibly the best you can buy. Better than I could make.

I find all the bought veg lasagnes have peppers in which I can't stand so I always make it myself.

Veggie Lasagne

Tray of Mediterranean roasting veg, cooked as per instructions, cooled slightly and roughly chopped into smaller pieces.

You could just use the equivalent of whatever veg you fancy if for instance, you don't like peppers (I can't stand aubergine, which seems to feature in a lot of ready made lasagnes).

Sweat a finely chopped onion in olive oil, add a couple of fat cloves of finely chopped garlic and stir for a minute. Add a generous heaped tsp (or a bit more) each of dried Italian herbs and smoked paprika; 1 tblsp tomato puree; 1 tin chopped tomatoes and veg stock pot. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Then stir in the chopped roasted veg.

Layer with fresh lasagne sheets and cheese sauce made with extra mature cheddar.

Blitz a thick slice of white bread into breadcrumbs and stir through a couple of tsp of green pesto and grated cheese to taste (I use a mix of cheddar and parmesan) and sprinkle on top. If I'm being flash I add some sliced mozzarella too.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes at 180/160 fan.

Having half-arsed it on a few occasions I'd say the most important things are;

Roast the veg, then chop. Don't just chop it and throw it in a pan with the other tomatoes sauce ingredients.

The veg stock and smoked paprika in the tomato sauce makes an unbelievable amount of difference to the flavour

The topping is possibly the best bit!

It's my vegetarian best mate's favourite meal...she comes round for lasagne at least once a month in normal times!

My DH is a chef and he says you can do it that way, but he wouldn't advise it as it is dangerous and you would have to be super careful that it is cooked through.

@Lordamighty

If anyone has a favourite roast veg lasagne they would like to give the recipe for I would love to try it.

I do Delias roasted Mediterranean veg one and it gets lots of compliments.

you can, it wont be as tasty but you can. might as well buy a ready meal one coz it would be nicer.

If i make it i make it from scratch, otherwise get a pre made one.

':53Ddot

'Mince is not safe to eat pink, unless you mince your own washed steak. It's something to do with contamination but cant recall what sorry-

Yes this is what i heard too, the thought of pink mince or burgers makes me was to be sick.

I’ve just had a bloody lovely veggie lentil lasagne for dinner.

Reading this has reaffirmed my vegetarianism. The fact I have no risk of ever being served a greasy, chewy, mince mush lasagne is a great relief.

@HopeForTheBestExpectTheWorst there was a poster advocating pink mince which led to the responses.