Pre-packaged minced meat

[HangryBrickShark]

Is it just me or is the vacuum packaged mincemeat hard to cook with?

I find it really hard to separate, I've tried cutting it with scissors, or a knife of pulling apart with my fingers but it just seems to clump together and it's a bit gritty too in my opinion. I've tried it from various supermarkets but really hate cooking with it.

Anyone have any tips to 'declump' it or should I just deff saving the planet and buy the non vacuum plastic packaged stuff instead?

When I put it in the pan, I use a plastic spatula and I’m constantly stabbing in to it, flipping it and keep it moving whilst it cooks. Just keep breaking it down.

Awful isn’t it, some supermarkets have started doing things like stewing steak in it as well

Cook it for a bit - especially if making something like Bolognese and then blitz it with a hand held blender if too lumpy

Its definitely a lot more work! I've taken to buying frozen mince for chilli's and spaghetti bol as I hate it so much!

Just got back from France, I did a little jig in the supermarket ewhen I saw the mince was in the old packaging!

Thank you for the suggestions.
I've really not enjoyed my spag bol tonight.

Just have to keep breaking it up/bashing it/moving it around with a wooden spoon as its cooking. Turns out fine.

i havent dared buy any yet

It’s funny as I made something with mince yesterday and thought I miss real mince!

i will make a long detour to Tesco for unvacuum packed beef mince. Aldi, coop and Sainsburys are all bloody doing jt. I hate it. The butcher is slightly more expensive but worth it not to have the grainy texture.

I’ve stopped buying it as I think the texture once cooked is horrible, no matter how much bashing and breaking up I try to do. Luckily Ocado do 5% in the old style packaging so I order from there.

Its just vacuum packed. If you open the packet in advance, it puffs back up. Not fully, but enough that it's quick and easy to break up in the pan. I don't find the taste or texture any different to the old stuff, and am pleased that it's better for the environnent.

That type of mince is horrible. I go to local butcher and buy it from there.

Yeah I’ve stopped buying mince since aldi started doing it like this. If I really need mince I’ll make a detour to somewhere that doesn’t.
Actually can’t remember the last time I had a mince based dish for this very reason.

It's vile, Tesco still do it in the old style packaging

I like the new packaging, less plastic waste (we can't recycle the box type here), takes up less space in the fridge. It does plump back up if you leave it a bit, also we have a mince masher which makes it easy to break up.

Yep. I always get my mince from Tesco now

I think they look disgusting, especially when you take it out of packaging it’s looks like dog food

i refuse to buy it like that now as I find it harder to cook in stays in clumps
only shops I’ve found that do it in original packaging are
m&s, Morrisons and my butchers

I got one of these. Works great.

amzn.eu/d/2VfQFdX

Tesco for me too.

Same. Morrisons also do ‘normal’ mince, and M & S.

Yes I do this

Morrisons don't do this.

Thanks
Just ordered one of those

I hate it as my hands are crap and I just can’t stand there jabbing at it to break it up. I’ve started buying the bags of 5% frozen mince now instead as it’s more free flowing.

Me too, it's great!