What is the difference between Mince Beef + Premium minced beef?

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#1288241 21-Apr-2015 08:21

Fred99: Even if more evidence comes which contradicts such past "wisdom" - don't expect rapid change. "Experts" who've held a strong position don't like to be told that they've spent their entire careers being wrong. Science is full of examples of this.

I know what you mean. I've lost enough weight during the last 4 months for people to comment. I avoid talking about what I've been eating though, because it always sparks a slew of ignorant advice that has no scientific basis.

Btw, if anybody is particularly picky about beef, I can highly recommend Green Meadows Beef - their online shop is super efficient and the beef is absolutely top notch Angus, perfectly packed for transport. We won't buy beef from anywhere else now.

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#1288274 21-Apr-2015 09:21

joker97: Can someone give the chemical name for "bleach"?

Sodium Hypochlorite IIRC

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#1288275 21-Apr-2015 09:23

Fred99: Diet / food quality issues are a minefield these days.

Some pre-packaged mince (and other meats) are bright red because of "gassing" with carbon monoxide. This form of MAP has "GRAS" (generally regarded as safe) status in the US, afaik isn't legislated in NZ (no requirement for labeling) but is banned in some countries. It is very widely used in NZ - you only need to use your eyes to see.
Colour is a visual clue to "freshness' - so while MAP is "safe" from a food ingredient POV, it could be used to trick you that old meat is "fresh".
AFAIK, food additives (preservatives) are not allowed to be added to mince in NZ.

The fat content of meats may not be the big deal once thought. Recent studies suggest that there's no strong correlation between dietary fat intake and CVD.

Dietary cholesterol intake doesn't correlate directly to fat content of meat - the cholesterol isn't confined to the fat layer. Cheap mince (with 15%) fat only contains 20% more cholesterol than lean mince (5% fat). OTOH, there's a good chance that medical and public heath guidelines for consumption of dietary cholesterol which have been another "sacred cow" for half a century have been completely wrong.

I am now extremely skeptical of many aspects of "public guidelines for diet" - particularly when governments are involved, and even more so when there's been an agenda to address "socio-economic issues", and even more so again when science seemed to be based on "common sense". (ie the goop in a clogged artery looks like the nasty goop in a plate of a budget cut of meat - so it "makes sense" that there's a dietary correlation).

Even if more evidence comes which contradicts such past "wisdom" - don't expect rapid change. "Experts" who've held a strong position don't like to be told that they've spent their entire careers being wrong. Science is full of examples of this.

Agreed.

My favourite example is whole milk, which people avoid as if it was 100% fat when it is in fact 95% fat free...!

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#1288280 21-Apr-2015 09:28

Geektastic:
joker97: Can someone give the chemical name for "bleach"?

Sodium Hypochlorite IIRC

into the mince?

heylinb4nz

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#1288295 21-Apr-2015 09:52

sir1963:
Finch: Hey guys.

So at my local supermarket they have "Mince Beef" and "Premium Minced beef"

What is the difference? They look pretty much the same as far as I can tell, but haven't really studied them.

I buy the "Premium" simply because it says Premium, but now would like to know exactly what im paying for.

Also, would anybody else like a "food" section here on GZ?

Well if the Mince we used for some Lasagne is anything to go by
Mince Beef is pumped full of water, it BOILED in the pan for ages, not fried.

I stopped buying bacon because it became water logged CRAP.

I am now quite looking for a local farmer and getting some quality home kill meat (Palmerston North) rather than the
rubbish we seem to have foisted on us.

Meat actually contains moisture... your body is mainly water. Certain products like chicken, and also bacon are pumped...but any water in mince will be natural.

Pays to strain 2 to 3 times during cooking process which also gets rid of the excess fat which you dont want for a Lasagne. The tomatoes will give the moisture back to meat as well (frying tends to dry mince out).

Fred99

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#1288354 21-Apr-2015 11:23

Demeter:
Fred99: Even if more evidence comes which contradicts such past "wisdom" - don't expect rapid change. "Experts" who've held a strong position don't like to be told that they've spent their entire careers being wrong. Science is full of examples of this.

I know what you mean. I've lost enough weight during the last 4 months for people to comment. I avoid talking about what I've been eating though, because it always sparks a slew of ignorant advice that has no scientific basis.

Btw, if anybody is particularly picky about beef, I can highly recommend Green Meadows Beef - their online shop is super efficient and the beef is absolutely top notch Angus, perfectly packed for transport. We won't buy beef from anywhere else now.

There was a very interesting interview on National Radio a few weeks ago, with a nutritionist from Monash University discussing (wheat) gluten in the diet.
I fully expected (and don't disagree with) the usual rebuttal of any validity to the fad "gluten-free diet" - except for the (disputed) 1% or so of people who have (diagnosed or undiagnosed) coeliac disease.

But double blind clinical trials showed something very unusual. Those (non coeliac) individuals including some who considered themselves to be gluten "intolerant" were given (refined) gluten, but did not react - so it wasn't that. However, many did react to wheat starch - the effects were statistically significant and very much more prevalent in the general population than gluten intolerance. As well as gut irritation, there was significant impact on general feeling of "wellness". I believe that there is increasing evidence (correlation only) suggesting links between "wheat" (for lack of better definition) and clinical depression. Problem is that they don't know what "it" is - it's suggested that it might be FODMAPs, or it might be other (than gluten) wheat proteins, or it might be something else.

It's interesting - and lots of contradictory information is "out there".

Compare with "the sugar debate" where there's very strong epidemiological correlation with disease, the mechanism is quite clearly understood (and accepted - metabolic path for fructose in the human body), and even WHO have revised (reduced) recommended maximum consumption. Yet still "the food industry" have been plonking vast quantities of sugar into our low fat (and low fat for possibly no good - or at best exaggerated -reason) high-carb (with possible consequences) diet to improve "palatability". They continue to do so - and very few people seem to care.

It's completely ironic - that as this has eventuated because of poorly researched "belief" and campaigns based on selling a "healthy diet" (much of which almost certainly isn't very healthy at all) - so that if you now reject the high carb / low fat (and consequentially high "harmless" sucrose) ideology of the past, it's you who will be accused of following a "fad diet".

The biggest fad diets of all are the ones which have been sold to us by the major corporations.

New World

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#1288356 21-Apr-2015 11:25

heylinb4nz:
sir1963:
Finch: Hey guys.

So at my local supermarket they have "Mince Beef" and "Premium Minced beef"

What is the difference? They look pretty much the same as far as I can tell, but haven't really studied them.

I buy the "Premium" simply because it says Premium, but now would like to know exactly what im paying for.

Also, would anybody else like a "food" section here on GZ?

Well if the Mince we used for some Lasagne is anything to go by
Mince Beef is pumped full of water, it BOILED in the pan for ages, not fried.

I stopped buying bacon because it became water logged CRAP.

I am now quite looking for a local farmer and getting some quality home kill meat (Palmerston North) rather than the
rubbish we seem to have foisted on us.

Meat actually contains moisture... your body is mainly water. Certain products like chicken, and also bacon are pumped...but any water in mince will be natural.

Pays to strain 2 to 3 times during cooking process which also gets rid of the excess fat which you dont want for a Lasagne. The tomatoes will give the moisture back to meat as well (frying tends to dry mince out).

If you look for "Dry Cure" bacon you will usually not find water amongst the ingredients. It tends to be added to cheaper products as it makes it heavier so they need to put less in the packet.

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#1288357 21-Apr-2015 11:26

heylinb4nz:
sir1963:
Finch: Hey guys.

So at my local supermarket they have "Mince Beef" and "Premium Minced beef"

What is the difference? They look pretty much the same as far as I can tell, but haven't really studied them.

I buy the "Premium" simply because it says Premium, but now would like to know exactly what im paying for.

Also, would anybody else like a "food" section here on GZ?

Well if the Mince we used for some Lasagne is anything to go by
Mince Beef is pumped full of water, it BOILED in the pan for ages, not fried.

I stopped buying bacon because it became water logged CRAP.

I am now quite looking for a local farmer and getting some quality home kill meat (Palmerston North) rather than the
rubbish we seem to have foisted on us.

Meat actually contains moisture... your body is mainly water. Certain products like chicken, and also bacon are pumped...but any water in mince will be natural.

Pays to strain 2 to 3 times during cooking process which also gets rid of the excess fat which you dont want for a Lasagne. The tomatoes will give the moisture back to meat as well (frying tends to dry mince out).

My mother's method, as taught to me from childhood, is to cook the mince in stock then allow it to go cold. The fat will sit on the top and is easily removed with a spoon.

heylinb4nz

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#1288368 21-Apr-2015 11:48

Fred99:
Demeter:
Fred99: Even if more evidence comes which contradicts such past "wisdom" - don't expect rapid change. "Experts" who've held a strong position don't like to be told that they've spent their entire careers being wrong. Science is full of examples of this.

I know what you mean. I've lost enough weight during the last 4 months for people to comment. I avoid talking about what I've been eating though, because it always sparks a slew of ignorant advice that has no scientific basis.

Btw, if anybody is particularly picky about beef, I can highly recommend Green Meadows Beef - their online shop is super efficient and the beef is absolutely top notch Angus, perfectly packed for transport. We won't buy beef from anywhere else now.

There was a very interesting interview on National Radio a few weeks ago, with a nutritionist from Monash University discussing (wheat) gluten in the diet.
I fully expected (and don't disagree with) the usual rebuttal of any validity to the fad "gluten-free diet" - except for the (disputed) 1% or so of people who have (diagnosed or undiagnosed) coeliac disease.

But double blind clinical trials showed something very unusual. Those (non coeliac) individuals including some who considered themselves to be gluten "intolerant" were given (refined) gluten, but did not react - so it wasn't that. However, many did react to wheat starch - the effects were statistically significant and very much more prevalent in the general population than gluten intolerance. As well as gut irritation, there was significant impact on general feeling of "wellness". I believe that there is increasing evidence (correlation only) suggesting links between "wheat" (for lack of better definition) and clinical depression. Problem is that they don't know what "it" is - it's suggested that it might be FODMAPs, or it might be other (than gluten) wheat proteins, or it might be something else.

It's interesting - and lots of contradictory information is "out there".

Compare with "the sugar debate" where there's very strong epidemiological correlation with disease, the mechanism is quite clearly understood (and accepted - metabolic path for fructose in the human body), and even WHO have revised (reduced) recommended maximum consumption. Yet still "the food industry" have been plonking vast quantities of sugar into our low fat (and low fat for possibly no good - or at best exaggerated -reason) high-carb (with possible consequences) diet to improve "palatability". They continue to do so - and very few people seem to care.

It's completely ironic - that as this has eventuated because of poorly researched "belief" and campaigns based on selling a "healthy diet" (much of which almost certainly isn't very healthy at all) - so that if you now reject the high carb / low fat (and consequentially high "harmless" sucrose) ideology of the past, it's you who will be accused of following a "fad diet".

The biggest fad diets of all are the ones which have been sold to us by the major corporations.

I think this video is appropriate to post

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oht9AEq1798

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#1288415 21-Apr-2015 12:23

Premium Beef mince is usually around $18 + per Kg from the usual retail outlets, so a couple of bucks more for a slightly better / premium product is about right.

Bear in mind that USA is buying up all the beef it can from around the world for its burger patties, as there has been a dramatic shortage in USA / South America - the USA's normal beef sources.
As such, it has pushed up beef prices in NZ and Oz - rump has gone up from about $14kg, to around $17kg, and the other cuts by much the same percentage. Even cheap cuts are now retailing at where mid-quality cuts (rump, bolar, etc) were at a year ago.

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#1288454 21-Apr-2015 12:59

I have removed some comments. If the personal comments don't stop, a temporary ban may be enforced. Please stick to the topic.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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#1288456 21-Apr-2015 13:04

Interestingly, this came up on Stuff today. Awesome reporting as per usual. I wonder if mince was being 'doctored' as well?

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#1288514 21-Apr-2015 14:05

don't forget chicken mince ! (it's a thing)

My wife is Hindu and as such cannot eat beef (or pork for her) and I cannot recall the last time I bought beef mince.

We do however buy chicken mince now and again.

I can of course eat what I want, but out of respect I pretty much don't buy beef (other than pies/sausages - for work lunches)

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#1288519 21-Apr-2015 14:14

Demeter: Interestingly, this came up on Stuff today. Awesome reporting as per usual. I wonder if mince was being 'doctored' as well?

I am sure the major food chains wouldnt risk doing this. I recall last year when I think it was Fair Go found a lot of smaller butchers selling their wares as Prime NZ Beef and Lamb when it wasnt.

My favourite mince is premium mince from Mad Butcher and its on special this week at $8.99/kg. They mince their premium at a finer grind which I like. Guess we all like different things, but I don't like to see a whole heap of fat in the pan during cooking.

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#1288522 21-Apr-2015 14:21

bongojona: don't forget chicken mince ! (it's a thing)

My wife is Hindu and as such cannot eat beef (or pork for her) and I cannot recall the last time I bought beef mince.

We do however buy chicken mince now and again.

I can of course eat what I want, but out of respect I pretty much don't buy beef (other than pies/sausages - for work lunches)

Countdown also has turkey mince! Haven't had any for a while, but it's still there (when you time it right). Don't tend to buy very much meat from supermarkets these days though.

I eat mainly chicken now. I found removing red meat from my diet was great for weight loss. I still have a little over summer (BBQ season!) but pretty much avoid it where possible.

The Mad Butcher in Pukekohe seems to have better meat than at least one other Mad Butcher store. Their chicken is rather good. We still buy red meat though as there are others in the household to think of. The mince at the Mad Butcher in Pukekohe isn't too bad, but I'll have a look at Green Meadows anyway and see how they compare considering the extra $$.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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