I have decided to buy an electric mincer, and if it will stuff sausage skins all the better. My hand mincer has given stirling service over many years but has died the death. The new models are smaller and lighter and do not look up to much.
The problem is what one to buy, there are so many out there, ranging from £30 to £500, and very few up to date reviews. Do any of you lovely peeps have one? Do you get lots of use for it? would you recommend it?
I am not looking for a "cheap and cheerful" or something to work 4 hours a day, 5 days a week.
I have used my processor but the results were not as good as my mincer, plus that machine is now very old, it has done twice the years and probably 10 times the work load that it was designed to do.
I have told you in the past that I have good knives but the only thing I want to be mincing with a knife is garlic.
Today my shoulder/neck thing has flared up so I will be having a ding dinner, the beany burgers will be moved to tomorrow.
I have figured out which food dehydrator to buy, and will be looking for a vacuum sealer to use in tandem with it. The mincer will just about finish my kitchen gadget replacement program.
The crochet is forging ahead and I have sewing lined up for a day or three. Cross Stitch is still on the agenda, on a back burner for a while though.
I did stop in Newcastle Emlyn last Saturday, I also found Crosspatch and had a quick look see. I was so mesmerised by the quilting goodies that I completely forgot about cross stitch, hey ho.
I may well look on the net for "an idiots guide to..."
I spotted another couple of crafty looking shops but time was pressing so I looked down and scurried past.
I picked up a pack of cooking bacon from Lidl, I was very picky and looked for a bag of thin rashers, once decanted and wrapped I had enough for 2 bacon rolls for 7 days. If I made the rolls myself I estimate that £3.00 would give a weeks breakfast for 2 people, including a dollop of sauce. Not that I would want a bacon roll every day, I like my porridge and muesli too much.
I cooked one of my 50p pumpkins and got almost 1 kilo of flesh from it. I put that in a pot with the rest of my roast veg from Sunday, added the left over mashed sweet potato and a pint of my chicken stock. Brought to boil and then simmered for 15 minutes, blitzed with the stick blender it just needed a splash of milk to give me a pan full of wonderful soup, now I will be having a bowl of that every lunch time.
On that note it is time for a cuppa.
TTFN Pam
My mum had a hand mincer (going back many years here), it was solid and reliable in a way things tend not to be nowadays, but sorry I can't help as we don't have one. Hope your shoulder starts to feel better soon and you can back to your squares xx
ReplyDeleteLoved the sound of the soup, I have been experimenting a little with leftovers to make soups with some success. I am afraid I can't help you with any mincer advice I am still using a hand mincer that was given to us as a wedding present 34 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI came over to try to help ... but sorry I've never had a mincer. We will need one in the future though so I'll keep my eyes out for comments of folks that can actually help you and see which one they recommend.
ReplyDeleteGood luck.
A really good website I get kitchen stuff from is Harts of Spur . Great choices and great customer service. I have my ma in laws ancient mincer but I think I'd buy one for my Beryl ( kitchen aid mixer ) if I was on the market so to speak. One thing the HG and I spent a long time looking at in Lakeland last weekend was a good vacuum sealer. One thing that would have to be considered is the plastic bags used. They seemed quite spendy - although the HG is now trawling the Internet for the cheapest possibilities for the same product. I think one would be a great investment but I need to consider the worktop space!!
ReplyDeleteThe soup sounds lovely. I've just finished my mega batch of brocolli. But there's quite a bit of manky veg gathering in the fridge that will go in a pan with a stock cube! It always tastes so good!
Crikey you've been busy! I'm no help with the mincer I'm afraid but hope you get what you want.
ReplyDeleteI have often thought about a mincer, but still undecided, one thing I do want to get is a vacuum sealer, so will be interested to see which one of those you get.
ReplyDeleteI use a mincer attachment on the kenwood chef, it works very well. I have also got an attachment that is for stuffing sausages on it, but have never tried it, because I can't get the skins where I live.
ReplyDeleteMine came as an attachment to my stand mixer. The only time I ever used it, I asked our butcher to cut 50# of beef 'small dice' as I was canning it for stew meat. When I got it home I found it was 2" chunks in long lengths. Rather than drive the 50 miles back to have them cut it again, I put it through the machine at the largest setting. worked great, but overworked the motor, which then had to be repaired. Never did that again. I love my Kitchen Aid but at today's prices I treat it pretty special. Have never used a vac seal. I put dried fruits in jars that I sterilize in the oven- dry heat - and pop the lids on immediately. They keep fine on the dark pantry shelf.
ReplyDeleteWe have several mincers. My husband makes a German/Russian dish called gehacktes which his grandmother made. It is basically potatoes, hamburger and onions and spices all put through the grinder and then can be used to stuff a turkey, make a casserole or make sausages. it is very delicious but the grinding is a big job. We have the hundred year old grinders that have just the right pieces in the front to make the right texture. I suggested we get an electric grinder, which we did, but after one use it sits in the cupboard because it didn't produce the right texture!!! OMG. As long as he's willing to do the grinding we'll stick with the old one!
ReplyDeleteI have a vacuum sealer which I really like. One of the secrets to keeping the cost of the bags down is to make the bag quite large the first time. Cut it open very close to the seal, they can go in the dishwasher and then be used over. Reseal the bag and open close to the seal again and you can end up using them several times until they are too small to put anything in. Phew, after all that, I hope you get some good advice on makes and models for the U.K.
I have a mincer for my Kenwood mixer. It also has a sausage attachments too. I have no complaints about the mince but can't comment about the sausage bit as I've not tried that.
ReplyDeleteSoup sounds delicious.
Carolx
I've got one - bought for £80 or so at the Royal Welsh Show one year. I used to use it regularly when my offspring (Danny especially) was in residence but it's gathering dust now. Main problem was the cost of the skins - proper casings were costing me about £11 a hit, and although they can be frozen, it didn't work out cost-efficient for me, not having my own porker either. They do taste great though.
ReplyDeleteI saw 50p pumpkins in Morrisons yesterday (and was sorry for the farmers who produced them for so little profit). Vats of soup from it by the sound of things, but I'm not OTT about it as a foodsource (I know, I should be!)
I have a mincer attachment with my Kenwood Major, love the machine but haven't tried the mincer hubby has and was happy with it. I bought a really good vaccum sealer from JML a few years ago, it works well, the polythene for the bags is very strong, and the food keeps really well in the freezer. It sucks out the air and seals the bag. When I bought mine there was an offer of buy an extra box of "bags" and get one free so stocked up. Hope your shoulder settles down soon.
ReplyDeletePeg x