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Quorn Mince

  • 23-11-2006 5:46pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,184 ✭✭✭


    So I used Quorn mince for the first time last night, to make a chilli. I did it the usual way with spices and beans and a dash of red wine, only substituting beef for Quorn mince.

    Well. It was one of the most disgusting things I have ever tasted. It was completely unappetising, and the two unfortunate people that I served it to were unable to finish it either.

    I doubt I did anything very wrong as I followed the instructions on the packet - and I let it simmer for a good hour or more. It was dry, tasteless and had a nauseating texture.

    Do vegetarians enjoy Quorn mince? Am I the only one who feels this way? I have never heard a bad report on it.

    From now on I will revert to my vegetarian meals being made from VEGETABLES, not slop.


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,733 ✭✭✭Blub2k4


    I've used it a few times, just like I'd use mince, had no problems with it. It was alright, not fantastic. Did you fry it in oil with sweated onions, garlic and chili before adding whatever else you added?


  • Registered Users Posts: 801 ✭✭✭Nature Boy


    I never really use it i use Vegemince but i've never had a problem with either, nor have any non-veggies i know who've tasted it. Was it out of date??!

    But, yeah if you want to make a chilli and don't like vegetarian mince use mixed beans


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 145 ✭✭bobbi


    its like eating cardboard sometimes!:D But generally it can be quite nice as a spagetti bolenase(can't spell!) proberly my least favourite quorn product


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭Kix


    I use it for chilli and bolognese sause. I fine it grand and my non-vegetarian girlfriend loves my bolognese.

    The quorn contributes little to the flavour of the dish; it just provides protein and texture really. You may find you have to re-balance the other flavourings especially if you're using a recipe which used to contain meat. For example, I put a vegetable stock cube in my bolognese which I would not have bothered with when I was still cooking with meat - it rounds and balances the flavours.

    Take a look at The Post Punk Kitchen, I've used her recipe for chilli and substituted quorn mince in place of the tempeh she uses (it's just easier). I find this works well.

    Finally, I used to "brown" my quorn as I used to fry-off mince. I don't any more, I think it's unnecessary and at worst, can realy dry out the Quorn. Quorn is one product which should never be overcooked, it gets unpleasant.


  • Registered Users Posts: 801 ✭✭✭Nature Boy


    Kix wrote:
    The quorn contributes little to the flavour of the dish; it just provides protein and texture really.

    Exactly, meat is just a filler for dishes like bolognese, chilli, curries etc. Quorn/TVP/Tempeh etc just add texture. I find i prefer dishes like this without the meat especially curry.


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  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,076 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tar.Aldarion


    I think it is lovely. Think it won their product of the year too. It depends on how you cook it. If not cooked well I think it tastes pretty crappy.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,184 ✭✭✭neuro-praxis


    Blub2k4, I did just as you said.

    Tar.Aldarion, how would one cook it well?

    And it won a "best slimmer food" aware or some such...no accounting for taste there. :)


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,076 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tar.Aldarion


    I don't know! Mother is teh one that cooks it well. :P

    I fried it last night, constantly stirring it and just had it with my dinner. Loved it, then again, I add brown sauce to everything to make it taste good. :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,616 ✭✭✭ClareBear


    I agree, I think it's disgusting too.

    I love Quorn sausages though, yum.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 630 ✭✭✭MagnumForce


    I use qourn mince all the time for different things, pasta sauces, chilli, etc and i think its great, a fantastic little invention. It's not meant to flavor it or anything, just to add texture as people have said, so you just need to adjust your recipe probably.

    On another qourn related note...how come in Ireland we get an extremely limited selection of quorn products? if you look on the qourn site, there is a huge amount of things on offer, but over here we get **** all! I especially want to try the "lunch meats" variety, give me something else to put in sandwiches like!


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 147 ✭✭mateo


    On another qourn related note...how come in Ireland we get an extremely limited selection of quorn products? if you look on the qourn site, there is a huge amount of things on offer, but over here we get **** all! I especially want to try the "lunch meats" variety, give me something else to put in sandwiches like!

    Urgh I know!! That annoys me so much lol


  • Registered Users Posts: 801 ✭✭✭Nature Boy


    On another qourn related note...how come in Ireland we get an extremely limited selection of quorn products? if you look on the qourn site, there is a huge amount of things on offer, but over here we get **** all! I especially want to try the "lunch meats" variety, give me something else to put in sandwiches like!

    Every time I go to a tesco in England I feel like i'm in heaven. They have massive veggie sections with all the quorn stuff!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 630 ✭✭✭MagnumForce


    One day i was on the verge of goin up to Belfast to make a few Quorn purchases! But i didn't. They even had at one stage (not sure if they still do) Quorn burgers in McDonalds in the UK, whereas here we don't even have a veggie burger in McDonalds anymore!!! how ridiculous is that! I emailed em and they basically said sorry we dont care, bastards!


  • Registered Users Posts: 801 ✭✭✭Nature Boy


    I don't really like the chain fast food places but burger king do a half decent veggie burger and bean burger, they also do a fish burger as a 'vegetarian' option


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,076 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tar.Aldarion


    I am told supermacs have a very nice veggie burger and that Eddie Rockets has a sublime one. Never order them myself...


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,434 ✭✭✭Rancid


    On another qourn related note...how come in Ireland we get an extremely limited selection of quorn products? if you look on the qourn site, there is a huge amount of things on offer, but over here we get **** all! I especially want to try the "lunch meats" variety, give me something else to put in sandwiches like!
    Totally agree with you, we get a very limited choice here. I'm not a big Quorn eater by any means, I don't necessarily need a meat-substitute on my plate, but it would be nice to have the chance to test out their other products.
    I might even get one step closer to being vegan if I had a reasonable cheese-substitute in my fridge. :)
    Their "Lunch Meats" could be just that!

    In the meantime, I just check out sites like this and marvel at the selection. :)


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    I tried tvp burgers once about 15 years ago and and they put me off meat substitues for life.
    I really don't see why a vegetarian would be interested in something pretending to be meat.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,593 ✭✭✭Conar


    I use quorn mince quite often.
    I've never cooked it for anything near an hour though.

    Try adding it for the final ten minutes, thats all I ever do and its always fine IMO.
    Dunnes do a quorn style mince now too. I prefer Quorns own brand but you might like it.

    Where did you read that it should be cooked for an hour?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 123 ✭✭Aquitaine


    I love Quorn mince and use it alot. Its really nice in fahitatas and lasagne but your right it is the sauce and seasoning that make it good same as normal mince.
    Yum yum!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 848 ✭✭✭Backtoblack


    I used it in Lasagne a few times ages ago, its not great - I prefer making a vegetable lasagne.
    Quorn Chicken is absolutely vile!!!!!!! ugh ugh ugh! I had someone over for dinner and used it with pesto & creme fraiche... What a waste! I will never buy it again.
    Overall I find the product very artificial tasting.
    No need for it anyway what with the amount of veggie ingredients and veggie recipes out there! :)


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 799 ✭✭✭Schlemm


    tofu is a lot less worse than quorn


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 848 ✭✭✭Backtoblack


    Schlemm wrote:
    tofu is a lot less worse than quorn

    I like tofu occasionally! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,440 ✭✭✭✭Piste


    My mum cooked a quorn lasagne for the family once, and didn't tell my dad and sister that she was using quorn instead of mince, they didn't say a word about it and I thought it was delicious, but my mum claimed that it was very different and nowhere near as nice as beef.

    The quorn chicken nuggets are really nice too!


  • Registered Users Posts: 849 ✭✭✭nervous_twitch


    Yup, I gave my meat-eating cousin a Spaghetti Bolognese with Quorn Mince once and he genuinely didnt notice the difference.. but that could possibly be down to the fact that I make the nicest most flavoursome sauce in the world :p

    It is the only Quorn product I think which could be genuinely mistaken for meat (when in the right marinade..) absolutely love it!

    I think cookiong it for more than an hour is a bit rough though


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 630 ✭✭✭MagnumForce


    Yeah cooking it for an hour is a bit excessive alright, whenever ive made vegetarian chilli with Quorn, its usually a pretty quick affair.

    I don't like the Term "meat substitute", i dont think of Qourn as a sustitute for meat, I think of it as food and thats it, I think they call these things meat substitutes for people who have switched and are looking for things to eat instead of meat, whereas I've always been a vegetarian, so for me its just another food, like the way if I make a mushroom burger, thats not a meat substitute.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,208 ✭✭✭loismustdie


    i haven't been veggie for years but still use qourn for chilli, lasagna,taco's everything, just add veg to it and sauce


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,076 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tar.Aldarion


    it is called a meat substitute because it was made as a substitute to meat and tries to be as close to it as possible. I don't really think it matters if you ever ate meat or not.
    Just my opinion of it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭inverted_world


    I reckon you are probably leaving it for too long and it's drying out. The packet says something like 12-15 minutes on a pan I think? I usually have it on for five, after the oil has heated and then I add my tomatoes/sauce etc. As soon as it defrosts and turns a light brown colour is when I think it's ready. I have made burritos using quorn mince and thay were delicious!
    And yes, simmering the mince in it's sauce for a while is a good idea, and I always do it as it tastes muck better, but maybe leave it for less time and on a lower heat setting? I usually let it simmer for about 25 minutes, or until it tastes right.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,482 ✭✭✭RE*AC*TOR


    I'm with Moonbaby on this. What's the point? If your desire to eat something meat-like is that strong, then you have to ask yourself the point of your vegetarianism and its effect on the quality of your life.

    Not only that, if I were vegetarian, I'd embrace good food, not overly processed garbage. There are plenty of recipes out there that don't require, mold-based, factory produced, imitation meat.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,593 ✭✭✭Conar


    RE*AC*TOR wrote:
    I'm with Moonbaby on this. What's the point? If your desire to eat something meat-like is that strong, then you have to ask yourself the point of your vegetarianism and its effect on the quality of your life.

    Not only that, if I were vegetarian, I'd embrace good food, not overly processed garbage. There are plenty of recipes out there that don't require, mold-based, factory produced, imitation meat.

    I to date have never tried normal mince so I don't use it as a substitute for anything rather as an ingredient like any other so its not out of some strong desire to eat something meat like.

    Even if some people use it as a meat substitute I don't see what is wrong with that its a relatively healthy option so why not use it if you crave the texture of mince/chicken?

    Its nice in things like Shepherds Pie style dishes, bolognese and chillies etc.


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