ALDI & LIDL Food and Drink Worth Trying?
Discussion
We got our meat and veg from Aldi. The veg was very good, however the turkey was a bit crap. It was one of those ones with stuffing in and wrapped in bacon, it took about 20 minutes longer to cook than advised and the bacon was like plastic, even the dog wouldn't touch it! The sausages and bacon for the pigs in blankets were fine.
On the topic of ALDI meat I too believe their standards have fallen dramatically.
They sell two types of steaks, one a cheap "farm something" version and a specially selected aged 21 days. The specially selected rib eye was some of the best steak I had ever made, the cheap farm version was absolutely dreadful and some of the worst steak I had ever tasted.
Well, I bought two specially selected rib-eyes on Friday and they were dreadful, just like the cheap farm something version.
They'd do well to be aware that customers will leave as quickly as they arrived, if this is the path they're going down.
They sell two types of steaks, one a cheap "farm something" version and a specially selected aged 21 days. The specially selected rib eye was some of the best steak I had ever made, the cheap farm version was absolutely dreadful and some of the worst steak I had ever tasted.
Well, I bought two specially selected rib-eyes on Friday and they were dreadful, just like the cheap farm something version.
They'd do well to be aware that customers will leave as quickly as they arrived, if this is the path they're going down.
don4l said:
I am distressed to read these stories about Aldi meat.
We have had their "Dry aged" steaks in the past and they have been absolutely superb. ARE YOU SURE THEY ARE DRY AGED? USUALLY THE ARE 28-DAYS IN THE WRAPPING (CALLED MATURED)
I wonder if they are trying to cater for different markets?
We have had the Aberdeen Angus steaks and they were fine. It's hard to grill a steak badly. I do not believe the meat was poor, just that their cooking instructions were ludicrously wrong. If we had used common sense, rather than followed them, I am sure it would have been good.We have had their "Dry aged" steaks in the past and they have been absolutely superb. ARE YOU SURE THEY ARE DRY AGED? USUALLY THE ARE 28-DAYS IN THE WRAPPING (CALLED MATURED)
I wonder if they are trying to cater for different markets?
Normally roasting usually means something like 200C for 30mins and then 170C until you get the centre of the beef to about 55C. It will then serve with a well done slice at the end and then juicy pink stuff for most of it.
i do hope that aldi et al monitor threads such as these . people do not shop out of habit as much these days and are more likely to vote with their feet .
although i have to admit i have been an aldi shopper for a few years. i remember being homeless and going shopping in there with £3 and coming out of there with a surprising amount of food .
i realise that there is a limited amount of space but i could have done with some tools for sale at this time of year
although i have to admit i have been an aldi shopper for a few years. i remember being homeless and going shopping in there with £3 and coming out of there with a surprising amount of food .
i realise that there is a limited amount of space but i could have done with some tools for sale at this time of year
rambo19 said:
We had aldi turkey crown yesterday-nice and moist and tasted lovely.
Took it out of the oven, wrapped in foil, then a beach towel and left to rest for about 40 minutes whilst I did the veg.
We had one too. It took half an hour longer to cook than the pack instructions suggested by which time we couldn't let it rest for more than 20 minutes as everything else was ready but it was delicious; nice and moist and really good flavour. Took it out of the oven, wrapped in foil, then a beach towel and left to rest for about 40 minutes whilst I did the veg.
Just about everything we ate yesterday came from Aldi, it was all excellent nosh.
rdjohn said:
don4l said:
I am distressed to read these stories about Aldi meat.
We have had their "Dry aged" steaks in the past and they have been absolutely superb. ARE YOU SURE THEY ARE DRY AGED? USUALLY THE ARE 28-DAYS IN THE WRAPPING (CALLED MATURED)
I wonder if they are trying to cater for different markets?
We have had the Aberdeen Angus steaks and they were fine. It's hard to grill a steak badly. I do not believe the meat was poor, just that their cooking instructions were ludicrously wrong. If we had used common sense, rather than followed them, I am sure it would have been good.We have had their "Dry aged" steaks in the past and they have been absolutely superb. ARE YOU SURE THEY ARE DRY AGED? USUALLY THE ARE 28-DAYS IN THE WRAPPING (CALLED MATURED)
I wonder if they are trying to cater for different markets?
Normally roasting usually means something like 200C for 30mins and then 170C until you get the centre of the beef to about 55C. It will then serve with a well done slice at the end and then juicy pink stuff for most of it.
don4l said:
The packaging clearly stated "Dry aged", and the steaks were superb.
I can't say that I have inspected every steak they have ever sold in the UK, but you can read what is written on their current offering https://www.aldi.co.uk/scotch-aberdeen-angus-sirlo...
rdjohn said:
I can't say that I have inspected every steak they have ever sold in the UK, but you can read what is written on their current offering
https://www.aldi.co.uk/scotch-aberdeen-angus-sirlo...
2 good reviews and one bad...not so conclusive https://www.aldi.co.uk/scotch-aberdeen-angus-sirlo...
rdjohn said:
don4l said:
The packaging clearly stated "Dry aged", and the steaks were superb.
I can't say that I have inspected every steak they have ever sold in the UK, but you can read what is written on their current offering https://www.aldi.co.uk/scotch-aberdeen-angus-sirlo...
don4l said:
rdjohn said:
don4l said:
The packaging clearly stated "Dry aged", and the steaks were superb.
I can't say that I have inspected every steak they have ever sold in the UK, but you can read what is written on their current offering https://www.aldi.co.uk/scotch-aberdeen-angus-sirlo...
Riley Blue said:
We had one too. It took half an hour longer to cook than the pack instructions suggested by which time we couldn't let it rest for more than 20 minutes as everything else was ready but it was delicious; nice and moist and really good flavour.
Just about everything we ate yesterday came from Aldi, it was all excellent nosh.
Did the entire xmas shop this year at aldi, everything has been excellent, and saved a fortune!Just about everything we ate yesterday came from Aldi, it was all excellent nosh.
whoami said:
I think you mean these. They're dry aged.
Even those are slightly misleading with their packaging information. They could have been in the dry for one day before butchering and matured in the packaging for 29, or vice-versa. The obvious difference is that you can sell water at the same price as beef when it is matured, rather than air-drying.Proper air drying for 28-days means that the beef will be hung loose and lose about 10% water content, so it takes up a lot of space and weighs 10% less at retail time, but non-the-less offers a wholesome meal at an advantageous price.
In England, we normally buy from a local farmer who rears the cattle and slaughters it nearby so the animal does not become distressed, it is then hung for a full 29-days so that its provenance is actually fully diarised - was it Buttercup, or Daisy? They only slaughter 1, or 2 carcasses per week.
As we only live in England for a couple of months of the year, I thought he might have bigger customers to look after and a French friend specifically asked for Angus beef. My feeling was that we should have ordered from another quality local butcher, but SWIMBO thought the Aldi offering would be fine.
I still think that it was only the cooking instructions, rather than the beef itself, that were flawed.
rdjohn said:
whoami said:
I think you mean these. They're dry aged.
Even those are slightly misleading with their packaging information. They could have been in the dry for one day before butchering and matured in the packaging for 29, or vice-versa. The obvious difference is that you can sell water at the same price as beef when it is matured, rather than air-drying.rdjohn said:
A word of warning to anyone who has bought the 2kg off-the-bone Aberdeen Angus for oven roasting.
We had one for Christmas lunch yesterday and it was an utter disaster. We like meat on the bloody side of rare. The instructions said 35min/500g @ 150C non-fan. It was taken out 15mins before time and rested.
What we got was a roasting pan of blood coloured water and a dried-out chunk of beef that looked as apertising as a slice of Pumpernickel.
If we had gone to the butcher and bought beef, rather than a product, it would have been cooked at a much higher temperature for a much shorter time and checked with the meat thermometer.
Anyone who roasts meat at 150C needs their bumps felt. If you know how to cook at a higher temp with a meat thermometer then that's what you should do.We had one for Christmas lunch yesterday and it was an utter disaster. We like meat on the bloody side of rare. The instructions said 35min/500g @ 150C non-fan. It was taken out 15mins before time and rested.
What we got was a roasting pan of blood coloured water and a dried-out chunk of beef that looked as apertising as a slice of Pumpernickel.
If we had gone to the butcher and bought beef, rather than a product, it would have been cooked at a much higher temperature for a much shorter time and checked with the meat thermometer.
I'm pleased to report ALDI somewhat redeemed themselves from the previous poor steaks with these;
Not sure if they are only a festive item, would be a shame if they were. I added some salad, a dash of Blue Dragon Sweet Chilli Sauce, and, most importantly, finished the pitta in the oven, not the microwave. They were absolutely splendid.
Not sure if they are only a festive item, would be a shame if they were. I added some salad, a dash of Blue Dragon Sweet Chilli Sauce, and, most importantly, finished the pitta in the oven, not the microwave. They were absolutely splendid.
gotta love a bit of cheap meat
can't stand all these food producers bleeting on about low prices and foreign competition.
once we leave the EU surely we can import from even cheaper countries and not have to do stupid checks for quality and safety. That'll mean Aldi will be cheaper
my best find at aldi this xmas is Orange Glazed Gammon Joint. a beautiful bit of reformed meat with a delicious sticky glaze. only £6.49
can't stand all these food producers bleeting on about low prices and foreign competition.
once we leave the EU surely we can import from even cheaper countries and not have to do stupid checks for quality and safety. That'll mean Aldi will be cheaper
my best find at aldi this xmas is Orange Glazed Gammon Joint. a beautiful bit of reformed meat with a delicious sticky glaze. only £6.49
omfgmynamewontfi said:
gotta love a bit of cheap meat
can't stand all these food producers bleeting on about low prices and foreign competition.
once we leave the EU surely we can import from even cheaper countries and not have to do stupid checks for quality and safety. That'll mean Aldi will be cheaper
my best find at aldi this xmas is Orange Glazed Gammon Joint. a beautiful bit of reformed meat with a delicious sticky glaze. only £6.49
I assume this thinly veiled attempt at sarcasm is an attempt to slag off Aldi and Lidl.can't stand all these food producers bleeting on about low prices and foreign competition.
once we leave the EU surely we can import from even cheaper countries and not have to do stupid checks for quality and safety. That'll mean Aldi will be cheaper
my best find at aldi this xmas is Orange Glazed Gammon Joint. a beautiful bit of reformed meat with a delicious sticky glaze. only £6.49
However this thread isn't titled "cheap crap from Aldi" so it's fallen a bit flat.
- bleating
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