Beef Empanada Potpie

[JennyLiz]

After the rave reviews this recipe received, I had to try it. It was yummy and I managed to freeze half for another meal. Now here's the question: The recipe calls for 1.25 lbs of ground SIRLOIN. The butcher at the grocery store laughed and handed me 91 percent lean ground beef when I asked for ground sirloin. He informed me that most of the meat would be lost in the grinder and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. He grudgingly agreed to take a couple of sirloin steaks and grind them for me, but returned with a package bearing a striking resemblance to ground beef. To all those who made this recipe, does it make a difference? Should I continue this "discussion" with the butcher or just use ground beef? Feedback appreciated!

[Gail]

Your comment about the sirloin looking the same as ground beef threw me a little. It looks identical, of course, because it is still ground beef, simply a higher quality meat being ground.

Haven't made the recipe, but I'll tell you this much (oh, no-- it's another one of those "when I was growing up stories!" Quick, run!) My dad used to always buy ground sirloin, so I figured that was the thing to do. However, in an attempt to cut corners, I started buying what was marked "leanest ground beef" and discovered there really wasn't an appreciable difference in taste. I suspect the reason for specifying sirloin in the recipe may have been merely to keep the fat content down. Listen to the butcher, I say-- even if he was being mildly uncooperative. (Now everyone is going to disagree with me, no doubt...)

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-14-2000).]

[Beth]

I agree with Gail, you are buying ground beef either way. One local store labels all ground beef as ground beef with varying fat contents. Another labels then ground chuck, ground round, ground sirloin, etc. The ground sirloin is 7-10% fat, but it would cost half to a third of what you'd pay for steaks to be ground. I think the ground sirloin meant to keep the fat down, not the cost up.

[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 07-14-2000).]

[JennyLiz]

Thank you Gail & Beth- I now understand it's a packaging thing (possibly fat content too) and not necessarily a flavor issue. I'm still trying to make sense of all the cuts of beef and what to use when. Gail, I realize how silly it sounded when I said the package looked like ground beef. What I meant to say was it was labeled & priced like ground beef, not sirloin steaks. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Thanks again to you both! JennyLiz

[Ohioan]

JennyLiz - I'm guessing here on what your butcher actually did put into the package http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif but I'd think it was probably scraps of round, sirloin, etc., and whatever else he had left over from cutting steaks, chops, etc. The taste would be roughly the same because it all came from the back end of the animal and had most of the fat removed. If it had come from the front end of the animal (for example, chuck), it might taste a little different. But the front end of the animal is usually so well marbled that it can't be used for 10% and lower fat content ground beef.

At least, this is the way I remember it from when I used to eat beef. I've been a vegetarian for about a year now. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

Hope I haven't confused the issue further!

[Angelina]

I made it and it was delicious!! I had trouble with the garlic breadstick though..After rolling it into the right size (more or less), I picked it up to put it over the beef and it promptly shrank to cover maybe half of it. It was more like beef and dumplings than a pot pie, but it was good anyway. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[PJB]

I tried this last night and it was really tasty but the potato was a little bit too hard for my liking. Did anybody else experience that? Any suggestions for this problem?


Originally posted by JennyLiz:
After the rave reviews this recipe received, I had to try it. It was yummy and I managed to freeze half for another meal. Now here's the question: The recipe calls for 1.25 lbs of ground SIRLOIN. The butcher at the grocery store laughed and handed me 91 percent lean ground beef when I asked for ground sirloin. He informed me that most of the meat would be lost in the grinder and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. He grudgingly agreed to take a couple of sirloin steaks and grind them for me, but returned with a package bearing a striking resemblance to ground beef. To all those who made this recipe, does it make a difference? Should I continue this "discussion" with the butcher or just use ground beef? Feedback appreciated!

[lorilei]

You might try chopping the potatoes smaller, or adjusting the cooking time. I'm not sure if it was concerning this recipe or not, but there was a discussion about hard potatoes a while back and the problem seemed to be solved by chopping the potatoes smaller http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Zinnia]

PJB,
(I don't know the cooking instructions on the recipe because it's not with me) but, when I have had problems with too firm potatoes in recipes, I either cut them smaller (as lorilei said),or pre-boil or fry them a little-to soften them, & then add to the recipe. Good luck, http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Zinnia

[PJB]

Thanks to all of you for your replies and suggestions. I will try this one again and will chop smaller pieces and might even pre-boil too. Will let you know how it turns out.

Thanks