I'm not quite prepared to re-acquaint myself with SPAM, as yet; that's a step too far!
However, I felt reasonably confident buying this small tin of Corned Beef, with the idea of seeing if it tasted anything like how I remember it from my childhood.
I was amused to see that the tin still has that bizarre key system for opening. It worked perfectly.
So, what exactly is Corned Beef? As far as I remember it is Beef Brisket cured in brine, before being coarsely minced and tinned. Most of the world's production comes from S America; Brazil in particular.
I was rather looking forward to tasting this strange old-fashioned product, and opened it for lunch when I returned from my shopping trip. Lady M turned-up her nose, and refused to taste it.
Personally I found it rather disappointing. It was ground finer than I remember, and didn't have much flavour. It wasn't at all as I remember it, but that could be on account of the maker. I don't think mother used to buy 'Princes'. I'm sure the one she bought had a picture of a bull on the label; Fray Bentos maybe?
Verdict: 3/10. I shan't buy it again
p.s. I had a small amount of Corned Beef left over in the fridge, and decided to have it fried for my next morning's breakfast, with one rasher of bacon, and a fried egg.
The Corned Beef was really awful and I had to chuck it.
Revised verdict: 0/10. Horrible. It made me think of dog food.
That corned beef looks way too fatty. I used to buy something similar to spam but much nicer but have not been able to get it for some time.
ReplyDeleteIt really was horrible. I didn't even give it to Billy.
DeleteDifferent shaped tin. Think you can still get Fray Bentos. That looks horrible. I used to have Spam with salad at my Grandma's on a Sunday. I've had it grilled too. I'm curious now....I shall keep a look out for some.
ReplyDeleteMy mother used to make Spam Fritters. Slices were dipped in batter and fried. A dash of vinegar, and they were delicious. I'm not sure what I'd make of them these days.
DeleteI remember Fray Bentos corned beef from my youth, didn't it come from Argentina? Haven't had it in many a year now, but still occasionally get the Fray Bentos steak & kidney pies.
ReplyDeleteAt the same times as buying the above, I also bought a Fray Bentos Steak-n-Kidney Pudding. A couple of mins in the Microwave and they're really quite nice. Lady M turns her nose up at them too.
DeleteI remember that in my childhood we still ate something similar to the one that my father kept from his service in the British Army.
ReplyDeleteI think soldiers, on active service, almost lived on it. It was an easy way to give them protein.
DeleteI used to like corned beef for tea on Sundays back in the dark ages of the 70s but couldn't face eating it nowadays.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I liked it as a child, but the above was horrible.
DeleteDid you know that Fray Bentos is a small city in Uruguay? Why would anybody name their city after tinned pies and a brand of corned beef?
ReplyDeleteThe New Zealanders named their capital city after a rubber boot.
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