Fabricated Filet Mignon

[Jogeephus]

Is there such a thing as fabricated filet mignon? Reason I ask is my MIL gave us some filet mignon that she bought on the QVC. She's one of the ladies who is known on a first name basis on the show. :roll: Sweet lady, means well but can't really understand why she bought steaks for us. Anyhow, I thawed them out and got to looking at them and something just didn't look right. The small specks of marblins were coming out of the meat like little worms. Gave me the impression the fat was injected into the meat somehow. Meat itself didn't exactly look right either. Too uniform of marbling and the texture and fibers just didn't look right. I cooked them and the came out tender as can be BUT the meat didn't bite right. No longer fibers in the meat. It was as if they had ground the meat up somehow and pressed it back together like sausage then wrapped bacon around it and shot it with ground fat so it would look like it was prime marbling.

I will say the meat was good but it was not great. It would make fine sandwich meat but its not what I call steak quality. Ever heard of anything like this? Do they actually make man-made steaks?

 

[ga. prime]

I've seen those at various grocers. Come two to a vac pac. Look similar to the real thing. Never bought any. Costing about $5 or so makes them competitive with Spam or Treet. Labeling on the package gives no indication that they are anything other than an actual cut of beef.

 

[hillsdown]

JO I think that is probably exactly what it is and along the lines of what a mc rib is made from except beef YUK>>>

What a brave and kind fella you are for trying them.. If it were my hubby, the dogs would have had a feast.

 

[MikeC]

Butchers have been passing off cuts from the "Eye of Round" that were taken from veal calves as "Filets" for years.

 

[Jogeephus]

Butchers have been passing off cuts from the "Eye of Round" that were taken from veal calves as "Filets" for years.

I don't think it is that Mike cause there are no disernable fibers in the meat. Its texture is like SPAM. I can't be positive but I'm pretty sure it has been processed through a grinder then formed into a filet. I mean why else would the fat be coming out of the meat like little worms if it wasn't injected with fat. What concerns me is how many people will buy something like this and get "turned off" by beef cause it is far from a "beef eating experience". Selling it for what it is, on the same grade as spam, and I would buy it over SPAM any day. I wish I had the box it came in but my MIL tossed it.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Jogeephus its too bad you didn't take a picture of this 'filet'. Does your MIL have any more of them that you could 'borrow' and take a picture of it?

Katherine

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Whats the brand name of that stuff jo. Is Kansas City Steak Company? If it is my wife says that stuff cost big bucks and they sell ton of it. They advertise it as corn fed beef.

 

[Jogeephus]

I don't know. MIL bought it a while back and seperated the box into bags. She gave us a bag of twelve. Didn't have any writing on it. I think Kansas City Steak is a pretty reputable name and doubt they would sell on the Home Shopping Network or QVC. This is where my MIL gets all her "deals". :roll: Really and truly we need to take away her credit card to protect her from herself but I'm not touching that one. I'm just here to bail her out when her deals go bad and there have been plenty. You wouldn't be interested in a lifetime supply of laundry detergent would you? ;-) :shock: :???: :lol2:

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Jo go qvc.com and look for KC steak company.

 

[Jogeephus]

Jo go qvc.com and look for KC steak company.

I stand corrected! I had no idea they sold on qvc. Even read the reviews. Some said they were tough, others said they were funky tasting most did not like it. This is not beef. This is processed meat. This is about like calling bologna a virginia ham.

I thught KCS had a good name built on quality. Oh well. Seems I cooked some $240 worth of fillets last night. The dogs sure loved it!

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view ... 16#reviews

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

What is really crazy is they sell tons of this crap, for lots of money.

 

[Jogeephus]

What is really crazy is they sell tons of this crap, for lots of money.

I have always thought if I could get the average person to taste homegrown meat I could sell it for a premium and me and the customer would have a win/win deal. I don't know what happens when someone builds a good name with quality. Seems they try to fill every order and then the quality goes down. I know a person who cooks BBQ for a living. He is open four times per year. If you don't get your order in early you don't get any. When he is out he's out. He doesn't cut corners and makes his year's living in 14 days.

 

[ga. prime]

Went in walmart yesterday and looked at these things. Labeled "filet mignon for beef". $3.97 for a twin pac. A close look will reveal something screwy going on with the way the grain runs in the "fillets". Looks sort of like the way the grain runs in processed ham luncheon meat.

 

[Jogeephus]

Went in walmart yesterday and looked at these things. Labeled "filet mignon for beef". $3.97 for a twin pac. A close look will reveal something screwy going on with the way the grain runs in the "fillets". Looks sort of like the way the grain runs in processed ham luncheon meat.

That's what caught my eye too! If you thaw some out you will also see a sheen over the meat. Almost like a it is sprayed with a layer of something that will hold it in place - kinda like a sausage casing. When it thaws the fat starts easing out like worms. I've never seen anything like it. Dang good idea really. But after all the debate the gov't has had over the definition of grass fed and organic definitions I don't see how they can allow something like this to be marketed as "filet mignon". BTW - they do make pretty good sandwiches. Kinda like a beef bologna sandwich on steroids.

 

[bward]

The small specks of marblins were coming out of the meat like little worms.

Gag,cough,choke. :roll: How repulsive. Reminds me of the kitchen scene in the Movie Poltergiest.

 

[grannysoo]

Walmart will probably be selling them next...

 

[ga. prime]

Vidalia Super Walmart. Since the grand opening years ago. Selling imitation filet mignons. Only the label doesn't say imitation. Label says "filet mignon for beef". Does NOT say "filet mignon of beef". It's for beef, not of beef.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

"Beef" Hockey Puck
Wrap Around It With Bacon
Cook On Outdoor Grill

..."Mock Filet Mignon"

...The Redneck Tenderloin

P.S.: Don't forget the popular "Tube Steaks"

:cowboy:

 

[john250]

I also know a woman who buys Omaha Beef from QVC. She swears it is good. I've never tasted it.
She also buys diamonds from QVC--and now I wonder if she gets an independent evaluation?
I think there are 3 of those channels included in the Dish package I pay for. I have never even stopped on one of them.

 

[Jogeephus]

The more I think about this the more I don't like it. There should be some standard set for this. I always thought a filet mignon was "the tenderloin" cut from a carcus. I, like you, take pride in my "product" and to think that someone is monkeying with things to make a huge profit while at the same time destroying the quality of what we have produced just doesn't seem right to me.

How many times have you heard people say your homegrown hamburger is the best they ever tasted? My daughter is young but she will not eat store bought beef. What happens to it after we sell them? I guess it is good for us in one respect cause we can still sell homegrown to folks but what happens when they monkey with it to the point that people no longer trust beef products. $20 per fillet made out of ground up meat and spices. Come on now. How much markup do they have to make?!?