Australian MEAT pies

[Taubear]

There is a great article on the Australian CHOICE website regarding meat pies.

http://www.choice.com.au/viewArticle.aspx?...title=Meat+pies

Now I have always loved a good meat pie but now I am totally put off by what is considered MEAT under the food standards code. What has really turned me off is the definition of meat, which can include parts of the animal many people might not normally eat, such as:

• snouts

• ears

• tongue roots

• tendons and

• blood vessels.

For some reason only offal (such as brain, heart, kidney, liver, tongue, tripe) must be specified on the label.

The definition also includes body parts from animals you might not expect to be eating:

• buffalo

• camel

• deer

• goat

• hare

• rabbit.

What are your thoughts on this article and will you ever eat another MEAT pie?

Maybe there is a reason for calling them dogs eyes with dead horse [Pie and Sauce]

[Shinboners]

The only time I eat the old Four n twenty pie is when I'm at the footy.....and I have to be truly starving to have one.

These days, there's only two options for pies. Either find a good bakery or make your own. So far, it has been a pretty cold Melbourne autumn, so I've been doing many stews. I usually make enough so I can make a couple of pies for the following night's dinner.

[fou de Bassan]

Oh. Bleeeeccchhhh!

I knew those couldn't be good. Thanks for confirming my suspicions. I've also been making my own, and now I can explain why to my family.

They just think I'm a food snob

[lamington]

Call me a cynic, but I wasn't really surprised about the bits-of-carcass which are found in pies. Just think 'sausages' and you have to accept that turning a blind eye is necessary with processed meat products.

The last time I remember pies coming under intense scrutiny was in the early 80s... and then the horrors were bits of rat and rat droppings. Somehow snout and lung sound more appetising;)

[Taubear]

Quote

Somehow snout and lung sound more appetising;)

Burp - I think I am going to be sick.

Yes but blood vessels - Burp eeeewwww yuk.

Never again unless they're are home made. I have become so cynical of processed anything now that I make my own mince.

[PCL]

Food snob?

Offal?

Ears?

Starvation?

Eeecchh?

In my opinion, there's something nothing better than a good old Aussie meat pie. Post-hangover. Footy. Post drinking binge. Or a day at the beach and I walk past a Mr Whippy that also happens to carry 4 n 20's.

I do like my meat pies. Never been sick eating one, touch wood.

I also don't mind a zinger burger from the Colonel now and then, and for the record, when I go to Macca's... I always order the following: Medium 1/4pounder meal, and a six pack of nuggets. In fact, had a serve of those last night.

Life's too short. Junk food has its place.

[Syrah]

Call me a cynic, but I wasn't really surprised about the bits-of-carcass which are found in pies. Just think 'sausages' and you have to accept that turning a blind eye is necessary with processed meat products.

The last time I remember pies coming under intense scrutiny was in the early 80s... and then the horrors were bits of rat and rat droppings. Somehow snout and lung sound more appetising;)

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I must be a cynic too. I really thought it was common knowledge.

I cannot think of the last mass produced pie I've eaten and I haven't eaten McDonalds/KFC/Crappy Pizza chain in over two years. It's not snobbery, just a healthy respect for my body. I genuinely don't miss it at all.

What I try to do now is enjoy "whole" food, nothing with crappy additives, and good quality ingredients.

PCL, everyone knows that the only thing for after a big night is a fry up with lots of toast and tea. Pies just don't cut it there.

[piazzola]

My last pie was 25 years ago at a food outlet at the corner of Little Collins and Elizabeth Streets and it was green when I took a bite

Enough said

[PCL]

Hard to do a fry up when you can't see straight... the meat pie is simply perfect when hopping from one bar to the next... the morning after, well, different story, anything greasy will do for me... quite partial to dim sims...

now, that's a whole new thread...

[Shinboners]

I cannot think of the last mass produced pie I've eaten and I haven't eaten McDonalds/KFC/Crappy Pizza chain in over two years. It's not snobbery, just a healthy respect for my body. I genuinely don't miss it at all.

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I'm the same. I haven't eaten McDonalds/Hungry Jacks/Red Rooster/KFC etc. for almost ten years, and I haven't missed it.

[murraygrey]

I've noticed whenever I'm tempted to hit McDonald's, I'm simply craving salt. I get my salt fix at home.

[PCL]

Going back to meat pies:

If you didn't ask about the contents, you wouldn't have noticed right? When you were a kid, you probably wolfed them down voraciously. A pie and sauce from the tuckshop was a luxury after saving up enough change for weeks. I just don't see the problem with munching on a bit of processed goodies every now and then. Call it nostalgia, call it just plain greed, but I think I'll be a meat pie muncher for a while yet. In fact, you looked at it from a different angle, the alleged ingredients listed above could sound/look downright exotic and exciting.

[Tae.Lee]

i always preferred the 'chunkier' type pies over the 'mince' types, the crust is usually deeper.. and the gravy not so runny..

there are a number of bakers near me that take pride in the quality of their pies which is a good thing.

also, since i was a kid this has been my preferred technique for eating pies with fork and knife at home;

coat top with sauce, cut around lid, flip lid over.. for some reason it tastes better to me this way..

i also like to have a fried egg on top as well sometimes

still haven't tried a pie floater yet though

[Adam Balic]

There was an article about 8 years ago in The Age on the four and twent pie factory. Any pies that don't make the grade were ground up and became the filling for the sausage rolls.

I enjoyed these pies as a kid, but I should think that they have changed significantly in the last 20-30 years. There shelf life at relatively warm temperatures for instance.

Things can't have changed that much in Melbourne in the past 6 years sinxe I was there that you can't get a decent non- 4 and 20 pie if you want it. Bocastle (sp?) they were common and pretty good quality.

I prefered pasties and dim sims anyway.

[Syrah]

Hard to do a fry up when you can't see straight... the meat pie is simply perfect when hopping from one bar to the next... the morning after, well, different story, anything greasy will do for me... quite partial to dim sims...

now, that's a whole new thread...

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I thought you meant after. During.. I can understand.

I thought of you all today as I ate a "Beef and red wine" pie from a little German bakery in West Pymble/Gordon (not sure which suburb it falls under). They also have an adjoining restaurant. Some of the most delicious house wine I've ever had, and a fantastic pork knuckle for two.

[PCL]

Off-topic, but how is the knuckle done?

Does this place have a name?

[Taubear]

Arthur's Bavarian Bakehouse in West Gordon. They have a german restaurant next door which I have'nt eaten at yet but have heard some very good reviews from friends that have eaten there.

Arthur's Bavarian Bakehouse

9 DUNEBA AVENUE, WEST GORDON, 98802242.

Open Tue-Fri 6.30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 6.30am-1pm.

Website

http://www.bavarianbakehouse.com.au/

[whisks]

golly gosh, haven't been to arthur's for years. does he still do the fab pretzels and gingerbread?

but i digress....hey look, i don't mind a pie every now n then, either bought or homemade. wrt the bits n pieces they put in the pies, with australia's strict standards (i'm not joking), the things found in our pies have to be a darned lot safer than the food items from some european and asian countries, where there are no standards at all....