Using ground pork in place of ground beef?

[pengyou]

There are a couple of dishes I am thinking of making, like stuff bell peppers. Ground beef in China is a bit of a questionable commodity. If it is good, it is expensive, maybe US$8 per pound, and is usually important. If it is cheap, then you don't know whether the "ground monday" label refers to the day it was ground or the name of the dog...or it might have even been a work beast.

If I use ground pork are there any other changes I should make?

[Zhizara]

Originally Posted by pengyou

There are a couple of dishes I am thinking of making, like stuff bell peppers. Ground beef in China is a bit of a questionable commodity. If it is good, it is expensive, maybe US$8 per pound, and is usually important. If it is cheap, then you don't know whether the "ground monday" label refers to the day it was ground or the name of the dog...or it might have even been a work beast.

If I use ground pork are there any other changes I should make?

I buy the cheapest ground sausage I use less of the ground sausage and more of fillers: rice, add a handful of frozen mixed vegetables. Ground sausage can be quite spicy or mild. The cheapo brand I buy, I cut into thirds and make into small casseroles like homemade stuffing with one 1/3# piece browned up with a chopped onion and drained.

I tried this once with two 1/3# pieces and it was just too much. I get plenty of flavor out of just one 1/3# piece.

I also use the browned ground sausage/onion mixture to add to macaroni and cheese, sausage gravy, etc.

[BigAL]

Good point, Z. I ground 1# of pork shoulder and added it to 3# ground chuck for burgers once and the pork did over power the beef, imo. Wasn't bad, but it wasn't a "burger" imo.

Peng, do you have a Kitchen Aid mixer? Buy the grinder attach if you do. Can you get a grinder of some kind? Might pay off where you are at. Buy your own meat, chuck, and grind it yourself that way you know what "monday" actually is.

[Andy M.]

pengyou, we sometimes don't understand the challenges people in other countries face when trying to make a "foreign" recipe. I was not aware of the difficulties of getting quality beef in China.

I regularly make stuffed peppers (and other recipes) using ground pork in place of beef. There are really no other changes you need to make. Many also use ground turkey or chicken in place of beef.

[spork]

Originally Posted by pengyou

There are a couple of dishes I am thinking of making, like stuff bell peppers. Ground beef in China is a bit of a questionable commodity. If it is good, it is expensive, maybe US$8 per pound, and is usually important. If it is cheap, then you don't know whether the "ground monday" label refers to the day it was ground or the name of the dog...or it might have even been a work beast.

If I use ground pork are there any other changes I should make?

I know it's not funny, so I apologize for laughing. If your ground pork is loin, I suggest seasoning it with something strong, like allspice. Of course, there's nothing wrong with bell peppers stuffed with straight pork. I grab one all the time at my local dim sum joint.

[pengyou]

Thanks for the input. Yes, pork can be a bit overpowering, but also, it has a sweet taste to me that is different enough to make a dish taste,...well, different. Sometimes it is the subtle differences that can taste the strangest. Sausage is a good idea..i will look for it.

Actually...should kick myself in the pants...I bought a kitchen aid mixer with a bunch of attachments at a garage sale for $50 and had it shipped here. I will check out what the attachments do. My original intent was to use it to make tasty nutritious homemade bread..but multi-purpose is good too!

[Mama]

I use my food processor to grind up meat. If you have one of those Pengyou, it works well.

[spork]

Some mixers have a funnel attachment for the grinder attachment for making your own sausages.

[CharlieD]

Pork will only be better and will make the dish taste better, will be more tender and the whole other bumch of benefits so to speak. Enjoy.

But it interesting about beef. Can you tell me a little bit more about it. What's the story with beef?

How are you going to use american food processor in China? i THOUGHT HEY HAD eUROPIAN ELECTRICITY SETTINGS? Oops, sorry about the caps.

[PattY1]

Originally Posted by BigAL

Good point, Z. I ground 1# of pork shoulder and added it to 3# ground chuck for burgers once and the pork did over power the beef, imo. Wasn't bad, but it wasn't a "burger" imo.

Peng, do you have a Kitchen Aid mixer? Buy the grinder attach if you do. Can you get a grinder of some kind? Might pay off where you are at. Buy your own meat, chuck, and grind it yourself that way you know what "monday" actually is.

Z was talking about GROUND SAUSAGE, Not ground pork, sausage is spiced, ground pork it just that, ground pork.