Asda Extra Special Aberdeen Angus Beef Mince Typically Less Than 5 Fat
D eep down, even the most lackadaisical shopper knows that the last thing we should be buying in supermarkets is fresh meat. For decades, long before the horsemeat scandal outraged consumers, supermarkets have been busy eroding the quality of our beef, lamb and pork by sourcing poor, intensively-reared meat; wet- rather than dry-ageing it; and wrapping it in plastic so that the meat marinates in its own bloody juices.
The problem is that, for many Britons, the supermarket is the only game in town – there are a mere 6,000 or so independent butchers left in the UK. Little wonder that, according to the latest figures from market analysts Kantar Worldpanel, 91.7% of the meat sold in the UK is sold in supermarkets. If that sounds bleak, do not despair entirely. A growing interest in provenance means that high-quality butchers – the Ginger Pigs of this world – are enjoying a modest revival, and, keen to court that discerning customer, supermarkets have launched premium versions of their prime cuts. Several now sell dry-aged steaks that, instead of being vacuum-sealed, come in marginally better "controlled-atmosphere packaging". Do any of those top-end supermarket steaks bear comparison with those from our finest butchers?
Co-op, Truly Irresistible Hereford rump steak, £21/kg
Did you know that beef labelled "Hereford" (and this applies to all breeds) need only be sired by a pedigree Hereford bull? The mother can be any old breed. Having read that small-print caveat on the label (or not), your Hereford-not-Hereford steak suddenly seems less exciting, right? And it gets worse. It may have been matured for 28 days (who knows precisely how?), but this steak is sweet, nondescript and only briefly juicy. Soon you are chewing a dry, mulchy wad. It has a fair ridge of fat, but even well-seared, its flavour is meek.
2/10
Sainsbury's, Taste the Difference rump steak, £22/kg
This should have been a contender. Explicitly dry-aged on the bone for 21 days, its fatty edge delivers the bouncingly beefy, Sunday roast flavours of rigorously matured meat. Unfortunately, however, presumably wary of the timid British consumer, that fat had been trimmed back to a tiny sliver. Without more of it, the steak's hinterland becomes, as so many steaks are, a monotonous trudge. Yes, the meat itself offers a little intrigue – a certain bloody, visceral tang, some mineral complexity – but not in a way that commands your attention.
4.5/10
Waitrose, Aberdeen Angus rump steak, £19.99/kg
After a bit of air (wrapped in plastic, all steaks take on a plummy colour), this looks disturbingly red, fresh and very wet with blood. Beef should be dark and feel relatively dry. It tastes impressively moist at first, but in a thin, watery way. There is no seductive, palate-coating fattiness. Presumably all that water dilutes the flavour, too, for while there are hints of iron, earthiness, gaminess even, it all dissipates quickly. It is edged with a decent strip of fat, but while it adds a certain richness to proceedings, it does so in a humdrum way.
3/10
Morrisons, M Signature British rump steak, £18/kg
It may overegg its commitment to "age-old, native breeds" (Aberdeen Angus is really not that unusual), but as the only supermarket with its own abattoirs and one that dry-ages its steaks for 21 days, Morrisons takes its meat seriously – as this rump illustrates. It looks comparatively dry, has good visible marbling and a thick, rope-like edging of fat, meaning that in the pan, the meat – which comes out swinging with big, punchy, savoury flavours – self-bastes in all those buttery, lip-smacking saturated fats. This is a serviceable steak.
7/10
Aldi, Specially Selected rump steak, £16.70/kg
Despite being dry-aged for 28 days, the flavour lacks any sustained length. It is fleetingly interesting: unusually sweet, fresh and bloody, and what little fat has not been recklessly cut away delivers some nicely charred, dairy flavours. Ultimately, though, the most prominent feature here is the smokiness of the sear you (may) have achieved in the pan. To that end, flash-fry the steak in a dangerously hot skillet, rather than following Aldi's clodhopping, 11-13-minute cooking instructions – less steak cookery, more criminal act.
4/10
Tesco, Finest beef rump steak, £18/kg
Tesco is hiding its light under a bushel. We know this is a UK steak matured (in some fashion) for 28 days, but no further information is revealed – which is intriguing, as this drier, darker rump is one of the better examples. Like Morrisons, it is not very tender and takes some chewing (not a criticism per se), but it has a clear, rounded beef flavour. A rim of ambrosially sweet, caramelised fat completes a steak that, while no classic – none of these are – will speak to your hunter-gatherer instincts in a primal, fire 'n' smoke way.
6/10
Asda, Extra Special wagyu beef rump steak, £22.96/kg
Many sneer at wagyu as the rich idiot's option, and this 28-day matured British rump did not look promising. It was very wet and its famed intramuscular fat did not appear to be particularly densely concentrated. Nonetheless, smoke poured out of the pan, confirming a high fat content, and this rosy, seriously tender meat – as soft as an old shammy leather – definitely has an unusually glossy, if not outrageously rich, mouthfeel. Beyond its beefy base, the flavour is complex, too, with red wine and tart yet honeyed fruit notes discernible. Not the best, but certainly the most interesting meat in this taste test.
6.5/10
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/nov/04/supermarket-steaks-best-worst-taste-test-rump
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