Steak pie with big chunks of meat - misleading ads

Do you think that this steak pie looks really appetizing? Can you see the tender pieces of juicy steak in a rich gravy as advertised on the packaging?

Nope, I didn't think it was that appetizing either and I certainly didnt find many chunks of juicy steak in there. It has to be said though, there was plenty gravy. In fact I think the filling was MOSTLY gravy with a few gristly bits of meat and fat and goodness knows what else!

This particular steak pie wasnt meant to be a deep fill one, but I had hoped for a bit more filling than I ended up with. I reckon I could easily have nailed this thing to the outside wall and picked up some television channels it was so flat and devoid of any substance.

Does this steak pie look appetizing? I was so looking forward to my dinner, a lovely meaty steak pie and mashed potato - this is my all time favourite by the way and I can tell you that I was sorely disappointed on this particular occasion. It really annoys me when I buy a product and once I open up the box its nothing like the product I saw in the photo. Isnt that false advertising and is there not some law against that?

Pictures of delicious mouth-watering food

I've noticed that this seems to happen more often with food bought from the big supermarkets. Stuff from the freezer, ready meals, pies, pastries and deserts etc. all come in these fancy colourful boxes. Its all very well to advertise using pictures of delicious mouth-watering food, but youve got to follow that up with actually having a product in the box that resembles those images.

This was the steak pie on the box - see those lovely chunks of meat? I guess if you want a really good meat filled steak pie, the best bet is probably to dig out a recipe, your rolling pin and go make one yourself! Alternatively, there are still a few specialist pie and pastry shops that make their own on the premises.

Ive had some really nice steak pies from the butcher shop where I grew up, but there again Im naturally biased towards Scottish steak pies theyre the best in my opinion! Perhaps thats why my expectations are so high.

By: Simple Pieman

Who ate all the steak pies?

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The observer food monthly have done their homework on pies in general. They've done a star rating system. Is there such a thing as "pie fetish" anyway?

Scottish steak pie recipe
Heres a recipe that makes pie making look easy. Maybe it is!

Various pie recipes
You can do a lot with steak, theres a few steak pie recipes here including a steak and kidney pie one. Yuk, I think I'll pass on the kidney!

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Comments from visitors

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Grumpy xx - 31-Oct-11 17:03

I hadn't made up my mind what to do for dinner, decided after reading your posting to make a pie ...... it's in the oven. It took me about 20 minutes to assemble and prepare the ingredients and roll out the pastry, put it all into a pie dish and it's now in the oven.

Thank you!

-3

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MikeP - 31-Oct-11 18:19

"All this type of food is crap. Make your own - cheaper and healthier. And you always know what you are getting.
ajp - 31-Oct-10 01:52 "

Amazingly this essentially reasonable post gets a negative vote of 104!! Why?
Whilst the first sentence could be debated, the second and third ones are definitely true.
People are such morons.

PS - Grumpy, that sounds delicious - quite hungry after reading that!!

-2

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Oi - 31-Oct-11 18:00

"Why, oh why do people buy this overpriced, overpackaged garbage?"

Because they are lazy, have no imagination, don't know how to cook, can't organise themselves to have the hour or so it takes, they'd rather shove some muck into the microwave and have a 'meal' ready in 5 minutes.

Also because they succumb to clever marketing and advertising.

-3

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MikeP - 31-Oct-11 17:27

How long does it take to buy some ready made shortcrust or puff pastry rolled out; take a pie tin out of the cupboard (or buy one); tip in some nice home made filling - brown seared beef or other meat first covered in plain flour, add some onions and other veggies to stoften and then return the meat to the pan and add some stock; place in pie dish and then roll the pastry over the top, crimp the edges, shove it in the oven for 30 mins until brown. When you slice it out will come lovely thick juicy chunks of meat in a rich gravy mixed with your nicely softened cooked veggies.

It takes about 20 mins at best to prepare; 30 mins to cook (or until brown)

Why, oh why do people buy this overpriced, overpackaged garbage? The only pies I ever buy are pork pies because it's next to impossible to replicate a Melton Mowbray from home.

-4

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Grumpy xx - 31-Oct-11 17:03

The big juicy chunks float to the top in a cess pit

-1

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Argos Swimmer - 12-Oct-11 12:45

All food like this has been "dumbed down" to the lowest common denominator: a complete vacuum of quality. Yuk. All this in the name of profit and commercialism.

Even if you try to make one yourself, nowadays the cows themselves have been fed on "dumbed down" crud food. Yuk.

+24

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Yuk Analysis - 8-Sep-11 09:04

All processed food like this steak pie is mass produced in huge factories. Do not believe the 'home-made' hype that some adverts depict.
I have seen the factories where processed food is made. Huge vats of slush and dough and tons of bags of 'flavourings', enhancers and edible powders are added to make it "tasty" because there is nothing much in the main ingredients.

Following, this, storage of the items and finally sitting on the supermarket shelf - makes this a very "old" pie. If we continue to feed our kids crap - don't blame them when they grow up and want the same crap.

+35

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nic nac - 31-Oct-10 12:23

All this type of food is crap. Make your own - cheaper and healthier. And you always know what you are getting.

-108

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ajp - 31-Oct-10 01:52

Pukka Pie they have pinched the word Pukka meaning proper & good. The pie was crap. what I do is buy products that are just going out of date. so as with the pie I had not paid much for it. I can assure you that Pukka pies will not get any more of my money. I have told every one how crap it was, other than the box of course,that was good quality which leads me to believe that pukka pies management are smart @rse idiots. I hope the person on the filling machine relises that the WW2 defence of I was only obeying orders does not exhonerate him/her from this deception.

-12

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Boblet42 - 5-Jan-10 17:28

The company is currently being restructured, but the 'Denby Dale Pie Company' made the most fantastic steak and potato pies. It was price pressure from supermarkets unwilling to pay for good quality which ruined the company and I am more convinced than ever that most of the major supermarkets could not care less about the genuine quality of their products, preferring pretty boxes with product just barely able to meet the minimum of standards.

+83

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BargainHunter - 13-Sep-09 11:52

Sweeney Todd's make good tasty homemade pies but one has to mind the fingernails. Get a free shave and haircut next door.

+32

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Real Cooking - 6-Aug-09 19:59

Yes, it's all very well griping, we all know that supermarket pies are very poor and not worth buying, whatever you do don't buy Marks and Spencer ones or anything made in Ireland, BUT be practical, can anybody recommend a good pie that is widely available?

-94

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Moghouse - 6-Aug-09 13:44

I know that you posted this to you vent some steam, but can I tell you that it made my day. I had tears streaming down my face after reading it, and had to stop half way thru to pay a visit to the loo because my bladder couldn't cope with the laughing! I have had a smile on my face for the last hour and a half, and still have a little chuckle about it! Thanks Pieman! hee hee :-)

+96

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lellijay - 27-Apr-09 11:35

In my opinion the best steak pies from a supermarket are Bell's Top Crust Steak pies which are made in Scotland. The trouble is they are only available in Scottish supermarkets!

-71

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ted - 9-Feb-09 21:07

Steak pies - no mushrooms, yuch - love them made with either short crust pastry or puff pasty, with or without a base - my big gripe is when eating out and pie comes with trimmings the whole plate is swamped with gravy, if I am having chips with the pie they end up all soggy, and ditto for the roast potatoes, fed up sending it back !! Please simply serve with a little jug of gravy and then one can pour over the amount of gravy you like and where you want it !!! Recently this happened to me when travelling home to Scotland from York and stopped in an out of the way place and the steak pie was delicious but honestly the gravy was like a puddle in the plate.

-37

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gravy boats please - 22-Dec-08 14:33

erm is it just me or do pies from anywhere outside the north of england not have a bottom?? this is my pie gripe........ a puff pastry lid slung on top of a bit of meat and gravy is no way ever ever ever a true and proper pie!!! aah glad to have got that off my chest thanks :) but it is true drives me mad!

-29

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pie-tastic - 9-Nov-08 23:19

Quality Queen: Okay, so can I buy a weeks worth of shopping for £20 from a local farmer or butcher? Probably not. That's what I survive on at the moment. Actually, I survive on a lot less than that and there are three of us. I understand your sentiments and if I had the money to burn I'd probably buy better quality food but I just can't afford it. I don't buy convenience food and ready meals by the way. I do buy fresh produce (when reduced in price). I actually managed to score a large pork joint (normally £6) for 90p the other day. We had a lovely roast with roasted potatoes (yes potatoes are cheaper bought from the farm - I've discovered that one). and pork sandwiches the next day (Fresh home made bread being cheaper!). We don't eat badly at all really, but we do rely on supermarkets to go bargain hunting and buy locally when its cheaper. Sorry, probably not very patriotic or supportive of our farmers but at the end of the day, charity begins at home - and we'll make it through the tough times without getting into debt thank you very much!

+68

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Living it. - 31-Oct-08 01:11

Steer clear of supermarkets if you want decent food instead support British farmers and buy at a good butcher or farm shop. A pie firm to recommend is 'Chunk of Devon Ltd' who make a delicious range of additive free pies with ample chunks and gravy. All ingredients come from known farmers and they are not too expensive. Supermarkets use cheap fillers because they buy in bulk from across other countries because they can, they also swindle our farmers !

+65

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Quality Queen - 31-Oct-08 00:15

E.Martin, that steak pie in the photo is actually from Tesco. I think its one of their £2.99 ones which probable explains the quality. Agree with others here though, make it yourself if you want a decent pie and it needn't cost the earth.

+75

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Pie Thagerus - 20-Oct-08 14:22

if you want a good steak pie you need to go out and have it cooked for you - look at http://huntingthepie.blogspot.com/

+23

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Hors Radisch - 13-Sep-08 10:08

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