Dumb Cooking Question

tacticalhippie
tacticalhippie Posts: 596 Member
edited October 2 in Recipes
Why do recipes for meat always have cream of whatever soup?
I am really picky and don't like wet slimey food.

What does the soup do?
Does it just make a gravy?

Replies

  • KRB28
    KRB28 Posts: 248 Member
    What's the recipe and what kind of soup is it?
  • Yooperm35
    Yooperm35 Posts: 787 Member
    it usually makes its own gravy.
  • lstnlondry
    lstnlondry Posts: 1,794 Member
    everyone needs any extra dose of monosodium glutamate
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
    soup just adds juice, I don't know what kind of meat recipe uses cream of *whatever* soup, but I'd suggest just using stock/broth instead.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    i've been cooking and eating delicious meat for some time, and have never used that. what kind of recipies and cuts of meat are you cooking???
  • momma3sweetgirls
    momma3sweetgirls Posts: 743 Member
    I prefer to just roast or grill my meat with some seasoning or marinade. Slow cooker recipes are notorious for adding a can of this or a packet of that. Adds a lot of salt. What are you making?
  • nikkit321
    nikkit321 Posts: 1,485 Member
    You can throw a hunk of frozen meat in the crockpot with italian salad dressing, a bottled marinade, or a packet of one of Lipton's dry seasoning mixes and 8 hours later it's wonderful and not slimy. I do it with beef, chicken, and pork and it works for all.
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
    It binds the meat together (I assume you're talking like tuna casserole, or shepard's pie). You can make your own though super easy


    http://www.cheapcooking.com/Recipes/homemade-cream-of-soup.htm

    I just pulled a recipe quick, I just make my own by playing with it so I don't use a recipe. That way you can add as little or as much to your recipe to bind things together as you need.
  • soonersgirl
    soonersgirl Posts: 254 Member
    it usually helps make it moist and tender in some instances, but you don't always have to have a heavy gravy...i mix a package of onion soup mix, 2 tbsp of flour, and 2 cups of water.......i cook steaks or whatever, then let them simmer in this sauce till it's thick....so yummy!!!
  • Wilmingtonbelle
    Wilmingtonbelle Posts: 255 Member
    I don't eat meat but when I cook a roast for my husband, I use V8 or tomato juice instead of cream soup. It's heathier and he loves the flavor. Put it in a crock pot with mushrooms, onions, garlic and large diced tomatoes and it's a great meal!
  • shreyaj
    shreyaj Posts: 196
    I don't like soup added into meat either, but I make a lot of chicken without adding soup all different kinds of recipes they are out their you just need to do some research.You could maybe leave that ingredient out and the recipe and it may turn out okay. The soup I think is used to thicken the dish, add flavor, and maybe a gravy, canned soup is not very good for you though, so your not missing anything! By the way there are no dumb questions, don't say that!
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    My meat is usually the product of some sort of cream base. Like Andouille sausage in a creamy clam sauce atop of bed hair pasta.
  • mamashatzie
    mamashatzie Posts: 238 Member
    Yep. It adds a sauce-like texture, thickness, and flavor (salt). Using stock/broth will not produce the same texture, and may make your recipe way too watery.

    I make my own substitute for when a recipe calls for it. Here is the substitute recipe I use:

    http://www.food.com/recipe/specialty-soup-substitutes-cream-278160
  • reepobob
    reepobob Posts: 1,172 Member
    My meat is usually the product of some sort of cream base. Like Andouille sausage in a creamy clam sauce atop of bed hair pasta.

    My fave is fresh trout caught from the local Trowzer river, grilled and served with a macadamia nut butter pate...
  • tacticalhippie
    tacticalhippie Posts: 596 Member
    Most crock pot recipies.

    I make Pate Chinois (French Canadian shepherd's pie) and don't use anything other than VERY well drained meat and corn and mashed potatoes. My MIL thinks I am weird b/c I don't use cream corn, and even rinse the meat to avoid it being soggy.

    I look at recipes and then dismiss them cause they have all this stuff I don't like.
    I like the taste of meat.
    I stopped eating grilled chicken at most restaurants in town because they always marinated it in lemon and stuff... and it tasted gross.

    The joys of being uber picky. lol
    and weird.
  • Yooperm35
    Yooperm35 Posts: 787 Member
    I grew up with my mom making a rump roast with a can of cream of mushroom soup and a package of lipton onion soup mix. It made a wonderful gravy and very tender roast. It's one of the meals I just can't cut out of my diet because it reminds me of my younger days . . .
  • kriskras
    kriskras Posts: 3 Member
    I made a stew last night,and right before you serve it you add in pumpkin puree to use as the thickener. It was DELISH!! Friends and family all enjoyed. I tried to post recipe,but have not figured out how to do so as of yet.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    My meat is usually the product of some sort of cream base. Like Andouille sausage in a creamy clam sauce atop of bed hair pasta.

    My fave is fresh trout caught from the local Trowzer river, grilled and served with a macadamia nut butter pate...

    That sounds exquisite. One would hope that your nut butter was homemade, of course.

    Then again, fresh, creamy chipotle sauce drizzled atop tacos would be a quick fix to adding such delight to any meaty dish.
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