Fray Bentos - Town in Uruguay or Steak and Kidney pie? (Fray Bentos Steak and Kidney Pie)

Name: Praskipark

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Product:	Fray Bentos Steak and Kidney Pie
Date:	11/07/08 (263 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to prepare, cook and tastes delicious.

Disadvantages: A litle salty and if honest not very healthy.

I have been meaning to write this review abot this pie for ages but somehow I have been side tracked. I even suggested it to dooyoo but another dooyooer reviewed it first because of my somewhat lackadaisical nature. Seeing that Fray Bentos Steak and Kidney Pie, or affectionately know to my family as Fred Bentley, is a favourite of mine I will carry on with the job in hand and do the review.

I am not really sure why I am so fond of this pie - it could be because I like all sorts of pies being a Lancashire lass but also when I lived out of the UK it was always one of the items I missed along with Colman's mustard, Marmite and Oxo's. I wasn't the only one as every time I went back to England to visit I had a list of groceries to bring back including about 20 Steak and Kidney pies. No. I am not exaggerating. I even had to pay at the airport for excess baggage weight and that's why I have arms like a gorilla (only joking).

So why do we Brits love this pie. Well let's take a look at the tin and the marketing. It's quite a stylish tin, just the right height, not too clumpy to handle. It has a slightly indented lid with a picture of a slice of pie, oozing big chunks of tender steak topped with light and fluffy flaky pastry accompanied with a sprig of broccoli and one carrot. It could be a picture advertising a canteen meal really.

The blue and orange colouring makes the lid look bright and enticing and the famous letters FRAY BENTOS scrawled at the top of the lid confirm to you as the purchaser that this is a decent pie. On the right hand side of the tin Oxo are doing their bit by saying that the pie is made with Oxo gravy. Another good selling point. I also like the fact and it is quite unique that you cook the pie in the tin but what I do think is a bit strange and probably taking health and safety to far, is at the bottom of the lid it tells you to remove the lid before baking. Do Fray Bentos really think we are so silly as not to carry out this instruction. Have you seen the speed that pastry rises? Phenomenal. There certainly would be an explosion in the oven if the lid was left on.

Next step, let's take the lid off - what do we see? To me it doesn't look that appetising as it just looks like a big fat circle of congealed waxy lard. Well we will place it in the oven and I'll describe to you the outcome after forty minutes cooking time. In the meantime I will tell you a little about Fray Bentos.

Fray Bentos is a town in Uruguay and I remember when I was kid at junior school writing my first geography project about Uruguay. In those days I had to peruse the family encyclopedia for information. I remember being excited about sticking my Fray Bentos labels off the corned beef tin into my exercise book. Life was so simple in those days. I was given a mark of 65% for that project and came 4th in the class and I was well chuffed. Back to the review - this town was already involved in the corned beef and meat extract business and the actual brand name of Fray Bentos was formed in 1899.

It wasn't until 1958 that the pies were actually made in the United Kingdom and then in 1993 Campbells bought the brand and Premier Foods took over in 2006.

I have just checked the pie and it is nearly cooked. The pastry has risen sky high and it is golden brown. Taking it out of the oven I feel pangs of hunger and can't wait to eat this scrumptious piece of pie with mashed potatoes, green beans and carrots with a dash of Oxo gravy. Is it cooked properly - yes I think so! I say think so because I am never sure. I have always had electric ovens and when I cut into the pastry the meat and gravy still always looks a liitlle congealed. Is this how it should be? Tasting first the crispy, flaky pastry which melts in my mouth and then a forkful of tender steak wrapped in thick gravy. It's delicious - I have no complaints. A little salty perhaps but the steak is so tender. I would never be able to bake a pie as tasty as this. Oh no, It's nearly all disappeared - who is going to be the last one to scrape the tin? This is my favourite part of the Fray Bentos ritual scraping the tin over and over again always finding one extra crumb of pastry. No that's it - nothing left. I feel nourished but do I feel that I have just eaten a healthy meal? I doubt it very much.

Let's consult the oracle.

Nutritional Values for 100gm

Calories 168kcal

Fat 10.2gm of which saturated fat is 3.3gm

Sugar 0.2gm

Salt 1. 2gm

Quite a lot of salt I think and I do always think it tastes salty so that's not a good start.

Now let's have a look at the ingredients:

Emulsifier (mono- and Di-glycerides Of Fatty Acids),

Water, Salt,

Beef (19%), Pork Kidney (15%), Beef Oxo Gravy (2%)

Potato Starch, Glucose Syrup, Salt, Onion, Wheat Flour,

Beef Bonestock, Beef Fat, Yeast Extract,

Flavour enhancers (monosodium Glutamate Disodium Guanylate),

Colour (ammonia Caramel), Sugar, Flavourings),

Wheat Flour, Modified Maize Starch, Beef Fat, Salt,

Colour (sulphite Ammonia Caramel),

Stabiliser (xanthan Gum),

Onion Powder, Onion Extract, Spice Extract.

This list doesn't look that healthy to me - I can see two colourings, 1 stabiliser, 2 flavour enhancers and two emulsifiers. And what the heck is beef bonestock? Not a good sign. I probably knew all along that it wasn't a very healthy meal apart from the fresh vegetables served with it but it tastes so delicious especially when you are really hungry. Oh well I will have to try and bake my own - I don'think so.

Being serious now if you suffer from allergies this pie contains wheat flour and sulphates.

Also wear gloves when taking out of the oven as the tin will be hot!

Fray Bentos Steak and Kidney Pies come in two sizes;

213gm - 97p, 475gm - £1.28.

Asda have a special offer at the moment where if you buy 3 pies the price is £3.

Other pies in this range are;
minced beef and onion,
steak and ale,
steak and mushroom,
chicken and mushroom,
steak and three vegetables,
chicken curry
and we musn't forget the steak and kidney pudding.

These items can be found on the tinned meat and poultry counter in most supermarkets.

Summary
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Even though this isn't the healthiest of pies I would still recommend you try one every now and again even if it is just to scrape the tin. I hope you have enjoyed this light hearted review and I would like to say thanks for reading and rating all my reviews. It is much appreciated.

Summary: A delicious meat pie from Fray bentos!