Hey Taco Bell - Where's the Beef?

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bfdd

Lifer
Feb 3, 2007
13,312
1
0
I like taco bell because it's junky fast food. I don't eat it very often, but I have noticed the prices have gone up. I ate there I think last week because I was craving it and I was astonished to see I spent more than 5 dollars on myself, we used to feed a taxi van full of people for like 20 bucks. I'm not sure that would cover more than 4 now.'

That said, I have a 24/7 Mexican food place not far from me where I can go get two hard tacos al pastor, with everything on them which basically turns it into a taco salad for 3.50 and it's delicious + filling. So I mostly head there when I get a craving for tacos.
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
Oh yeah, old school pizza hut when they were actually restaurants was pretty good.
 

gimmewhitecastles

Golden Member
Mar 2, 2005
1,834
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Though I on occasion do eat Taco Bell, I almost never order their ground beef. Usually stick with the chicken. I might have to adjust my eathing habits to 'never' from now on.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,405
8,582
126
I don't think water has to be listed separately from beef in ingredient lists if it actually is water within the beef, does it? They appear to be adding additional water if I am right. Also, I guess it depends on how the 36% figure was derived. If they accounted for the normal presence of water in beef, then it is a lot different than if they were just counting protein by volume. I agree that they probably didn't, though. Not that it's great meat or anything, but the beef at taco bell actually tastes mostly like beef and not like oats and water (aka oatmeal).

this is a lab working for a class action lawsuit law firm, not an ingredients list. i guarantee you that all the water in it was accounted for separately rather than including the natural water content in the meat.

and you're supposed to add water when cooking taco meat. it simmers.

if the normal amount of water is in that 36%, then the mixture would be much more soupy.
 

CallMeJoe

Diamond Member
Jul 30, 2004
6,938
5
81
Though I on occasion do eat Taco Bell, I almost never order their ground beef. Usually stick with the chicken. I might have to adjust my eating habits to 'never' from now on.
You might have to change that to "chicken-like semi-protein", considering what we're learning about their "beef".
 

jupiter57

Diamond Member
Nov 18, 2001
4,600
3
71
LOL!
The comments from a group in which the majority subside on Hot Pockets & Ramen!

Wheat oats, soy lecithin, maltodrextrin, and modified corn starch are all healthier than even lean ground beef.
 

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,920
2,161
126
I'm sorry, any food that will outlast cockroaches even after nuclear holocaust should not, can not, nor ever will be considered "delicious".

You'll eat those words when it's the only surviving food after the nuclear zombie bunny rabbit attack.
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
11,631
11
76
this is a lab working for a class action lawsuit law firm, not an ingredients list. i guarantee you that all the water in it was accounted for separately rather than including the natural water content in the meat.

and you're supposed to add water when cooking taco meat. it simmers.

if the normal amount of water is in that 36%, then the mixture would be much more soupy.

Not sure what you are saying here. Are you saying that the figures reported of 36% actual beef include the water content of the beef and there is actually 64% additional matter in their findings? I find that hard to believe. But maybe you are saying the opposite. In any case, the lab working for a class action suit needs to quote the right figure since the law suit depends on this figure.

I almost never add water when cooking ground beef for tacos. It doesn't need it as far as I can tell, because as you brown the meat, it releases water/juices, and you optionally add more via sauce or other flavorful liquid. Water-braised ground beef taco meat sounds kind of disgusting.
 
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vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
Another vote for "don't care".

In fact, I just might have to stop in tomorrow for the $.99 beefy 5 layer roll of shame.
 

mooncancook

Platinum Member
May 28, 2003
2,874
50
91
Don't care, as long as those are not harmful ingredients. Seriously what do you expect in a 50 or 99 cent taco. I almost never order plain ground beef tacos though, it's always steak gorditas or chalupas.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,405
8,582
126
Not sure what you are saying here. Are you saying that the figures reported of 36% actual beef include the water content of the beef and there is actually 64% additional matter in their findings? I find that hard to believe. But maybe you are saying the opposite. In any case, the lab working for a class action suit needs to quote the right figure since the law suit depends on this figure.
i'm saying that the 36% is only the dry meat content. the 55% water that cooked ground beef is made of is included is part of the 64% additional stuff.

which means there really isn't much additional stuff.

the lab only needs to report its findings. it's taco bell's responsibility to point out that ground beef is 55% water when cooked.

I almost never add water when cooking ground beef for tacos. It doesn't need it as far as I can tell, because as you brown the meat, it releases water/juices, and you optionally add more via sauce or other flavorful liquid. Water-braised ground beef taco meat sounds kind of disgusting.
every taco seasoning packet says added X amount of water and simmer.
 

ShawnD1

Lifer
May 24, 2003
15,987
2
81
Holy shit...this should shutup the people in the recent Taco Smell thread.


If you feed your children this garbage more than once a month (we are all human, and it is tasty!) it is child abuse. Flat out.

Someone should alert the media. Feeding corn and soy to your children is child abuse.
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
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IRVINE (AP) — Taco Bell officials deny claims made in a lawsuit that the meat in their tacos and other products is not all beef.

Taco Bell President Greg Creed said Tuesday in a statement that the lawyers who filed the lawsuit got their facts wrong. He said Taco Bell plans to take legal action against those making the allegations. He did not explain specifically what Irvine-based Taco Bell would do.

A class-action lawsuit filed Friday by a Montgomery law firm says the Taco Bell meat mixture contains binders and fillers. The lawsuit claims Taco Bell falls short of the USDA’s requirement that its filling be at least 40 percent fresh meat.

Creed said that Taco Bell buys the same brands of beef sold in supermarkets. He said the beef is simmered in a blend of seasonings.

text
 

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126
If they were called beef seasoned tofu tacos and not beef tacos, would people still want to eat them?
 
Nov 5, 2001
18,366
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I really did think this was the old snopes rumor rearing its head again, but turns out it isn't. Can you imagine the damage to "yum brands" (the chinese owners of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza hut) if they really do out the constituents of taco meat in open court?

http://www.yum.com/

I fondly recall Taco Bell in the 80's well before its acquisition as an excellent choice in food. I also recall Pizza Hut being actually good, vs. the garbage that is produced now. And I also remember going to an actual restaurant with waiters and everything. Same goes for KFC.


YUM! Brands is not chinese owned. It is a US based and owned corporation.
 

ShawnD1

Lifer
May 24, 2003
15,987
2
81
If they were called beef seasoned tofu tacos and not beef tacos, would people still want to eat them?

Um yes? Haven't you ever read that book about a 13 year old girl sleeping with some old guy like 500 years ago? I think it was called Romeo & Juliet and one part was the emo teen saying something about names not being that important.

Artificial beef by any other name would taste just as delicious.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
I'm guessing it is soy grits. One product that sells well is cans of hot dog chili. Many brands of it contain no meat only soy.