How To Enjoy Meat In Your Meals Everyday For Less

How To Enjoy Meat In Your Meals Everyday For Less

We would all likely enjoy an organic chicken breast, or a sirloin steak every night if we could. The reality is however, that most of us won’t be able to afford that kind of meal plan on a long term basis, because our budget doesn’t stretch that far. Meat is not cheap, so if you still want to keep eating it, you have to be flexible with the cuts you eat. Although cheaper cuts of meat might not seem like something you want to eat, the following suggestions will likely change your mind, so you can start enjoying gorgeous and cost-effective meaty dinners every day:

Beef

Beef is usually the most expensive type of meat, with sirloin steak usually the most expensive cut. Although beef generally costs more, you can still get value for money in a lot of different ways. The key is to look out for the cuts of beef that require braising or stewing. Brisket, skirt or flank tend to be cuts of beef that require this type of cooking, and so they usually cost a lot less. To make the most out of cheap beef cuts, slow and gentle cooking is key. If you have a slow cooker, stews and tagines are ideal for getting tenderness out of the meat, all with little to no effort on your part.
Minced beef is another great option and you can use it for so many different recipes including bolognese, lasagne, Trash Can Breakfast Burritos and even your own handmade meatballs or beef burgers.

Pork

Pork is generally a cheaper meat compared to others, but it can be expensive if you opt for a high quality organic option. Pork chops aren’t actually as expensive as they used to be, because they aren’t as fashionable now, which is great as it means you can take advantage of that fact and enjoy a cheaper, fantastic cut of meat. They are also superbly easy to cook, requiring a little oil and seasoning and some time in the oven to turn into succulent, tender treats.If you are feeling a little more creative and want to do something more interesting with these great value cuts of meat, click here for more pork chops recipes.

Generally, bacon tends to be the most expensive cut of pork you can buy at the moment. The cheapest cuts of pork are the trotters, belly, knuckles, shoulder and shank. With the shoulder and the shank, you need to treat it the same as the cheaper cuts of beef and cook slowly and gently for a while to get the best results. Using a slow cooker is ideal. The shoulder joint is quite the gem because you can create pulled pork with it, which is exceptionally trendy at the moment and makes the most delicious stacked sandwiches, wraps and burritos. The knuckle simply needs boiling up like a ham and makes a good sandwich meat. The pork belly is exceptionally tasty and works well as a main meat with a big meal like Sunday lunch.
With the pigs trotters, you likely don’t feel too appetized at the thought but, they really are delicious and taste like smoked ham. They are also extremely cheap and cost pence directly from a butcher so it is worth giving them a go.

Chicken

The breast of the chicken will always be the most expensive bit, so opt for the thighs and legs for the most cost-effective option. The legs are great in lots of different meals, especially when they a part of recipes that include lots of seasoning like curries or stews….. you can also bulk them out with cheap high protein additions such as legumes like lentils. You might also want to save money by purchasing an entire chicken which, if used in full, works out to be the cheapest option over all.

Liver

Liver is a super cheap option and can be added to other meats and vegetables to make tasty pies and stews. It also works well made into pate.

Game

Some butchers sell game birds like pheasants at a reasonable price, sometimes cheaper than chicken. Pheasant is great in a stew or soup when paired with root vegetables.

Getting The Meat Cheaply

Neither the butcher or the supermarket is best for getting cheap meat, as both offer benefits. The butcher offers lots of cuts of meat, like pigs trotters, that you won’t see in a supermarket. The supermarket however, is able to sell meat at a much cheaper price. So, you will want to utilize both to get the cheapest cuts or prices. If you can, get to know your local butcher who can advise you on buying the cheapest cuts of meat.

In terms of getting the most for your money, don’t be afraid to freeze meat you see on offer, or even buy frozen meat or tinned meat if it is cheaper. It doesn’t have to be fresh to be healthy and tasty. It is also a great idea to be more creative and adventurous overall. You might have to be braver with herbs and spices, and with trying meat cuts you wouldn’t have touched before, but you may well get some amazing surprises and save yourself some money in the process.