Cheap cuts of meat.

[ShoeJunkie]

Wasn't sure whether to post here or in credit crunch but anyway.

What should I be looking for when look for cheaper cuts of meat? Trying to keep the food budget down but DH loves his meat. Any advice and/or recipe suggestions gratefully received.

[Bilbobagginstummy]

I have fallen in love with pork belly in the last couple of years.

Delicious cooked slowly with anything from soy/star anise to garlic/thyme - and any leftovers are great for stir-fry.

I had it in (home-made but not by me) cassoulet earlier this week and am dying to ask for the recipe - that was divine. Soft but tasty.

Also beef brisket is amazing when slow-roasted. Pot-roasting is popular but never done that because I can't have brisket in the house and not roast it.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

It's definitely the unpopular cuts & offal that are the cheapest... and often very tasty if you treat them right. You might have to find a butcher because, whilst supermarkets stock things like stewing steak or belly-pork, they don't seem to run with some of the more traditional things like ox-tail, neck of lamb and so on. Meat with a good marbling of fat will be juicy when slow-cooked and meat with the bone in has lots of flavour. For recipes try things like Jocasta Innes classic 'The Pauper's Cookbook'

[NettoSuperstar]

Morrison's is good for cheap, unusual cuts.
I've had lamb ribs from there, and ox heart, they have lots of other things too.
Anything that needs longer cooking is generally cheaper.
Pork belly a fave here too, and pork shanks.

[ShoeJunkie]

Looks like a trip to Morrisons it is! And best dig out the slow cooker...

[PoppadomPreach]

Not morrisons! A good butcher (ours is cheaper, but better, than the supermarkets)

I highly recommend beef shin. Cook at low temp (120C) for 3 hours in your chosen stew - I tried this river cottage recipe recently which was fab!

Use chicken thigh fillets rather than breast - cheaper, tastier and though more fatty, has much more iron than breastmeat)

[NettoSuperstar]

Chicken thighs are my favourite part of the chicken.
I don't disagree as such that a good butcher is one to go to, but it won't necessarily be cheaper.
Mine is better, he's great, but not cheaper at all.

[Tuttutitlookslikerain]

Shoulder of lamb or pork are cheaper and tastier than the leg. Roast them slower and longer, and it's really lovely.

Brisket is one of our favourites too.

[feelingfull]

Beef shin is really good. As is oxtail.
Also love pig cheeks.

[PoppadomPreach]

netto - think perhaps yu are right re price of butchers in some cases (I think some operate as assorted"trendy" butcher/delicatessen type establishment and hike up prices.

We are v fortunate to have "spit and sawdust" kind of place which sells absolutely fabulous meat (the mince is £4/kg from an animal which has been hung for 4-5 weeks!)

[BellaVita]

I love shin beef.

[Strawhatpirate]

Oxtail slow cooked in ale is yum! Casseroles are the way forward in the field of budget meat cookery because the cuts of meat which turn out the best tend to be the cheapest. Plus you can bulk them out with pulses and stuff. One of the favourites in the pirate household is lamb stew with haricot beans,leaks and loads of fresh mint. Its a Nigel Slater recipe not my own invention :D

[ShoeJunkie]

Fantastic! We have a traditional butcher in town so I will take a trip there this week and check out some of these suggestions.

[Ruffello]

Cheap cuts for me every time. They might need long slow cooking but all the better for that! I'm also a fan of belly pork, lamb shoulder, chicken wings - the lot! I made this Gok Wan belly pork dish last week and it was yummy! www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/tv-show-recipes/gok-cooks-chinese/twice-cooked-melting-pork-belly-recipe

[NettoSuperstar]

I have the Gok book, and have been meaning to try that recipe.

[crazygracieuk]

My Morrisons has pork cheek, lamb ribs. pork ribs, chicken wings and lamb breast I'm squeamish about offal but they sell stuff like livers and heart.

Drummers and chicken halves or quarters) are more reasonable than breast.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Can I indulge myself and say 'Scrag End of Neck'... ? No reason, just like the way it sounds. :)

[lisaro]

All the ideas are good, but for the pork cheeks. There's just something about the texture that's 'wrong'. We all left them. And we'll eat most things.

[CointreauVersial]

Pork is apparently the cheapest meat generally.

Turkey is not bad value either - you can make a bolognaise with turkey mince instead of beef, and it's a lot cheaper.

[CointreauVersial]

That Gok recipe looks lush, but I bet the DCs would be picking off the fatty bits and moaning......

[Chepstowmonkey]

I second spare ribs (although I haven't found the 'perfect' sauce of them yet - plenty on the Internet so I'm just trying a different one each time!).

I would also agree with chicken thighs and I use them in loads of recipes that ask for chicken breast and I think it is much taster.

As for turkey mince it can be AMAZING in some things. I love the turkey keema in Nigella's Kitchen which is really cheap and also a turkey and white bean and cocoa chilli from this blog:- crumbsfeedyourfamily.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/turkey-chocolate-chilli.html?m=1

Sorry - no idea how to do the link things!

Chorizo is also a cheap thing to use as you don't need much of it and it will keep in the fridge of weeks. Also, what about gammon or sausages - both seem quite economical and you can do a lot with both?