Cheaper cuts of meat?

[purplebows]

I often see people referring to buying cheaper cuts of meat...what would you recommend?! I could do with some ideas for next time I go to the butchers. I know chicken thighs are cheaper than fillets, but after that I'm a bit clueless! Thanks

Thing is, cheaper cuts tend to take longer to cook so think about the cost of gas / electricity.

Shin beef if mega cheap and if cooked long and ow in a stew is delicious! It keeps moist and melty and makes beautiful gravy.

If you like liver (and I do) and you can find it, pig liver is pennies. Much cheaper than lambs but does have a stronger flavour.

I’ll think of more and be back.

I’ve got braising steak in the slow cooker at the moment. A slow cooker isn’t dear to run and the meat dh got was about £3. For the same size if it was sirloin you’d probably be looking at £10.

It isn't always better value to go with cheap meat. Agree that braised steak is really good slow cooked.

Also -mince - I bulk out with lentils and veg.

I second shin beef, am cooking some right now as a chilli - it's been on all afternoon ready for this evening.

Others to try are lamb neck fillet (not CHEAP cheap, but cheaper than steaks or leg), pork shoulder, turkey drumsticks (masses of meat, much more than you'd think), beef/pig's cheeks which are fantastic in stews) and chicken livers (delicious pate even if you aren't a liver fan).

Also, if you're going to an actual butcher's, make friends with him or her and they will recommend good value cuts that day, or keep things for you when they know what you like.

I was just going to say pork shoulder (fabulous in slow cooker for pulled pork). As PP said, I bulk out mince for bolognaise or chilli with green lentils and now actually prefer it that way.

For cheaper cuts of red meat, low and slow is definitely the way and the slow cooker costs pennies to run all day.

Skirting will cook slowly I'm the oven / slow cooker or now it's sold as bavette steak which would be griddled quick. About £8 a kilo at the butchers.

Cheapest cuts in our butcher:
chicken legs rather than breasts (and much more flavour)
Wings are even cheaper but there's no meat so unless you really like wings why bother?

Shoulder of pork rather than leg or loin. It's fattier but stays really moist and it very tasty. Makes lovely crackling too.
Spare rib chops: same principle as shoulder but chops instead of a joint. Brown them off under the grill so the fat goes crispy, then cook in a dish with sliced onions, dry cider, apples and handful of herbs and breadcrumbs or rice (like stuffing but not).

Brisket. Cooked in a slow cooker. I've been brining it recently, which makes a completely different dish.

Beef:
excellent cuts for slow cooking and only £6.50 pk round here: shin, chuck, neck (boney) or a rolled brisket makes a delicious joint.

Lamb:
There are no bargain cuts, but stuffed hearts cooked slowly and then sliced thinly so your DC/DH don't have a fit are absolutely delicious.

To avoid the dreaded 'all slow cooker stuff tastes the same' make sure that you use things which improve in flavour by being cooked slowly, brown meats well to caramelize the surface and bring out as much flavour as possible.

Lamb's kidneys
Shin of beef
Breast of lamb (a bit fatty but great in a recipe with chickpeas or beans which absorb the grease and flavour)
oxtail
Shoulder of pork
turkey mince (thigh rather than breast)
turkey thigh joint
pig's cheek

This is great, thank you very much all! Going to look up some recipes for your suggestions now!

This whole thread made my mouth water. I love off cuts. For wings, they are so good in soups.

Lambs liver is great if you can cook it properly, don’t get a pack as it’ll be too much, you only need a little. Unlike many cheap cuts it only takes minutes to cook so doesn’t cost a fortune to cook.

Ask for cooking or off-cuts of bacon.

Mince, and get the higher % fat type as it is cheaper. Yes it is less healthy but just eat a little less of it. Make your own burgers and meatballs and bulk them up with oats to make the meat go further.

I know it’s not meat, but I buy strong, extra mature cheese as although it’s more expensive you need a lot less of it to get the same taste.

Do you just quickly fry lamb’s liver and serve it rare?

You can buy chicken thighs with the bone in for £1.89 a kilo in Lidl’s. Take the bones out and use for soup or stock. You can make anything with the meat. Sticky chicken, chicken curry, stew, sweet and sour, whatever you like and has a better flavour than breast imo.

you should be able to buy a pigs head from your butchers for well under £10, that would provide a family with all the meat they could eat for a week.

bucket I fry it with thinly sliced onions and garlic until it is just done. I don’t like the idea of rare liver, but it gets rubbery if it’s over cooked. It is fantastic with mash and it sort of makes it’s own gravy. If you can cook it with bacon that’s even better.

I crave it every month when my iron is a bit low but my DH hates it so I haven’t had it for years.

@Scentofwater thank you. I also crave steak during certain times of the month due to lack of iron. Frying lamb's liver may be a way to try out a new method cheaply.

ham hock - so good for so many meals, great in sandwiches etc.