Butcher's bill help please

moozie_2

Hello from a complete novice with shopping from a butcher

I am trying to cut down our food shopping bill and thought I'd give the local butcher a try. OH has shopped there before and everything was nice but this is the first time I've been and I am not sure how the prices compare.

I just got

2 sirloin steaks, 500g/1lb 1 = £6.30

Shoulder of lamb, de-boned, 1k/2lb 6 = £4.60

Total £10.90

Do you think this is too expensive, cheap or about right?

Also, how much lamb would you use for dinner for 2 adults?

Thanks for any help.

moggins

That sounds about right as sirloin is expensive, the lamb price sounds reasonable.

I think they work on about 4oz meat per person?

Lillibet_2

Sounds about right compared with my butcher (who is my new best friend:D)

Lat week I bought 2 very large organic sirloin steaks, 2 huge lemon organic chicken breasts & 1lb of organic best mince for £14 (and I got 2 free sausages:D) Best bit about it is you really are getting the meat you pay for, it isn't pumped full of water & hardly shrinks in cooking, so it goes much further;)

Gingham_Ribbon

Congratulations on using a local butcher rather than a supermarket for your meat. If I've been told correctly, you should find it tastier too.

If that's the case, a good way to cut down on price is to use a little less meat than you would normally and fill up with more vegetables than usual.

I'm veggie so what do I know (LOL) but when I was cooking for my parents recently, I made up lots of meat dishes with plenty of veggies to bulk it out and they really liked it. (And it was a bit better for them too so I'm sneaky!)

moozie_2

Thanks everyone, feel more re-assured now

It's a bit strange going to a butcher for the first time - even though I am 30 - my mom would be so embarrassed if she knew! (about the butcher not that I am 30 )

I split the lamb in 2 equal portions and one half is cooking in the oven now, the other half is in the freezer

I forgot to ask him how long I could keep the sirloin in the fridge :rolleyes: I will cook it tomorrow to be safe.

Thanks again, it's so nice to have somewhere to turn to without fearing I'll be laughed at.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

i allways buy my meat from the butchers...regardless... of the supermarket offers....i normally go to my butchers around 12.30 as he closes half day on a saturday... so he tends to throw in the odd bits that are left in the display fridge....plus if i say i want a joint about £10.00 in money... when he weighs it an its a £ or 2 over i still get it for a tenner as its out of the way......plus i get free off cuts and bones for the dog... which saves on the food bill for him.....

so if you go regular .....i should imagine he will also tell you what he has on offer, and what is good value that week......plus another good thing i like about going to the butcher you buy the quantity you want not whats in the packet....like sausages, bacon etc.... when i go to the butchers there's an old dear who buys 1 sausage... 1 rasher of bacon..1 lamb chop.. and lava bread... and a small pack of cockles for her hubby every sunday he has a full cooked welsh brekkie.. so she couldnt do that at the supermarket.....

Penelope_Penguin

My butcher has fab meat but a terrible manner. He's always moaning (too many customers, or too few). But the meat is great. He'll supply whatever you want. We're having a barbie for 60 in 2 weeks' time. He'll have exactly what we want, keep it in the fridge for us to collect in the afternoon (even though he's closed), and give substantial discount (it's for a charity do).

We buy very little meat from the supermarket now. Butcher's meat is slightly more expensive, but much better quality. As a friend said, now he does barbies from the butcher, Red Adair is out of a job. :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Penny. x

thriftlady_2

That sounds pretty reasonable Moozie.I'm a regular at my butcher and although he is excellent and has won awards he is a bit expensive.I'm embarrased to say how much I paid for a (very rare) treat of 4 ribeye steaks last Friday.They did serve us for 2 meals so I shall buy 2 next time.....if there is a next time........they were £28:eek:

Wendrie

A portion of meat is meant to be about the size of a pack of cards....

I find padding it out with meat works well most of the time - but just occasionally I fancy a good lump of meat protein and figure it isn't that often and just blow it. If I had a butcher around here I'd use one but we don't

skylight

I used a butcher for the first time on Saturday! A real butcher with actual real meat in the window and everything!

And Moozie, I am 31 and I felt strange too! But I will be back!

Bought lots for the BBQ we had on Sunday - 6 qtr pounders (yes, I could have done these myself, but mine would have been tidgy), 2 garlic sausages, 6 large porky ones and a large rack of bbq ribs all for about £9.

There was far too much food for everyone!

The downside is that the butchers is not walkable, but it does have a grocers a few doors away, so I will be trying that during the week too. (Fed up with Tescos fruit, when I had to chuck half away after 3 days because it started to go mouldy, but thats another thread!)

moozie_2

Penelope_Penguin wrote:

My butcher has fab meat but a terrible manner. He's always moaning (too many customers, or too few).

I am sorry to see that, very off putting I imagine. The butcher was really nice and smiley which made me feel better as I really was apprehensive about going in there. He was very helpful and he did a nice job of de-boning the lamb and trimming the fat off. Well, to me it looks like a good job but what do I know

OH just looked in the oven and he said 'oh good, fancied some chicken tonight' so I guess he doesn't know much either