cheap cuts of meat that can be slow cooked

Gigervamp

You can use stout in a beef casserole, or any dark ale like Newcastle Brown, Hobgoblin or Old Speckled Hen. Don't get lager though! When I use wine in cooking, I usually buy a Chilian red, they're about £3.50 a bottle.
In the fruit and veg section of the supermarket, you'll find herbs either growing in pots, or already cut in packets. Alternatively, you can also buy ready made bouquet garni in the herbs and spice section.
Definitely go to a butcher for the meat, the meat is generally of a much better quality and possibly local. My hubby goes to the butchers near his work and I think he pays about £5 or £6 for 2lb stewing steak. Free range chicken and eggs there are cheaper than the supermarkets too.

BitterAndTwisted

Actually, if you recognise what bay/laurel leaves look like you could have neighbours who are growing them outdoors and you could ask to pinch a few leaves. Lots of people grow them they're very attractive little trees mostly grown in pots

Mands

Crisp_£_note wrote: »

Thanks for the tip on the Boquet Garni but where do I find such dried leaves?

The supermarket herbs & spices aisle will have pre-prepped bouquet garni. The herbs are already tied up, either in a muslin bag or similar to a tea bag. Toss one in at the start of the cooking time; take it out at the end and throw it away.

According to MySupermarket you should be able to get a pack of 4 or 5 for about 88p.

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/tesco-price-comparison/Herbs_And_Spices/Schwartz_Bouquet_Garni_Refill_5g.html

Or, if you've already got some dried herbs just use those instead. It really won't make that much difference to the final flavour.

Mands

cdodd

when I do meals in the slow cooker I always try to use "whole joints" rather than pieces, the meat is so tender at the end that it doesn't seem worth paying the premium of ready cut meat. I regularly do a pork casserole and buy a pork shoulder joint, this week 2.49/kg in morrisons so for £4 quite a big joint that will do do adults and 3 kids and then a couple of portions for the freezer. I use a whole chicken for chick chasseur (passata, onion, garlic, carrot, herbs, s&p, worcester sauce) i find cooking with the bones also makes a nice stok for the sauce and it's a lot cheaper than buying chicken breasts

northwest1965

Crisp_£_note wrote: »

Hi

I am almost ready to spend a whole week using Slow Cooker!
Can anyone suggest where I can get quality meat at cheap prices

Beef Stew - 500g (2 lb) stewing beef, diced.

Coq Au Vin - 100g (4 oz) bacon, chopped.4 & Chicken or Turkey breasts.

Beef in Beer - 900g (2 lb) Stewing Steak, cubed.

Hawaiian Pork Casserole - 750g (1 1/2 lb) Pork fillet, Cubed.

Braised Brisket of Beef with Veg - 1.5kg (3 lb) Joint of Brisket.

Lamb & Veg Curry - 450g (1 lb) Lamb Cubed.

Chillie Con Carne - 450g (1 lb) Minced Beef.

I am hoping to start bulk buying and batch cooking as I have ordered one of those vacume seal n freeze machines from JML which arrives in a few weeks time.

Theres also a stack of veg I need to get plus some items I have never heared of let alone know where to get!

Thanks in advance

I would always buy Braising Steak and cut it up myself.
For the pork, have you tried boneless rib pork chops
For the chilli - Try Turkey mince, much cheaper
Chicken Casserole - Have you tried jointing a whole chicken?

bellaquidsin

Mr S. Basics diced pork is excellent value. I think it's just over £2 but that pack would do you 2 meals for 2 people.

Bella.

rachbc

Crisp_£_note wrote: »

Hi

I am almost ready to spend a whole week using Slow Cooker!

I have compiled a list of about 6 meals which I will do one each day and freeze any leftovers for another week as they are to feed 2 adults (1 doesnt eat much veg).

Can anyone suggest where I can get quality meat at cheap prices or suggest alternatives for the following which the recipies require please? ~

Beef Stew - 500g (2 lb) stewing beef, diced.

Coq Au Vin - 100g (4 oz) bacon, chopped.4 & Chicken or Turkey breasts.

Beef in Beer - 900g (2 lb) Stewing Steak, cubed.

Hawaiian Pork Casserole - 750g (1 1/2 lb) Pork fillet, Cubed.

Braised Brisket of Beef with Veg - 1.5kg (3 lb) Joint of Brisket.

Lamb & Veg Curry - 450g (1 lb) Lamb Cubed.

Chillie Con Carne - 450g (1 lb) Minced Beef.

I am hoping to start bulk buying and batch cooking as I have ordered one of those vacume seal n freeze machines from JML which arrives in a few weeks time.

Theres also a stack of veg I need to get plus some items I have never heared of let alone know where to get!

Thanks in advance

If these meals are for 4 I'd reduce the amounts of meat significantly - recommended portion sizes are 100-125g per person - so stew for 4 would be 500g not 900g.

Beef skirt or shin are great slow cook cuts but you'll need a butcher not hte supermarket.

Use thighs or a whole bird in your chicken dish and pork shoulder or 'spare rib chops' (not spare ribs like you get bbq ribs) - my butcher sells these as chops or a joint for £2.80kg and its perfect fr slow cooking

For lamb I've not found cheaper than asdas diced frozen lamb - unless I can get a good deal on a shoulder and dice it myself. Lamb is really pricey atm though.

DONT scrimp on the quality of your mince - cheap mince is all fat and gristle!

On a whole if I was tried to be really money saving I don't think I'd be cooking beef 4 times a week - not great healthwise either - fish, more chicken or even a veggie option once a week offers a little more balance and is easier on the purse.

jollymummy

I used mackesons stout in a Hairy bikers Irish Stew recipe recently and it was fine. It cost 2.80 for 4 tins, and I gave the other 3 tins to DH as a treat, he was very pleased
Rather than buying really cheap meat we have several nights a week that are meat free and have pasta, rice dishes, that kind of thing. We usually have something fish based once a week, frozen fish is great in fish pie, have mince a couple of nights and perhaps chicken or beef. I just can't afford meat every night these days.

Also my 4 year old is not a great meat eater, so we try to have a balance of meat and non meat dishes.

I tend to buy say 800g packs of steak mince and separate it down into smaller quantities and freeze it and see what's on special offer and let this lead what I make for dinner.

I do my shopping online so do my menu for the week ahead all in one go.

Hope I haven't waffled on too much, this seems to have turned into a free form post

sooty&sweep

Hi

I often added canned beans to casseroles in the slow cooker.

Great for bulking out and so using less meat and good for you too !!

maman

I assume you're cooking for the freezer as well because otherwise your quantities need cutting back drastically. I think 4oz per person is a recommended amount of meat per meal and if you add pulses or cheese or some other protein then you don't even need that much. I remember something about a portion the size of a large matchbox ( not the family/kitchen size:rotfl:)

Asda sells shin of beef which is great for a stew/casserole. If you don't want to go down the whole chicken route than Lidl have chicken thighs at £2 per kg at the moment (and legs even cheaper). The meat's really tasty and excellent for casseroles.

If you don't want to buy beer and wine then you could do a beef in red wine and share the bottle between two dishes.

What recipe are you doing that calls for bouqet garni? If you're really trying to cut back then I would have though an own-brand tub of Mixed Herbs might be a cheaper start to building up a herb&spice collection.