Meat

pollyanna24

Starting to get stuck in a bit of a rut with what I cook for me and bf. We seem to eat a lot of beef, and not a lot else.

I bulk buy mince, cook up various dinners and then freeze it ready for when we come home. Out of the mince, I make:-

Mince/gravy (I guess this is the base for cottage pie, but I make mash after).
Chilli con carne
Hamburgers
Meatballs
Spag bol

I also make goulash quite a bit out of braising steak.

But I don't seem to use a lot of other meat.

Doing my semi big shop tonight, and need some ideas. Don't want to just randomly buy meat with no idea what to do with it!

Thinking some kind of chicken (gona try the frozen breasts as they are cheaper),
Lamb (but this is expensive, maybe a shoulder joint)
Pork tenderloin (noticed this was quite cheap, but don't know what to do with it).
Pork chops.

Think Somerfield have got an offer on duck at the moment, not sure if it's finished.

What other meats are there? Looked for rabbit (live too near London me thinks), and mutton (Tesco don't sell it).

Bf needs meat with every meal! Sometimes I just use a bit of gammon or ham mixed with pasta.

EDIT: Would like to just spend more time looking around the supermarket to see what meats they do, but bf gets so impatient and need him to drive me there.

gingin_2

My oh needs meat with every meal too (bloomin' caveman). I tend to use a lot of chicken pieces, legs, thighs, drumsticks, whole chook's and tend to just cook them in the oven with seasoning and dried herbs an and then seve a tasty veggie dish on the side. Or do a marinade (nando's bought marinades are nice). I tend to buy a lamb joint like a leg as the steaks are too expensive for the amount oh consumes. Pork tenderloin is nice, you can flatten it and pan fry it and make a sauce with whatever you choose. Finally turkey steaks are good value and lean and I ten to grill or pan fry them.

LydiaSophia

Pork tenderloin can be lovely and very cheap.

Heres a link with recipes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/food/recipes/queryengine?templatestyle=refine_by_1&config=db&scope=recipes&page=1&pagesize=15&SuppressCaching=0&attrib_26=keywords&oper_26=eq&val_26_1=tenderloin&attrib_2=programme_name&oper_2=eq&val_2_1=&attrib_3=chef_name&oper_3=eq&val_3_1=&attrib_12=healthy&oper_12=eq&attrib_13=quick&oper_13=eq&attrib_10=vegetarian&oper_10=eq

I find the frozen chicken breasts quite dry and they seem to be mostly water. Try buying a whole chicken, they aren't expensive and roast it. Then you can make a chicken curry with the left overs.

Duck is to to fatty for me - I never cook it.

Will your BF eat fish?

bobbadog

You say you live too near London for rabbit, but there's plenty of those Farmers Markets around - we go to one in Clapham for our veg - they sell wild boar sausages, venison, rabbit... just gotta hunt for it!

Chicken Breasts are my best friend. If there's nothing else in the house, I pan fry with garlic and ginger. Yum!

MrsTinks

I'm lucky as I live in the country and not only can get rabbit, pidgeon and partridge (had 4 birds yesterday for £2 - only takes a little effort to pluck and gut them, but I know this isn't for everyone...)
I would start looking at chicken... roast chicken is easy and you can use the carcass for soup/stock afterwards If there is any meat left then do chicken curry as already suggested
I don't really like the frozen chicken breasts either... they have added water and the quality is questionable IMHO.

pollyanna24

Thank you very much for your answers. He refuses to eat fish, therefore I never seem to eat it (unless we go chippy )

Is there a fish I could trial him on with a simple recipe. I've never really cooked it before for the above reason.

Think I'll buy pork chops and tenderloin and some whole chickens to put in the freezer.

He shies away from turkey too (gosh, never realised he was so fussy), but we tried a leg a few months ago cos it was £1.56 :T and he actually quite liked it.

Maybe I should a butcher for rabbit and mutton. I've found one near me.

pollyanna24

Just seen a post above about farmers markets. I think there is one in Hatfield on the first Sat of a month. Should I hold off buying all meat today and try and persuade bf to go there? Is it cheaper? I would want to buy:-

Braising steak
Chickens
Pork chops
Pork tenderloin
Lamb shoulder
Rabbit
Mutton

Oh my lord, that's quite a lot. Think I'll stick to Tesco for mince.

pollyanna24

Ooh, venison sounds nice. We have that when we go Austria, they're always killing them over there!

bobbadog

pollyanna24 wrote:

Just seen a post above about farmers markets. I think there is one in Hatfield on the first Sat of a month. Should I hold off buying all meat today and try and persuade bf to go there? Is it cheaper? I would want to buy:-

Braising steak
Chickens
Pork chops
Pork tenderloin
Lamb shoulder
Rabbit
Mutton

Oh my lord, that's quite a lot. Think I'll stick to Tesco for mince.

I find it a bit give and take, really. Things like courgettes, leeks, seasonal things seem so much cheaper at the market, but sausages a little more expensive (but home made, with better quality stuff). Chickens are cheaper, and have been better treated which makes me feel happier about eating them.

tr3mor

You can get Pork or Turkey mince too, if you want a change from beef. Both very cheap and healthier than beef.

helen1014

hiya i cant help myself im always making this,paprika pork mmmmmmmm
anyway i buy pork tenderloin somerfield any where that sells it
i dont measure really just throw it in n play by taste
wat u need.
pork tenderloin (slice width ways)
paprika
garlic fresh chopped
1red or green chilli to personal taste (or just stick to 1 tsp mild chilli powder)
chilli powder to taste
creme fraiche or natural yoghurt
salt/pepper to taste
veg or chicken stock
cornflour to thicken (depends how you like it thick or thin sauce hahhaha)
red or green peppers(personal choice again)
oil for cooking or butter

1-after you have sliced tenderloin,put in bowl and add 2-3 tspn of paprika more if you prefer,1 tsp chilli powder and 1tbsn cornflour ,salt and pepper.set aside.oh yeh and make up your stock.

2-brown garlic,peppers,chillis,in either oil or butter until softish.

3-
next add pork i have it on med to high heat to seal,once browned turn down,add stock ,mix around and leave on simmer for hours but not too long as meat will fall apart, i normally do for 2-3 hours.

4-near the end add the creme fraiche or natural yoghurt a little at a time and mix in ,again this is too taste,i find if i add too much doesnt taste as nice.

serve with rice and wedges mmmmmmmmm enjoy

this can also be done with chicken ,some people add a bit of wine.

tip is just keep tasting as you go through it thats wat i do then you can alter along the way .