cheaper cuts of meat

geordie_joe

Brisket is my favourite, it's perfect when done in an SC

seabright

Stewing or casserole beef is fine to ask for. Pork chops work very well in slowcookers too, I find they often get very dry and tough under the grill. My discovery the other day was sausages - just put them in, don't need to add anything else and leave for about 6-7 hours. Yummy and soft, with no grill pan or splattered fat to clear up.

Last tip - put your plates on the top to warm through as the dish cooks

penny_less

I also cook lamb neck and lamb shoulder in the slow cooker,comes out beautifully tender and a £3-4 piece does 4 people.

foreign_correspondent

beef - shin beef is lovely for stews, and one of the cheapest cuts of beef.

lamb - neck end of lamb is delicious and great in the SC.

pork - most pork is very good value, for a roast leg of pork is good, belly pork is fatty but tasty!

LandyAndy

My local butcher does good sized chicken legs at 60p each (use one per person). Legs are much tastier and better for slow cooking than breasts.

geordie_joe

Anekirr wrote: »

I recently got a gift of a slow cooker and have found a good local butcher but I'm not sure what cuts to ask him for?

When you go for your first cut of meat why not tell the butcher you have just got a SC and ask him what other cuts would be good in it. He should give you some good advice, and you don't have to buy it there and then, just keep saying "I'll remember that next time" or "Must put that on my list for next week" etc.

Don't be afraid to ask your butcher questions, most a brilliant and will be more than happy to answer any questions you have.

LandyAndy

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

beef - shin beef is lovely for stews, and one of the cheapest cuts of beef.

lamb - neck end of lamb is delicious and great in the SC.

pork - most pork is very good value, for a roast leg of pork is good, belly pork is fatty but tasty!

For this reason belly pork is better done in an oven than a SC. I get the butcher to separate the skin for me and score it (or you can do this at home, a craft knife is best for this). To cook I put the meat in a roasting tin supported on a trivet (I use slices of swede but potato would do) with a little water (or white wine) added. Cover tightly with foil and cook in a low oven (150 C) for 1 to 2 hours depending on the size of the belly. Meanwhile put the skin on a baking tray, rub with oil and a little salt and place in the oven with the meat. Look in every so often to check if the crackling is done. If it is take it out and return to the oven at the end to warm through.

This way much of the fat from the belly is rendered out and falls into the water leaving the meat soft and succulent and you also get fantastic crackling.

LandyAndy

geordie_joe wrote: »

When you go for your first cut of meat why not tell the butcher you have just got a SC and ask him what other cuts would be good in it. He should give you some good advice, and you don't have to buy it there and then, just keep saying "I'll remember that next time" or "Must put that on my list for next week" etc.

Don't be afraid to ask your butcher questions, most a brilliant and will be more than happy to answer any questions you have.

I agree. Good butchers know a lot.

Penelope_Penguin

Anekirr wrote: »

Hi,
I am sorry if this is a stupid question. I have bought my meat off the shelf in supermarkets up to now and tend to stick to the same old things (mince, chops, etc). I recently got a gift of a slow cooker and have found a good local butcher but I'm not sure what cuts to ask him for? Is it, say, stewing beef, etc or are there other good value bits that he can give me and I can put in the SC?

We have an existing thread on this subject - I'll merge this thread to give you more ideas

Breast of lamb is very cheap and tasty, but like belly pork, it's fatty, so I loke to cook it in a low oven, on a rack, and drain the fat off

Penny. x

ukmonkey

(reposted from food & grocery shopping section).

Hi MSE-ers,

I'm after some advice as to what cuts of meat to be buying. I'm thinking of popping to my local butcher one day this week and buying a job lot of meat (will give him a few days notice though!) for the freezer to last us the month.

I'm wondering what I should be asking for (obviously I'll get his advice too, but having never used them before, I want to be sure they don't take me for a ride IYSWIM).

So, what would I be cooking?

Beef for stews (slow cooker, so IMO the cheapest cut of beef would be fine?)
Lamb for hotpots (probably slow cooker again).
Lamb for curries (probably not slow cooker, but could try it)
Chicken (for chicken casserole, chicken tonight, fajitas, and curries)
Mince for bolgenese and chilli.

Any ideas/advice? Am I going down the right track with this?