Cheap meats and ways of using meat

buzzyzoe

That's what I'm hoping cyantist, it's definitely top of the Christmas list if I don't buy myself one in the meantime!

Scrimps

Sorry to dredge up an old thread but Im in the same position as the OP.

I am particularly looking for recipes for offal such as liver (I have searched). Ive tried just frying it quickly and leaving it pink as the trendy chefs seem to suggest and its horrible and I force it down, I have tried putting it with bacon, but use so much bacon to cover the taste that its no longer particularly economical. How else could it be cooked? I made my first pie the other week but that was with diced game....add some liver to that to pack it out?

I tried cooking stuffed lamb hearts once, I found the meat very strongly flavored and mucked up the recipe but could try again.

I recently bought some lamb bones (appeared to be neck and spine) to make some broth in the slow cooker, I picked off the meat and have curried it with a little paste.....any more cuts like that I could use?

I use beef skirt thinly sliced in stir frys

Ive used very lamb breast from the supermarket, the first tie I slow roasted it it was very fatty, the second time I unrolled it and slow cooked it in the oven so it was nice and crispy. Was thinking I could dice some next time and curry it.

I much prefer to buy organic meat etc but its very expensive. Ive been able to get rabbit, that is supposed to be cheap but lb for lb, it seems to be as expensive as free range chicken!

I have a pretty good butcher so can get the offal etc, I just dont really know what to do with it once Ive got it. Can anyone give me more tips and recipes for the old style way of eating the whole animal.

missbiggles1

Scrimps wrote: »

Sorry to dredge up an old thread but Im in the same position as the OP.

I am particularly looking for recipes for offal such as liver (I have searched). Ive tried just frying it quickly and leaving it pink as the trendy chefs seem to suggest and its horrible and I force it down, I have tried putting it with bacon, but use so much bacon to cover the taste that its no longer particularly economical. How else could it be cooked? I made my first pie the other week but that was with diced game....add some liver to that to pack it out?

I tried cooking stuffed lamb hearts once, I found the meat very strongly flavored and mucked up the recipe but could try again.

I recently bought some lamb bones (appeared to be neck and spine) to make some broth in the slow cooker, I picked off the meat and have curried it with a little paste.....any more cuts like that I could use?

I use beef skirt thinly sliced in stir frys

Ive used very lamb breast from the supermarket, the first tie I slow roasted it it was very fatty, the second time I unrolled it and slow cooked it in the oven so it was nice and crispy. Was thinking I could dice some next time and curry it.

I much prefer to buy organic meat etc but its very expensive. Ive been able to get rabbit, that is supposed to be cheap but lb for lb, it seems to be as expensive as free range chicken!

I have a pretty good butcher so can get the offal etc, I just dont really know what to do with it once Ive got it. Can anyone give me more tips and recipes for the old style way of eating the whole animal.

I cook stuffed lambs's hearts every couple of weeks and I've never found them to be strongly flavoured - did you soak them in salted water first?

Liver from different animals tastes quite different - what sort have you been using? My favourite is veal (not very MSE) but I can't stand pork liver.

Pollycat

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Liver from different animals tastes quite different - what sort have you been using? My favourite is veal (not very MSE) but I can't stand pork liver.

I second this, pigs liver is too strong for me. I buy lambs liver.

I do this recipe, 'liver soup' doesn't that great but it's a re-creation of a dish we had many years ago in Turkey at a small place that had no menus, you just pointed to one of the dishes in the hot cabinet.
I often do more potatoes than we'll eat then warm it up the following day for my lunch.

[FONT=&quot]Turkish Liver Soup[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Serves 2[/FONT]

• [FONT=&quot]¾ - 1 lb lambs liver (fairly thick pieces if possible, best if you can get it in a lump & cube it yourself)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]enough potatoes for a small dinner for two[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]1 tin chopped tomatoes[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]I green pepper (de-seeded and chopped into medium size pieces)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]2 – 3 green or red chillies (or to taste)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Salt & pepper to taste[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]1 dessertspoon hot (or Hungarian) paprika * [/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]1 teaspoon dried parsley (or fresh if you have it)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Hot water or stock[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Coriander or flat leaf parsley for garnish[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Cut potatoes into large diced pieces and parboil.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cut the liver into fairly big pieces (preferably diced like stewing steak) and lightly seal in a frying pan.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Transfer the liver to a casserole dish.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Add the chopped tomatoes to the frying pan. If you have some residue from the liver in the pan, I put a little bit of chopped tomatoes in first and deglaze the pan, then add the remaining tomatoes, green pepper and finely chopped chillies.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Heat until bubbling, then pour the mixture into the casserole dish over the liver.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Add the parboiled potatoes.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sprinkle the hot paprika & parsley over.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Add hot water/stock to dilute the consistency down to a thick soup or thin casserole, but make sure everything is covered.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Season with salt & pepper. I don't tend to use salt when using stock cubes as I find them salty anyway.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Gently stir.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cover the casserole and place in a pre-heated oven at about 170 C (fan oven) for approximately 30 – 40 minutes until both the potatoes and the liver are cooked.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I sometimes use the water that the potatoes have been cooked in to thicken if it needs it.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Sprinkle the coriander or parsley over the top. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Serve in warmed dishes or bowls with buttered crusty bread cut into thick slices.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]* If you haven’t got hot paprika, mix 3 parts sweet paprika to 1 part cayenne or chilli powder.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We like it spicy so a dessertspoon is OK for us.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]I also do a liver, bacon & tomato (tinned, chopped) casserole and serve it with mashed potatoes.
[/FONT]

Scrimps

missbiggles1 wrote: »

I cook stuffed lambs's hearts every couple of weeks and I've never found them to be strongly flavoured - did you soak them in salted water first?

No, I take it Im supposed to?:o I shall give that a go, do you use a particular recipe? I tried following one I found on google but really mucked it up. It was a weird sloppy mess with a lambs heart in the middle. I ate it because I didnt want to waste it but it didnt exactly add to the experience

Scrimps

Pollycat wrote: »

I second this, pigs liver is too strong for me. I buy lambs liver.

I do this recipe, 'liver soup' doesn't that great but it's a re-creation of a dish we had many years ago in Turkey at a small place that had no menus, you just pointed to one of the dishes in the hot cabinet.
I often do more potatoes than we'll eat then warm it up the following day for my lunch.

[FONT=&quot]Turkish Liver Soup[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Serves 2[/FONT]

• [FONT=&quot]¾ - 1 lb lambs liver (fairly thick pieces if possible, best if you can get it in a lump & cube it yourself)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]enough potatoes for a small dinner for two[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]1 tin chopped tomatoes[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]I green pepper (de-seeded and chopped into medium size pieces)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]2 – 3 green or red chillies (or to taste)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Salt & pepper to taste[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]1 dessertspoon hot (or Hungarian) paprika * [/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]1 teaspoon dried parsley (or fresh if you have it)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Hot water or stock[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Coriander or flat leaf parsley for garnish[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Cut potatoes into large diced pieces and parboil.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cut the liver into fairly big pieces (preferably diced like stewing steak) and lightly seal in a frying pan.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Transfer the liver to a casserole dish.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Add the chopped tomatoes to the frying pan. If you have some residue from the liver in the pan, I put a little bit of chopped tomatoes in first and deglaze the pan, then add the remaining tomatoes, green pepper and finely chopped chillies.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Heat until bubbling, then pour the mixture into the casserole dish over the liver.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Add the parboiled potatoes.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sprinkle the hot paprika & parsley over.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Add hot water/stock to dilute the consistency down to a thick soup or thin casserole, but make sure everything is covered.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Season with salt & pepper. I don't tend to use salt when using stock cubes as I find them salty anyway.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Gently stir.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cover the casserole and place in a pre-heated oven at about 170 C (fan oven) for approximately 30 – 40 minutes until both the potatoes and the liver are cooked.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I sometimes use the water that the potatoes have been cooked in to thicken if it needs it.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Sprinkle the coriander or parsley over the top. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Serve in warmed dishes or bowls with buttered crusty bread cut into thick slices.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]* If you haven’t got hot paprika, mix 3 parts sweet paprika to 1 part cayenne or chilli powder.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We like it spicy so a dessertspoon is OK for us.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]I also do a liver, bacon & tomato (tinned, chopped) casserole and serve it with mashed potatoes.
[/FONT]

I am definitely going to try that recipe this weekend. Thank you.

I buy lambs liver, the last few times I bought it I bought such a small amount (pennies worth) the lady asked why I was buying it, I said I was eating it for health but hated the flavour, she recommended pigs liver but I always feel unsure about pig liver. I have this perception that pigs can be fed all sorts, lambs mostly eat grass so should be better for you...probably utter rubbish - just a feeling I have.

Pollycat

Scrimps wrote: »

I am definitely going to try that recipe this weekend. Thank you.

Actually, I bought a family pack of peppers yesterday (to use in tuna risotto & pasta) so I'll probably cook it too.

We like it with tiger bread.

Scrimps wrote: »

I buy lambs liver, the last few times I bought it I bought such a small amount (pennies worth) the lady asked why I was buying it, I said I was eating it for health but hated the flavour, she recommended pigs liver but I always feel unsure about pig liver. I have this perception that pigs can be fed all sorts, lambs mostly eat grass so should be better for you...probably utter rubbish - just a feeling I have.

I might be wrong but I've always thought that pigs liver is stronger than lambs/veal so if you're not keen on the taste of lambs liver, you might not like pigs at all.

lollyfin

I'm not going to be much help with the liver I'm afraid I don't eat it much but I do remember being told to soak it in milk before cooking...no idea why it's recommended but I always do it.
If you have a slow cooker beef skirt is lovely cooked all day in gravy with a white pudding then shredded, it goes a lot further that way, and I usually have enough left over to make stovies and pies. That works out at 3 meals for 6 adults from 1kg meat.
Slow cooking and then shredding a whole chicken is another way to get what looks like a lot more meat than just roasting and carving it.

missbiggles1

Pollycat wrote: »

I second this, pigs liver is too strong for me. I buy lambs liver.

I do this recipe, 'liver soup' doesn't that great but it's a re-creation of a dish we had many years ago in Turkey at a small place that had no menus, you just pointed to one of the dishes in the hot cabinet.
I often do more potatoes than we'll eat then warm it up the following day for my lunch.

[FONT=&quot]Turkish Liver Soup[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Serves 2[/FONT]

• [FONT=&quot]¾ - 1 lb lambs liver (fairly thick pieces if possible, best if you can get it in a lump & cube it yourself)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]enough potatoes for a small dinner for two[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]1 tin chopped tomatoes[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]I green pepper (de-seeded and chopped into medium size pieces)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]2 – 3 green or red chillies (or to taste)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Salt & pepper to taste[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]1 dessertspoon hot (or Hungarian) paprika * [/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]1 teaspoon dried parsley (or fresh if you have it)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Hot water or stock[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Coriander or flat leaf parsley for garnish[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Cut potatoes into large diced pieces and parboil.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cut the liver into fairly big pieces (preferably diced like stewing steak) and lightly seal in a frying pan.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Transfer the liver to a casserole dish.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Add the chopped tomatoes to the frying pan. If you have some residue from the liver in the pan, I put a little bit of chopped tomatoes in first and deglaze the pan, then add the remaining tomatoes, green pepper and finely chopped chillies.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Heat until bubbling, then pour the mixture into the casserole dish over the liver.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Add the parboiled potatoes.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sprinkle the hot paprika & parsley over.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Add hot water/stock to dilute the consistency down to a thick soup or thin casserole, but make sure everything is covered.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Season with salt & pepper. I don't tend to use salt when using stock cubes as I find them salty anyway.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Gently stir.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cover the casserole and place in a pre-heated oven at about 170 C (fan oven) for approximately 30 – 40 minutes until both the potatoes and the liver are cooked.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I sometimes use the water that the potatoes have been cooked in to thicken if it needs it.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Sprinkle the coriander or parsley over the top. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Serve in warmed dishes or bowls with buttered crusty bread cut into thick slices.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]* If you haven’t got hot paprika, mix 3 parts sweet paprika to 1 part cayenne or chilli powder.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We like it spicy so a dessertspoon is OK for us.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]I also do a liver, bacon & tomato (tinned, chopped) casserole and serve it with mashed potatoes.
[/FONT]

That sounds tasty.

I'm not mad on lambs liver either, although I do (perhaps surprisingly) also enjoy ox - I don't suppose you've ever made it with ox liver?

[Deleted User]

I adore liver and bacon casserole,I slice the lambs liver thinly dip in seasoned flour and toss in a frying pan gently until just slightly browned lay in the bottom of the casserole /slow cooker, and layer alternately with strips of leanish streaky bacon and sliced onions and carrots top the whole lot off with gravy made from Bisto powder and a crumbled up Oxo or two.

I make sure it cover the whole lot, I often, if I am using the slow cooker slice potatoes over the top as well so the whole lot cooks together Stick it on low and leave all day until cooked in the slow cooker. I give it around 6-8 hours Cheap as chips to run and no dearer than having a light bulb burning

Once it cooked I will take a portion for myself, then portion the rest up in those take-away boxes you can buy, and once cold pop the lid on and freeze, instant dinners where you just take a box out of the freezer in the morning and leave in the fridge, and then microwave it until bubbling at dinner time ,all you have to do to accompany it is steam or cook your green veg. I like broccoli or cabbage with it. a really inexpensive meal and real comfort food on a cold winters night

I use my slow cooker almost all the time.I will cook a chicken in it and when cooked the amount of meat that just falls off is astonishing.The stock left over I strain into a Pyrex jug and when cold skim off the fat and use the resulting jelly stock to make soup with. I never eat chicken skin anyway so it doesn't bother me that the chicken isn't browned off. Far cheaper way to have a chicken than just roasting and hoping to be able to get every bit of meat off.

Odd bits of chicken meat I will use in curries, and any left over chicken meat freezes beautifully and can be used once defrosted for another meal or three

I live alone so to me I would rather have a decent chicken from say M&S ( they really are delicious)and cook it in the slow cooker that buy those rubbery looking chicken breasts that seem to have little flavour

JackieO xx