reducing monthly food spend

[Deleted User]

I don't see why not... It is lean meat?

gizwal

Hi Dan
There are loads of recipe sites online, so you can pick and choose as you like.
http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipes/tag-5582/budget-dinner-recipes.aspx?o_is=Search&o_s_trm=Budget+dinner+recipes

Also I hope you find this site useful, it explains meal plans and nutrition for different budgets and workouts.
http://darebee.com/mealplans/mass-effect-diet.html

maman

Goldiegirl wrote: »

I just wanted to comment on the suggested beef casserole recipe, with 3 Oxo cubes, a tablespoon of Marmite and a tablespoon of ketchup, with gravy granules for thickening. There is a lot of salt in those ingredients, even for an adult, and way too much for children.

That's one of the reasons I recommended the Hairy Bikers recipe as it's healthy as well as tasty. It has just one stock cube and then mustard powder, herbs and tomato puree for flavour. Any other seasoning is to taste.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/braised_steak_with_gravy_24508


Here's a link now that I'm not on my phone.


dan, like you I did very little cookery at school. In my case it was because it didn't fit into my options but I did chemistry and I reckoned if I could do that then it wouldn't be too difficult to follow a recipe. It's cookery after all not rocket science! Once you get a few foolproof recipes under your belt then you grow in confidence and get a bit more adventurous and willing to experiment.


Take this Mediterranean type recipe that I just randomly googled:


http://recipes-plus.co.uk/recipe/chicken-mediterranean-vegetable-traybake-227


You could follow it to the letter but I know from experience that it would work just as well with some dried thyme (so no need to buy fresh unless you have some growing) and chicken breasts or even sausages rather than the drumsticks. You can use any colour peppers and add onions (red or white) mushrooms or aubergine as well as the veg they list. The time taken is a bit of an experiment too as ovens vary. Personally, I might boil the potatoes separately as they take longer to bake from raw than the veg.

NewShadow

danlightbulb wrote: »

guys quick question for you. myfitnesspal is saying there is only 205 calories in a 225g rump steak. that cant be right can it?

People like steak because it's lean protein - the calories in the individual cut will depend on how lean it is.

I get 125 cals per 100g rump, vs 220 cals for skirt.

NewShadow

Feral_Moon wrote: »

I prefer horse meat or venison. Both are far healthier and much tastier too.

Can't go wrong with Mary Berry's Conplete Cookbook latest edition. Around £7 in Tesco, maybe cheaper obline. A relative with severe MH illness recently bought it and even he can follow all the recipes and understand the tips about freezing food and buying in bulk etc. Get away from convenience meals & takeaways. He loves it, has transformed his life in less than 6mths.

Horse is okay - It's a little gamey for me and I've found it tricky to source specific cuts in the UK.

Given t's around 6% fat with 28% protein someone playing close to their limit might need to keep an eye on their macros.

NewShadow

Feral_Moon wrote: »

Now, the horse meat I've recently eaten has been far tastier and tender than any equivalent beef steak in the UK. But I like my meat medium raw- erring on raw. I don't mind eating blue steak when I know the Provenence. I find horse meat to be very slightly more tender to beef, unless you're serving Wagu beef, that is

Not texture, taste.

Like sweet venison.

Pollycat

danlightbulb wrote: »

On entering the butchers I couldn't see any rump steak, so I asked for it. The butcher pointed to steak in the counter, which I had looked at, called hipbone steak. I'd never heard of it before, but the internet says it is a variety of rump. I cooked it in the oven for 20 mins. It came out tough and dry. I didn't ask how to cook it, done steak in the oven before and thought it came out softer than if I fry it. Unfortunely I cannot grill and oven cook at the same time as my place only has a single combo grill/oven.

The pieces were also a bit thinly sliced for me. I like steaks thicker. I just got what was on the counter at the butchers.

I'd not heard of hip bone steak, you're right, it is rump.

But at £8.80 per kilo it does sound suspiciously cheap.

My OH is the steak cook, he uses a griddle pan, oils the steak before putting it into the heated pan.
Cooks it for not very long at all.
I think you've discovered that you definitely overcooked your steak.

I would use the rest in your slow cooker or at least treat it as braising/stewing steak.

The butcher doesn't sound very helpful.
Was it someting like Crawshaws?
I would have expected a good local butcher to offer to cut thicker steak if what was on the counter wasn't acceptable to a customer.

danlightbulb

Hmm, but that price range was stated here earlier on as being achievable (half price joints £5??). I assumed that meant i wasnt buying crap.

He may have been able to cut thicker i dont know i didnt ask. Couldnt really see how thick it was until he picked it up off the counter. There was no joint there though, just the slices.

Pollycat

danlightbulb wrote: »

Hmm, but that price range was stated here earlier on as being achievable (half price joints £5??). I assumed that meant i wasnt buying crap.

He may have been able to cut thicker i dont know i didnt ask. Couldnt really see how thick it was until he picked it up off the counter. There was no joint there though, just the slices.

So did the price say " Usually £17.60 per kg, half price offer now £8.80 per kg"?
If it didn't, I doubt you're talking about the same sort of offers that Tesco, Sainsburys etc have where they do have a half price offer and sell large 'roasting' joints - including top rump - at half the price they usually do.
I believe that's what some of the posters have been referring to.

I know someone suggested buying a large joint and cutting it up for steaks but several other posters (including me) voiced the opinion that a joint such as that wouldn't be suitable for steaks.
I buy the large joints when on half price offer but I cut it into slices for braising steak or cubed for casseroles, goulash etc. i.e. slow cooked.

TBH, I'm surprised that there wasn't a joint. Most 'proper' butchers will have a big piece of rump that they will cut slices off for you.

Could it be one of the cheaper, chain butchers like Crawshaws?

Pollycat

Just looked at steak prices per kilo in my local (independent) butchers:
Sirloin £21.49
Rump £14.49
Rib-eye £19.99
Frying £9.49

No pre-cut slices off any if them.

Are there any other butchers in your area?