Best-value "value" meat

Magpye

Hi all,

We're on a tight budget at the moment and I grabbed some reduced to clear "value" mince at the supermarket (just went in for cat litter too :rolleyes: ). I've just cooked it off and have drained fully 8 fl oz of fat off and it still looks awful - full of what my hubby like to call "b'doings" - so it looks like the cats will be getting it.

Does anyone have any recommendations for good quality meat at decent prices? Most of the butchers round here are quite expensive but we have a good range of supermarkets (no Sainsburys and no Waitrose though.)

Thanks

Elliesmum

Do you have access to a farm shop? Our's sells 10lb of mince for £9.00 and it's very good quality, very little fat and tasty too.

Unfortunately we are in West Yorkshire which is a bit far for the Scottish Highlands.......... but if you have one near by ish it can be worth stocking up on your meat and visiting the shop once every 2 months or so (which is what I do).

HTH's

EM xx

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there

Instead of mince..i would go for, stewing, braising, shin beef.... at least you can see what fat you need to trim off...and thrown in the slow cooker , or casserole on a low light it is soo tender. I Even use it for making chillies, shepherds pie etc - once you have slowcooked it long enough it will still break down so that it distributes through any sauce....

balmaiden

It's called "value" for a reason. In my opinion you get what you pay for.

I think it is much better to cut down on your meat consumption than to try and make poor quality meat palatable.

Maybe try some meat free days, thats what we do.

Magpye

Thanks all

No farm shops hereabouts, most farms are strictly arable though a lot are now putting fields aside for flowers - good money for the farmers I suppose, but a bunch of tulips is hardly a meal *lol*

Using cuts rather than mince is a good idea, which I hadn't thought of to be honest. Would it be worth buying a mincer and making my own - does anyone have experience?

We have a lot of meat free days but I don't want to be spending a fortune on the meat we do eat... we have a fab (award winning) butcher in our area but he is VERY expensive and I work full time, so it's difficult to get to him.

On a similar note, what pulses work best for padding out meat dishes? I have red lentils and brown lentils, I know how to use the red (been making soups since I took over the cooking from my mother at fourteen) but the brown lentils are a novelty!

tweetyshells

Go to the supermarkets on the days/times they reduce the non value meat, get home, cook your meals and freeze. Good meat at good prices.

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there

I do have a mincer/sausage maker...and you can get the metal manual ones quite reasonably i believe.. and yes i think they are a great idea... you can choose what is best price that day, and to be honest as there is little or no fat in the mince - you don't need such a large quantity. It also allows you to do minced turkey, chicken, pork - or combinations...

If you have a morrisons near you - i always use to find that they were rather good for fresh meat.....

gt568

Definately get what you pay for with meat. We hardly ever eat it now because we'd rather have good when we do. Makes it more of a treat too.

saveaholic68

If you like white meat, you can get turkey steaks very cheaply. I buy them a lot, and tend to freeze them. They are one of the best 'value' type meats I have found. I don't buy value mince because of the reasons you say - I buy steak mince at the end of the day when it's reduced and freeze for when I need it.

lynzpower

we very seldom buy "value" branded meat at all. However the ones we have bought are

Tescos trukey breast pieces ( off cuts- funny shapes, good for curries) have bought this twice, but usually choose free range turkey at tesco ( I try!) the price differential is marginal
Stewing beef - the tesco value one has MUCH more fat than the say tescos own one - the leaner one dissolves in the slow cooker if we are out all day. Saying that I do prefer butchers for this, it is a cheap cut so is cheap everywhere.
The only other "value" branded meat I buy is the bacon offcuts, good for pies, soups, and in pasta once youve trimmed the spare fat off it is still good value.
I tend to buy reduced meat mainly tho, although Ive got a new job now and am "on the road" a bit more so I can check out butchers all over the place instead of relying on supermarkets which im pleased with.

scuzz

I find getting a leg of lamb or joint of some meat or other works out well. You can have a roast, and then use the rest up for other meals

Lamb and beef can be minced in magic mix thing for shepherd/cottage pies or spag bol/chillie con carne

Chicken/turkey/pork - sweet & sours or curries or pies

And all can be sandwich fillers too