Best-value "value" meat

LOOYATES

Sorry im old fashioned , cant have a meal without fish, or meat!!!! im sad i know, slow cookers are great they mean you can buy a cheap cut of meat and it will come out lovely, i use asda smartprice frying steak which is just over 2.00 a kilo, i also buy a giant turkey drumstick for a pound which is good for stew, pies etc .we have farmshops round here that cut their own meat but its just too expensive, and im in the northwest, he charges 6.00 a kilo for sausages!! i just cant afford it. i also look for reduced stuff too that helps.

Penelope_Penguin

Magpye wrote: »

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

Sorry, I have the constitution of an ox, but the phrase *value meat* makes my flesh creep :eek: :eek: There's the issues about what's in it, and animal welfare, too.

Recently, for health reasons, we've planned 2 meat-free days a week. A lot of the recipes are from Gingham's Vegetarian Meal Planners (there are 3 of them). Some weeks we don't eat meat at all, as there are so many lovely ideas on there.

I've borrowed books from the library for ideas, and bought a couple of the best ones (at very low price 2nd hand through Amazon).

I've also started using smaller portions of meat and bulking out what we have. I made a bolognaise type sauce, with red lentils, and 14 different vegetables . It had half the meat per portion that we once would have eaten, and was delicious.

I'd agree about using braising steak, good mince, and other cheaper cuts of good meat. Cooked slowly, they're delicious.

HTH, Penny. x

moanymoany

I buy Tesco value stewing meat. It is shin and other cheap cuts. I'v looked at the rest of the meat and these cuts aren't anywhere else. My guess is that the demand for the traditionaly cheap cuts that need slow cooking is low and so this is how they package it.

Value mince is very poor. Value bacon is ok and I have had value chicken portions which were ok.

I use good quality mince and use it with the dried soya mince 1 part meat to two or three parts soya.

lbt_2

Hi

Adding to the suggestions above, I tend to buy lean mince from Tesco (£2 for 500g) so there is very very little waste, but I put more vegetables in to bulk it up. I normally make a double batch and freeze most of it as I don't have time to cook every night - and I doubt you do if you work full time.

Also, like a couple of others above I have just invested in a slow cooker and you can use the cheaper cuts of meat in them without compromising on the taste.

Hope this helps.

Raspberry_Swirl

i make a special trip now and then to Morrisons as i find they stock a wider ranger of meat cuts. i don't like their fruit and veg so only buy their meat.

recently they've started stocking packs of shin beef for casseroles and it's pretty cheap. this cut is something i've seen chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver rave about but i never see it in Tescos.

they also stock large pieces of belly pork which makes a great roast if you don't mind a little extra fat. great crackling!

newlywed

I won't buy "value" meat.

I found Aldi lean steak mince to be very nice - not gristly or too fatty. Think its about £1.79 for 500g or something.

I bulk out the mince with any combination of:
grated carrots
red lentils
kidney beans/other beans
sliced carrots
sweetcorn
peas

The kids don't even seem to notice they are eating red lentils in their shepherds pie and lasagna

The further you can stretch it, the cheaper it works out

Penny-Pincher!!

I used to buy alot of "value" meats and poultry. TBH, out of all the stores, I found Lidls and Aldis meat and poultry good value and didnt seem to hold much water or fat.

I only buy Aldis minced lamb. 1kg for £1.87..this makes 3 Shepherds Pie for 3 of us (plus extra large portion) and I pad it out with a tin of baked beans.

We dont really eat much beef, but I tend to buy only when yellow stickered and good quality as I dont like the grissly (sp) bits. If we are having steak, I only buy from 1 butchers and is expensive but tastes devine!

If you visit your local supermarket at around 8pm, you should find some excellent reductions. Our local Sainsburys (garage one) at around 10pm reduces everything to 10-50p. We have bought FR chicken, FR beef, sausages, soups, eggs, milk, pizzas, organic duck, posh TTD ready meals and loads more for literally pennies.

I have seen some butchers doing 3 packs of different meats for £5, but am not sure of their quality. You could go in and ask. Most butchers are happy to help.

I normally stock up on M&S chickens (RSPCA approved) when they are half price.

We did have a roast dinner round a friends a few months ago and she told me the chicken was bought from Lidl at £2. I must say it tasted quite nice, but I know alot of people dont like the ethical point of view.

What are your favourite meals and meats?

HTH

PP
xx

scottishgal_2

Would you buy value meat? And if not why? Just asking as on another forum I go on everyone says they wouldn't ever buy value meat. I buy value beef stewing steak and put it in the slow cooker, it comes out very tender supposing I had paid 3 times the price you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Just wondering what is wrong with it?

melli_2

scottishgal wrote: »

Would you buy value meat? And if not why? Just asking as on another forum I go on everyone says they wouldn't ever buy value meat. I buy value beef stewing steak and put it in the slow cooker, it comes out very tender supposing I had paid 3 times the price you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Just wondering what is wrong with it?

I won't buy Value Chicken for ethical reasons and tend not to eat much meat however I am doing an experiment in Values foods and have had Value Bacon which is great. My current pack has eight slices all really thick!
Value Sausage Rolls aren't nice though and I have a pack of Value Smoked Mackerel for my tea tomorrow

victoriajj

I wouldn't buy the fresh value sausages at Tesco's that were 16p for 8, I don't know if they are still selling them. We thought gosh how cheap and bought 3 packs, they were revolting, just tasted of fat so they worked out as very expensive as apart from the one each me and mu DH tries, we threw the rest away. As to other value food I think it's a case of trying it and seeing if you like it