March 2011 Grocery Challenge

Second weekly shop of the month done this morning, £40.22 spent which included 3 small easter eggs for the kids. I am never going shopping in T$scos on a Sunday morning ever again. Got there at 10.10 and it was heaving. Think I'll stick to Friday nights.

I made the other day some pork cheeks that were really nice and really cheap! The packet of 4 (2 for each of us) came at about £1.50 or so. You need to cook them for quite a long time, I think I left them for 4h simmering in the sauce, but they came with a strong meaty taste and really soft texture. I think they might be great for slow cooking. I found 2 recipes online, I only did one but I will post both, times are on the hob not in SC:

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Braised pork cheeks in red wine
TIME: 4h and a half

*Ingredients
- 4-6 pork cheeks
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 1 tomato
- 1 leek, 1 celery stick (optional)
- 1 clove of garlic
- Thyme, rosemary, tarragon
- 1 glass of red wine (150ml-200ml)
- 1/2l stock (any)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar

*Method
1. Marinate the pork cheeks in the wine for 24h (optional), the longer the better.
2. Drain the pork and keep the wine. Brown the pork in some oil. Remove and keep on the side.
3. Saut!e the onion, garlic, tomato, leek, carrot and celery. Caramelize on full heat.
4. Add the pork cheeks and the wine to the vegetables.
5. Reduce the volume by half
6. Add the stock, herbs and sugar.
7. Braise for 3 to 4h on low heat
8. Remove the cheeks and reduce the sauce until thick
9. Pour sauce over cheeks and serve

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Pork cheeks in cider
TIME: 2h

* Ingredients:
4-6 pork cheeks without fat
1-2 onions, chopped
Butter
400ml dry cider
3 sage Leaves

* Method
1. Soft the onion with olive oil and butter.
2. Brown the cheeks
3. Add the cider and bring to the boil
4. Preheat the oven at 160C
5. Place in an oven dish and put it in the oven for 70 min. Baste often,
6. Add the sage leaves and return to the oven for 20 min.
7. Let it to rest for 10 min outside the oven

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Prices have shot up in Sainsburys, I was looking for butter not a few weeks ago and noticed their basics spread for 50p. Saw it again today for £1.20! Tesco it is for the time being whilst they have a price war on with asda!

martafdz wrote: »

If you need to stock up, MrM has I can't believe it's not butter both normal and Light 500g at 62p.

Thanks for that, I dont need any I just noticed how much of a difference it was from not a week ago and then I started to notice even more increased prices!

Martafdz-where did you buy pork cheeks from, butchers?

roger_ramjet wrote: »

Hopefully, I will get into a discipline of appreciating that I don't necessarily need to buy things, just because they are on offer etc.

I think we could ALL benefit from adopting that particular policy.
Not sure how - but I seemed to miss your post that incorporated the above quote about having a £0 budget for March, but wish you the best of luck with it :T

I also have a freezer (well two actually) bursting at the seams, and yet I've put aside an allowance from this months GC budget for meat - but in actual fact, have no room to buy any even if I do see a bargain!

I do actually need several store cupboard items though, including things like herbs & spices, soy sauce and so on, so think a re-think is in order :think: as to what I actually use this months "meat" budget money for, especially given that I have all the meat required for my menu plan up to and including the 26th, and probably enough after that until the end of the month too.....I would then have pretty much zilch left though - and the thought of that freaks me out!
Also, buying as and when it's on offer means I seldom pay full price for any of my meat......it's not easy, is it? trying to work out what to do for the best :undecided

NSD here today - I needed one!