Roast beef and yorkshire puddingMeat
Cheaper cuts of meat are often overlooked but they can also produce the tastiest offerings. They will usually require slower cooking as they can be a little tough, but if cooked at a low temperature for a number of hours, the results are delicious. A slow cooker is ideal for these cuts.
We've listed some of the best value meats to get you started:
Lamb - Neck - ideal for stews. Breast - delicious roast or stuffed.
Pork - Belly - slow roast or stewed. Shoulder - slow roast or cut into cubes for a stew.
Beef - Brisket - slow cooking is ideal for this cut. Shin - best braised. Mince - very versatile: bolognese, chilli or meatballs are just a few possibilities.
Chicken - Thighs - great roasted, in curries or cooked in stews. Whole - often cheaper to buy the whole bird rather than the jointed pieces. If buying whole, you can roast and then use the leftovers for soups or sandwiches.
Pulses
By adding beans, lentils or grains to stews, you can bulk them out for very little money. When cooking bolognese, a handful of red lentils can cut down the amount of mince you use and remain largely undetected (by those that say they don't like them...). If you're cooking a chilli, add two tins of kidney beans to the sauce. This way you can get at least an extra couple of portions out of the meal and freeze any you have left over. If you're making a stew, add a couple of handfuls of pearl barley; this will help thicken the stew and also reduce the amount of meat you need.
Vegetables
Add extra vegetables to stews, using filling varieties such as swede and other root vegetables. You can also add grated vegetables to sauces to help bulk them out, and sneak a few extra veggies in while they're not looking. Some that work well are carrots and courgettes which can be added to minced beef dishes.
Shop around
We can easily get stuck in a shopping rut, only shopping at one place and giving them our loyalty, but it's time to shake things up a bit and embrace variety. The discount supermarkets have soared in popularity over the past year, those that often stock produce from around Europe and simply pile 'em high and sell 'em cheap. They often have great bargains at much reduced costs and surprisingly good quality. Even if you just buy your tinned and dried goods, you could make a big saving.
If you have a market local to you, lucky you! Get shopping there. Towards the end of the day you can usually get food at knock-down prices. If you have a butcher, get chatting to them, ask for suggestions and cheaper cuts of meat. You'll often find they are only too happy to help and give you tips. Many people aren't interested in the more unusual cuts of meat, so get along and you could find you get some very helpful recommendations to try.
This article was first published on June 3, 2009.