The prices of meats are rising and settling at all times; though, while the prices of expensive cuts of meats always remain high-yet-competitive, the prices of cheaper cuts of meats remain low-yet-competitive. This means that you can pick up some cheaper cuts of meat and still create a delicious and decadent meal — as long as you know how to use the cuts of meat. Here are some cheaper cuts of meat and ideas of how to use them:
Flat Iron Steak
Also known as ‘top blade’ the flat iron cut is nontraditional yet versatile and comes from the shoulders of cows. Although fillet and sirloin are tenderer, flat iron steak is both affordable and delicious. It can be prepared in various ways like pan frying, grilling, marinating and braising among others. Caution should however be observed to avoid overcooking.
Get A Delicious Flat Iron Steak Recipe HERE >>
Beef Chuck
This is another cheap cut which comes from steers’ shoulders. It can be chopped up for stew or braised whole. Beef chuck has connective tissues which tenderize it and adds flavor. The secret with this cut is to cook it slowly. Beef chuck pot roast is a traditional one-pot meal which works well for both family dinners and parties.
Get Our Best Beef Chuck Pot Roast Recipe HERE >>
Pork Shoulder
This is one of the most affordable meat options out there. An average bone-in shoulder could feed a family of four, and typically costs less than $10 for 3 pounds. It responds very well to shredding and slow cooking, which means one can set and leave it to attend to other chores.
Get Our Favorite Pork Shoulder Recipe HERE >>
Chicken Thighs and Legs
Chicken is generally affordable. However, the enormous demand for boneless, skinless and breasts tends to drive up the price, especially in urban areas. Still, wings, thighs and legs are usually more affordable yet flavorful. Unlike breasts, they’re also easier to cook properly.
Get Our Favorite Chicken Thigh and Leg Recipe HERE >>
Sirloin
The sirloin refers to a large-area cut from a cow’s rear back section. Top sirloin tends to be tenderer thus more preferred. If one is looking for something cheaper, the tip sirloin is a leaner cut that goes well for stew, kebabs and stir-fry. To keep it from becoming dry and chewy, it needs to be marinated for several hours before broiling, grilling or pan-searing.
Get Our Favorite Sirloin Steak Kebab Recipe HERE >>
As you can see, just because some cuts of meat are cheaper, doesn’t mean you can’t make them into great dishes. Thanks to cell phones and mobile devices, finding easy recipes for cheap meats has never been easier. All you have to do is go to your local butcher or grocery meat counter and ask for deals and cheaper cuts that are available that day, and search for recipes for that select cut of meat or ingredient. With the wealth of recipes available online today, you can search through hundreds of recipes and get ideas for your own recipes using these affordable — yet delicious — cuts of meat.
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Great post. We cut down on meat costs by using smaller portions. A 3lb pork shoulder would be several meals for us.
Once cooked down into pulled pork, that 3 pound shoulder can be separated and frozen for for smaller pulled pork packages.
Definitely. So many different things can be done with it.
Thank you for this! The price of food in general is crazy these days!
Yes it has; hence the reason we have been trying to work more with these cheap cuts. Hope some of these ideas help with your food dollar.
Great post. Thank you so much!
Reblogged this on and commented:
Very well written and informative. Sharing from Italian Home Kitchen.
Reblogged this on Home Made Dreams! and commented:
Nice tips and awesome looking meals, cheaper? Count me in!
I wish any of those dishes was on my table right now!
Great post! And you know what else works well with cheaper cuts of meat? A sous vide. It’s an amazing machine that transforms flatiron or flank or brisket into filet mignon. seriously. I love that you included chicken legs and thighs…
I forgot about sous vide. Thanks for the reminder!
Pork shoulder is excellent for pulled pork. A shoulder will make at least 3 lots of meals for 3 of us plus some lunches. One of my favourite cheap cuts is ox cheek – it makes the tastiest stew.
Slow cooking using my electric slow cooker is my favourite way of using cheaper cuts. Pork Shoulder is wonderful – I cook mine in cider (alcoholic) as is Beef braising steak – cooked in Guinness. Chicken thighs are much tastier than breast.
Your right, cooking tough cuts of meat properly is just the way to do it. I boil pork in beer for several hours then pull it apart with a fork for fabulous pulled pork. Thanks for all the delicious recipes
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We do a beer, onion, red pepper combo as well… cheap beer works better as well.
I love all of those cuts – especially pork shoulder – my recipe for slow cooked pork shoulder with crispy crackling is the most visited page on my blog!
Checked out that recipe and gave it a like. Going to try out the recipe this weekend, hopefully.
Mouthwatering! Great for us carnivores 🙂
Look amazing 👏
Beef chuck and chicken leg quarters are my meat staples. I did not know about the pork shoulder and will try that next time I have to buy meats. I started my garden to cut my grocery bill in half. Unfortunately, I can’t grow a roast from seed and I’m too much of a wimp to raise my own beef. A steer would be taught tricks and named Daisy and would live here until it passed away of natural causes. Thank you for following my blog and I will absolutely love following yours.
Jean
I have a brother who tried to raise cows for sale, and even that was tough for him. Another word of advice is when the big name grocery stores have sales on meat cuts and they are buy x amout get x amount free, each one is a jacked up prices from normal and then discounted a bit, so you are really paying a very small bit less each, but are buying up their overloaded stock.
Yes, I’d noticed that. I buy and either immediately use or freeze items discounted for quick sale. There is not a thing wrong with them other than they’ve reached their sell by date and need to be either used that day or frozen.
Awesome post. Lovely photos.