Everyone is feeling the financial strain at the moment and looking for easy ways to cut down costs. So it's no surprise that the weekly food shop is one of the first places people look to make savings, as it's where we spend a big portion of our weekly budget.
Needless to say, high quality meat doesn't come cheap. However we don't believe you need to compromise on quality or flavour to make savings when it comes to buying meat. You just need to know which cuts of meat to go for to make the budget stretch further. This is where a butcher's expertise really comes into its own, and we're here to help!
Here are our favourite cuts of meat that don't cost the earth:
Chicken Drumsticks and Thighs
Much cheaper than breast meat, and arguably much more flavourful too, chicken drumsticks and thighs are some of our favourite budget cuts. These cuts have the bone left in, which means they'll remain moist and tender throughout the cooking process. We love using chicken thighs and drumsticks in a traybake for an easy "chuck-it-in-the-oven" midweek meal.
Chuck Steak
Also known as braising steak, this super affordable cut of meat delivers excellent flavour for very little effort. Our grass fed chuck steak is best cooked low and slow, so it lends itself perfectly to sumptuous stews, pies and classics such as beef bourguignon. You can also buy it pre-diced if you want to save a bit of time and effort. Dig out the slow cooker and enjoy!
Belly of Pork
For an inexpensive Sunday Roast, you can't go far wrong with a succulent slab of free range pork belly. Not only is it full of flavour, but that top layer of fat is going to give you the best crackling of your life! Just add buttery mash and some delicious seasonal veg - easy.
Lamb Breast
Lamb breast isn't a popular cut of meat, it's usually overlooked in favour of it's more popular relatives like lamb shanks or lamb shoulder. But should you choose this underrated cut, you'll be hugely rewarded. A long, slow cook will render down the fat and bring out the melt in the mouth texture. Yum!