Favorite budget meat cut

Cymbaline65

I'm notoriously cheap and only get extravagant when it comes to cooking toys and food. That said, over the years I've found that my favorite "budget" cuts of meat (short ribs, beef ribs, flank, flat iron even Boston Butts) have increased in price to the point that I'm now on the hunt for the next "cheap thing." A cut that has great flavor and texture that can shine on the BGE without breaking the bank. A cut that is usually ignored by the masses. This really comes into play when feeding a crowd.

I'd love to hear what others are doing. I'm thinking cuts of meat normally reserved for the crock pot that can be translated to the Egg.

Thanks!

Village Idiot

Your first purchases should be this.

Click here.

and this

Click here.

Cymbaline65

I have a tenderizer but have never used the Jaccard. So what cuts would most benefit with the Jaccard?

Village Idiot

I'd say round steak and flank steak are the prime suspects.  Also, some sirloins can be tough, so I'd probably use it on them too.  I use both if I want to flatten out chicken.

Cymbaline65

You know, I don't think I've ever cooked a Round Steak in any shape or form. I've heard of the Jaccard but just thought it a bit "brutal". I can see where marinade absorption would be benefited. VI: do you ever Egg with cuts like round or chuck?

Village Idiot

I only use round for chicken fried steak, and that is pan fried.  So, it can be done on the Egg or cooktop.  To avoid the splatter, I do them on the Egg mostly, but I don't see any advantage taste wise.  The only chuck I've ever done is a chuck roast, and I typically braise them.

Eggcelsior

Based on the cuts you mentioned, I don't really know what's left from the "slow cooker" cuts. Pinic roast is cheaper than Boston butt. Maybe roast a beef or pork head?

Shiff

Our local markets had a sale last week on Sirloin Tip roasts. This cut is not from the sirloin, but from the round and it can be tough. I used my Jaccard on it and then cooked it indirect at around 300 until it was medium and it was great. 

fishlessman

things seem to be diffferent from where your from. tritips and flanks are expensive here, almost approaching novalty, i find descent ribeyes cheaper most times. in the middle of a chuck roll theres the chuck eye roast which is a pretty descent cut, buy the whole chuck roll and grind the exterior and save the eye roast for potroast or pulled beef. up here a rump roast isnt just a bottom round, its the whole rump and steaks cut off it from the loin side are pretty good, butcher here calls it a newyork sirloin, usually 3 to 4 muscles in the cut, not whats usually referred to as a newyork sirloin.

Cymbaline65

Well, a decade or two ago, flanks were cheap around here and Flat Irons dirt cheap. Now? Not so much. @Eggcelsior: I must admit, my wife would freak if I did a whole pig's head. I'm just wondering what others are doing with the cheaper cuts. I'll still pop for a class-A Ribeye when the time is right and introduction of the Sous Vide could change things up a bit. Thanks for the input guys!

Cymbaline65

Oh, @Fishlessman, that pic looks great.

Canugghead

Cymbaline65 said:

.. I can see where marinade absorption would be benefited.

also, according to company's website ...

blades cut through connective tissues that can make meat tough.

be careful though, I once jaccarded tough eye of round (with blades across the grain), with some pineapple juice in the marinade, left it too long in the fridge ... bam, triple whammy... it turned mush ">

gdenby

Cymbaline65 said:

... @Eggcelsior: I must admit, my wife would freak if I did a whole pig's head. I'm just wondering what others are doing with the cheaper cuts. I'll still pop for a class-A Ribeye when the time is right and introduction of the Sous Vide could change things up a bit.

I've only done one pig's head, and it was the best pork I've ever had. My wife made me remove the eyes, and I pinned the ears over the sockets. I carved it away from the table, and after her first bite of cheek, all resistance was gone. I've since found a butcher that will sell me a whole case of cheeks, but being a special order, I doubt it would be inexpensive.

There is little inexpensive beef near me. When I was younger, ox tails, hearts, tongue, when they appeared, were around $1/lb. Now,  soup bones w. very little meat cost close to $2, and heart as much as $4.

The least expensive beef I can find is whole strip sections, usually about $3/lb. They are no better than select grade. The steaks turn out well after 60 hours in the SV.

A few times a year, whole pork loins show up for around $2. Rib tips were only $1 a few years ago, but are now 1.80 at best.

I did find an Asian grocer that often has pig hearts for under $2. Harder to work w. than beef hearts because of the small size, but quite tasty grilled.

For T-day I'm experimenting w. "turkey ribs." I saw a place in Chi that was serving the mid section of turkey wings. I've tried them, raised, indirect, dome around 300, turning them a few times till they were crisp, and served w. sauce pretty good finger food. I did trim away the heavy sking along one edge, so most of what remained was thin enough it crisped, instead of turning to rubber.

Cymbaline65

@Gdenby, I whole heartedly agree that some of the lesser-desired cuts can be the tastiest. I'm not much an organ meat guy, but a whole fish served up with eyes and all is still delicious in my book (esp the cheeks). I used to do a whole pig roast for our neighborhood years ago where you got to see everything. Wife and kids didn't mind that as it was covered up most of the time. Maybe I can sneak it in one day. :-\"

@Canughead, mmm, mushy beef... Guess it was take out that night?

GreenhawK

Pork Chops are cheap here.  I don't know how long that will last with China buying the largest pork producer.  I think they will start exporting pork to China making our pork more expensive. 

I seem to find cheaper "odd ball" cuts of meat at the small, one owner, grocery stores. They seem to try to get everything they can out of the animals where a Publix must grind it up.

Cymbaline65

Here was our guest of honor in 2007. 28hrs on, flipped and about 4hrs until serving time.

billyray

Village Idiot said:

Your first purchases should be this.

Click here.

and this

Click here.

Here's the one I have, it's an all in one model. Made by an ex-butcher in Reno

http://www.butcherskitchen.com/

Skiddymarker

IMO you already have noted the least expensive cuts, cryo pork loins and shoulder cuts ($1.49 to $1.99 per pound) and yardbirds ($0.79 to $2.00 per pound) depending on the cut. 

What we've changed is how much we eat, rather pay $10 for a small prime fillet than $10 for a huge tough T-bone. 

Buying smaller better cuts doesn't help feed a crowd, but in those instances when we have a crowd we tend to go with burgers or chicken legs. 

Cymbaline65

Skiddymarker said:

What we've changed is how much we eat...

We have too. No longer buy a whole rib eye per person, now we slice it up and give each person a "normal" serving. I'm always picking up stuff on sale and freezing as I go along.

VI: that tenderizer looks like a weapon. You like it better than the Jaccard?

Cymbaline65

GreenhawK said:

Pork Chops are cheap here.  I don't know how long that will last with China buying the largest pork producer.  I think they will start exporting pork to China making our pork more expensive. 

I seem to find cheaper "odd ball" cuts of meat at the small, one owner, grocery stores. They seem to try to get everything they can out of the animals where a Publix must grind it up.

Pork and chicken are still pretty cheap here, still. Beef, and of course, seafood, are really high and I have to travel 20+ miles to get the super-fresh good stuff. I normally buy all my meat from my local family purveyor (owner's daughter is good friends with my daughter) but no "family and friends" discount for me!

Village Idiot

Cymbaline65 said:

Skiddymarker said:

VI: that tenderizer looks like a weapon. You like it better than the Jaccard?

I use them both.  If I want to flatten the meat out some, like chicken Cordon Bleu, or round steak for Chicken Fried Steak, and sometimes flank steak for stir fry, Ill use the mallet.  For a thicker cut that I want to keep thick, like a steak, I'll only use the Jaccard.

Wolfpack

I really enjoy skirt steak- especially Asian style

henapple

Flat irons are really inexpensive here... Love them for fajitas.

Cymbaline65

henapple said:

Flat irons are really inexpensive here... Love them for fajitas.

They used to be here. Now they are as much as flank steak. I love the cut.

Village Idiot

Cymbaline65 said:

henapple said:

Flat irons are really inexpensive here... Love them for fajitas.

They used to be here. Now they are as much as flank steak. I love the cut.

Flank steak isn't very popular in Houston.  I prefer it for stir fry beef dishes.  I found a package at Randalls and bought it.  Then, a couple of weeks later, I went for more and didn't find any, so I asked the butcher.  I said I had bought one a couple of weeks ago.  He said "So you're the one".

Bill_Swerski

skirt steak and tri-tip

Cymbaline65

Bill_Swerski said:

skirt steak and tri-tip

Both of those are within $1 of Flank where I live. It's all these Eggers buying up the supply here in GA!

Little Steven

Try hanger and flap. You are going to pay a premium for getting it from a butcher but still cheaper than flank and skirt. I couldn't even get skirt here ten years ago now it's a fortune. I like flap better than skirt now anyway. BTW Don't tell anybody ]

Coastalcooker

Crabs can be caught using fish heads or the remains after fileting as bait. Free-that's low cost. Shrimp are cheap when plentiful, but this year the catch is again scarce due to black gill. Shrimp were about $4.00 per pound a few weeks ago. The last ones I got were good bait sized, but I guess we'll eat them anyway. They were also free.
Chuck roast works on the egg, but while cheap for beef and more than butts.
My wife and I buy good porterhouse and split it. She gets the filet and I get the strip, no waste this way.
Fish with artificial bait off the dock and eat the results. A couple I know cut a strip from the loin of stingray and say it is good.
Racoons are a problem here and can be eaten if cooked properly.

henapple

I can get a flat iron for around $6...but brisket is over $6 lb. So when I screw up a brisket Sher-bear pimp slaps me., and not the fun kind.

Coastalcooker

Forgot to add, turkey is $.59 a pound at Publix until after Thanksgiving.