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NewsThe Steaks Have Never Been Higher!
The Steaks Have Never Been Higher!

The Steaks Have Never Been Higher!

Tags: Tips and Tricks
Last updated by Kayley Harris on

The steaks (pun intended) have never been higher when it comes to meat prices..beef prices at an all time high with eye fillet at $50 a kilo, mince has doubled and Australia is the 5th largest meat consumer in the world on a per capita basis. 

When you’re trying to save money at the checkout, you may find that meat is your most expensive purchase. We love a traditional lamb roast once a week but to cover the cost of that, we need to cut back on the rest of the week’s meat.

These days there are quite a few wholesale butchers around where you can by in bulk for a lot less than the 2 major supermarkets charge. Remember, you are paying for the convenience of nice slicing and packaging from a supermarket.

Watch out for your favorite store’s weekly brochure. Sometimes the best deals are when the 2 main supermarkets are competing but as a rule, while they might have lamb on special, it’s unlikely they will have all of their meats on special as well..they have to make up the money somehow.

We spoke to Robert Constable (pictured) on the Daily Drive show last week. Robert is the State Chairman of the Australian Meat Industry Council.

He told us one of the reasons meat is expensive at the moment is because of the nation’s “herd size”, which should be at 28 million but is currently just below 26 million. 70% of our meat goes off shore so the 30% that is left is pretty expensive.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT

Try these tips to spend less, get more, and make it last longer.

1. Remember, Size Matters
You’ll get the most value when you buy in bulk, and stores always have better deals on bigger cuts of meat. Don’t be afraid to take up space in your freezer. Buy extra meat to get the best value, and make it last by freezing it until you need it.

2. Buy Reduced Price

Don’t be afraid to buy meat close to its use-by date especially if it’s been marked down for quick sale. Then, use them by the date on the package or freeze them for later use:

3. Buy Cheaper Cuts

Choose more affordably priced choice cuts of beef instead of pricier prime cuts. Then, marinade, tenderize or braise them to frugal perfection.

4. Mix It 
Learn to like things like meatballs, meat loaf, and hamburger patties. These are also good for hiding veggies in if you have fussy kids.

5. Do the Trim Work Yourself

Meats that have been sliced, butterflied, cut into tenderloins or made into patties cost more than meats that haven't; so, buy simple cuts, and do the trim work yourself.

Originally posted on .

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Someone
Someone from SA commented:

I was interested to find recently that buying cheaper cuts and cooking slowly didn't work out to be economical. I weighed all the fat, sinew and gristle to find that it weighed about 50% of the total product. This was lamb shoulder chops. If I had bought half the total weight of lamb steaks at twice the price I would have had the same value and saved about an hour in time and labour. I was really surprised so it pays to watch out sometimes. 

margaret
margaret from NSW commented:

Yep. The meat to bone ratio is very important, for example pork ribs are now a rather silly buy as are neck chops and ox tail. But, but, but, I do so enjoy a good stew or casserole and consider the time as well spent as I only buy specials and markdowns and always produce many extra serves for the freezer. However this calculating of waste and actual belly fill should be done right throughout our food buying. Ever weighed a banana skin? When bananas are above $4 a kilo I move on to the next affordable special returning to the banana display when they again become good value. Then there are the products that give much more than they first indicate Lentils, all dried beans and their associates, when cooked increase in belly fill by approximately two and a half times their dried weight, and really help to extend the meat in casseroles stews and curries Cook them in quantity, freeze and enjoy using just the quantity you want at any time....like frozen peas. Of course, rice, couscous, pasta,are just a few of the other foods that increase in volume when cooked however nutrition wise, few beat lentils and beans. 

margaret
margaret from NSW commented:

To me this is one of the most realistic articles this club has produced in a long time. I thought, I could not have expressed it better my self. Then I realized that over the last couple of years I have expressed those all those views. Why with so much meat produced we are paying such high prices, and how to purchase intelligently, the merits bulk buying, of having a separate freezer and the best way of using it, and so on. Never-the less this article is so comprehensive, I can think of nothing to add. Congratulations Kayley. 

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