# Are there any cheap cuts of meat we can buy or is it all expensive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [April 8, 2025, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782 "2025-04-08T05:56:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/141 "2025-04-15T01:18:18Z")
I agree that boneless cuts of pork (chops especially) are so lean that they’re easy to overcook if you aren’t careful, though a well-constructed brine (for cuts that aren’t already salt-saturated) can buy you some insurance. I semi-frequently make Char siu using the cheap store pork tenderloins when they are on a BOGO sale (base 4.99/lb, so net of around 2.50/lb). Even with an overnight marinade, it can be a bit rough to keep it moist while caramelizing the exterior. But if I fail, it’s still great to slice and add to ramen, or cut into pencil sized strips and stir fry. > **[Char Siu Pork (Chinese BBQ Pork)](https://www.recipetineats.com/chinese-barbecue-pork-char-siu/)** > > Char Siu Pork (Chinese BBQ Pork) is SO easy to make at home in the oven! The key is the Char Siu marinade that's also used as the glaze. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/142 "2025-04-15T01:27:23Z")
Pork tenderloin can be butterflied and used in a variety of dishes. I use it n a roulade with cheese, sweet peppers and the usual Mediterranean seasonings. Works well with a variety of sauces. I once had this dish at a restaurant but can’t remember what they called it. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/143 "2025-04-17T06:33:21Z")
I can totally believe that mainstream grocery stores carry a much larger variety of products than they did just a few years ago. Ethnic foods, and foods designed to accommodate special diets like gluten-free or vegan are, from my vantage point, a big part of it. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/144 "2025-04-17T08:44:43Z")
Grocery stores stock what sells. As palettes broaden they stock more items. Just-in-time inventories have their drawbacks, as we all learned during covid, but it does make trying out new items, or small quantity items, less of a financial risk. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/145 "2025-04-20T07:38:07Z")
tripe is found in African-American/Southern cuisine ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/146 "2025-04-20T07:43:37Z")
didn’t giblets used to be popular inside Turkey dressing and gravy? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/147 "2025-04-20T12:28:45Z")
Yes, but that’s just the one set you get when you buy a “whole” bird. Your can’t but the giblets separately. Or, not easily. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/148 "2025-04-21T15:21:22Z")
My local Tesco has started selling wagyu beef. I haven’t tried it as it is pretty pricy at £60 a kilo for ribeye (£27 a Lb) and a bit less for sirloin. Their normal beef is on offer (half price) this week, with roasting joints at £7 or £8 a Lb. I rarely roast beef, but we often have a beef stew with suet dumplings made in a slow cooker. The beef joints were cheaper than stewing steak, so I bought one to cut up for stew. Most of the stew will end up in the freezer as curry. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/149 "2025-04-21T16:21:18Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > My local Tesco has started selling wagyu beef. I haven’t tried it as it is pretty pricy at £60 a kilo for ribeye (£27 a Lb) and a bit less for sirloin. If Wagyu was a boxer it would be considered a pound for pound champion, but I have a beef with those prices. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/150 "2025-04-21T21:05:49Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > £27 Yeah, that’s $36 a pound American. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/151 "2025-04-21T21:10:58Z")
Surely £27 gets you 27 pounds. I mean, it’s right there in the name! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/152 "2025-04-21T22:32:42Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > I have noticed that big chains in Canada do a lot better customization of assortment to micro-market demographics than the American chains do. This week’s unusual cut at No Frills was frozen lamb feet ($5/lb). ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/153 "2025-04-21T22:35:58Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > This week’s unusual cut at No Frills was frozen lamb feet ($5/lb). Seriously? That is a new one to me. I have used pig’s feet before (trotters) but never, ever seen lamb’s feet. I see no reason why not but I can’t envision a good use for them on the dinner table. ETA: To be fair, I think I have bought pigs feet once in my whole life to try some recipe (IIRC it was a demi-glace so I wasn’t eating the trotters but using them to make something else). If someone has a great recipe for any trotters please share. I’ll give it a try (maybe 🙂 ). ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2025, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/154 "2025-04-22T04:07:42Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > frozen lamb feet ($5/lb). I’ve seen them and they’re always ghastly white. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2025, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/155 "2025-04-22T14:41:54Z")
I haven’t seen them [ETA: other than as part of live lambs]; but wouldn’t they be mostly bone? Which would mean way more than $5/lb for edible meat. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2025, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/156 "2025-04-22T19:57:32Z")
Maybe people use them to make broth, or even gelatin? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2025, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/157 "2025-04-22T20:08:33Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I haven’t seen them [ETA: other than as part of live lambs]; but wouldn’t they be mostly bone? Bone, cartilage, and tendon. And hoof, with his sort of in the bone/cartilage family. Maybe some marrow/tissue with blood vessels that generate the rest. Could probably make a broth, but I doubt there’s anything like meat on them. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/158 "2025-05-31T18:14:40Z")
The local No Frills had some additional delicacies today: pig tongues and pig snouts! The tongues were relatively cheap. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2025, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/159 "2025-06-03T01:35:41Z")
no pig ears? What kind of soul food place is it 🙂 ? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2025, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782/160 "2025-06-03T01:48:43Z")
No frills no soul. More seriously, I’ve never seen those things there. They had really good stuff during early Covid though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-cheap-cuts-of-meat-we-can-buy-or-is-it-all-expensive/1016782.md?page=9)