Saving Money With Budget Meats

Passing by the meat counter, you see a chuck steak on sale for less than a pound of hamburger. Do you buy the hamburger or the chuck steak? A budget minded shopper may just opt for the steak and create their own hamburger at home. Buying food is a huge portion of some family budgets so here are a few tips to help you save more money at the grocery store by shopping for markdown meats.

Buying Steak to Create Hamburger

When steaks are available on sale, snatch them up and create your own hamburger at home. With a food processor and very sharp knife, a chuck steak can quickly be transformed into lean hamburger. Chop the chuck steak into small pieces and throw into the food processor. Remove any fat from the chuck steak before processing. Process chuck steak in small batches and pat out small hamburgers to freeze.

Making Chicken "Breasts" Out of Thighs

Chicken breasts are expensive, but marked down chicken thighs are cheap, cheap, cheap. Bring home the reduced chicken thighs and remove the skin. Using a sharp knife, cut the thigh meat off the bone and place in a large freezer bag. When all the thighs are trimmed, add Italian dressing or barbecue sauce to the bag and freeze. When the chicken thighs are thawed out, they will be marinated to perfection.

Instead of throwing out the bones and skin, place in a large pot with that wilted celery and a few older onions. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam that appears on top. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour. Pour into a container and freeze or store in the refrigerator for later use in mashed potatoes or soup.

When Great Deals are Found - Buy in Bulk

If you pass the reduced meat section and see an extraordinary deal, buy more. Instead of throwing the entire package into the freezer, divide the meat up into separate freezer bags and add spices or sauces to create entire meals in a bag. Mark the bags with the name of the dish and throw it in the freezer.

You can even add some vegetables to the meats if they can be cooked together for long periods. Beef stew meat, for instance, can be frozen with tomatoes and carrots as the basis for beef stew.

Stretching the Reduced Meat Budget Even Further

The whole reason for buying reduced meat is to save money. If the selection is slight one week, head over to the dried beans and pick up a bag or two. Place the dried beans in a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Boil for one hour, drain and rinse beans. When forming hamburgers, add one-half beans and one-half ground beef. The dried beans will create a new taste and double the amount of burgers you can create from the same amount of ground beef.

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