Budget Meat Cuts for One Pot and Slow Cooking

Slow cooking, whether in an appliance, stock pot, or casserole, is not only a terrific energy saver, but is also perfect for transforming cheaper cuts of meat, such as chicken thighs, shoulders of lamb and belly of pork, into tender and tasty dishes.

If you’re looking for an easy way to save money in the kitchen while still putting a delicious and nutritious meal on the table, slow and one pot cooking is the answer as this style of cooking allows you to make the best of budget meat cuts. That’s because cheaper cuts of meat often need to be cooked slowly to make them tender and delicious. When cooked on a low heat, and over a couple of hours, the slow cooking process gradually breaks down the connective tissues of tougher cuts until the meat is very tender and juicy.

Next time you’re in the supermarket, keep a look out for these economical options:

Beef
Chuck steak, blade steak, round steak, skirt steak, topside, fresh silverside, shin, brisket, shin bone-in/ osso bucco, boneless shin/gravy beef, oxtail, and beef spare ribs are among the best options.

Lamb
Leg, shoulder, shanks, boneless forequarter, neck chops or whole (bone-in or boned), and chump chops are among the best options. Mutton is equally budget-friendly, with tougher flesh but more flavour – delicious once tenderised.

Chicken
Any chicken pieces, such as thigh pieces or drumsticks (but those on the bone are ideal for slow cooking).

Pork
Diced shoulder, forequarter chops, neck, cheeks, hock, chump, ribs.