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So, I've been pretty lucky finding deals on chicken, pork, ham, and ground beef since I started watching prices. However, I feel like I'm not eating enough beef. Problem is it's just SO expensive. Even stewing beef at regular price is around $11.00/kg at Frescho.
Anyone have any tips on how to afford beef while on a budget? Steaks, roasts, stewing beef? Anything other than ground beef, which does go on sale fairly regularly.
Thanks!
All you can really do is watch for sales.Quote:
Originally Posted by debba1c
Know your prices. With us, I won't buy Prime Rib unless it goes on sale for $4.99/lb
Stewing beef, I won't buy period. Just buy a cheaper cut as a roast or even a steak and cut it up yourself.
I find even ground beef is expensive so I wait until it is $2.49/lb or less before I will buy it.
Best of luck :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by dreamcatcher1962
Thanks Dreamcatcher.
I would prefer to cut up my own beef as well instead of buying stewing beef. I can't remember seeing ground beef for $2.49 recently, but I stocked up last time it was 2.99. Any idea what should constitute a "good" price on beef? Roasts or steaks.
I think a good price really depends on where you live. Recently the big cryovac (sp?) roasts have been going on sale from $1.99 - $3.99/lb. $1.99/lb means buy a few to break down and one to cook whole and turn into shredded beef. Anywhere from [email protected]/lb I usually pick up one to break down and keep on hand. We rarely buy various cuts I use roasts for stewing and various other meats. The only things we really buy are Ground Beef, Roasts and Grilling Steaks.
I don't know which province you are in but for us a good sale on Prime Rib roasts is $4.99/lb.
Once I saw it for $3.99/lb and stocked up on that one . :top:
DH will take a prime rib roast and cut it into steaks for us.
Another idea for your stewing beef is to get a Blade Roast when they go on sale and cut that up.
It's been a while since I've bought one of those but I think anywhere from $2-$3 /lb is a good sale price. If you're not sure about sales prices, ask your local butcher what they consider really good prices on beef and go from there.
Just a note on the Blade Roast (in case you have never used that cut of meat) it needs to be cooked for a long time and on a low temp, ie slow cooker works well with a little water in the pot.
If you try to cook it like a regular roast, it will be as tough as boot leather, lol. It would work really well as stewing beef ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by debba1c
Some of the best meat deals I find are in-store unadvertised, so it always is worth taking a look when there. Surprisingly one of the best places is Safeway; I usually get the best price on ground beef there and I prefer the taste of theirs compared to other places.
I watch prices and buy reduced meat the only thing I will not buy is reduced fish
:top: DittoQuote:
Originally Posted by YOU AND ME
Cruise Walmart and RCSS first thing in the morning they usually have lots of markdowns on meat. I get almost all my roasts this way.
In Nova Scotia there is an annual weekend event called "Open farm Day" where Nova Scotians can visit farms. The perk being you can choose which farms to visit, and thus make connections. A coworker visited a small beef farm where animals are raised free-range in a field, and live off nothing but grass/hay. No steroids, etc. Four of us joined together and bought a whole cow from a beef farmer, and each of us ended up with ~250lbs of beef. We specified to the butcher what cuts we'd like, etc. Sirloin roasts, t-bone, beef, ribs, porterhouse, etc. In the end the total cost per lb was $3.49 (taxes in). That's how you buy meat and save money. And it DOES NOT freezer burn like the stuff you buy at the grocery store. I am sure other provinces have similar programs. The meat is like nothing you have ever had before.....absolutely succulent, tender, and delicious.
With Spring quickly approaching, it's time to order our cows again. This year we are up to 4 whole cows since the word spread about how we were buying our beef so even more coworkers are joining in.
I agree with you about high beef prices, same here in SK.
Haven't even been able to even get ground beef at a decent price, we've just been buying ground pork.
Here a good price for inside/outside round roasts that I'd buy at would be anything less than $7/kg - about $3/lb. However, it's been a long time since I've bought any!
And, gee, blade steaks always seemed to be affordable = and they sure aren't any more! I don't mind at all using recipes with very long cooking time - I can make anything taste good!
I always wow when I see postings of people on SC buying/making prime rib - that is something I've never bought, it's just way, way too expensive here.
BTW, why are you people talking about price per pound? Wondering why you aren't metrified?
I only think in kg - then have to go to an online converter to compare the prices you buys listed, lol!
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Not sure if you have only local Markets smaller food chain but sometimes you would be amazed at deals you can get esp first thing in the morning. I work at a smaller store and get packages of ground beef top quiality for only .99 a pack reg 6.00
Metro - buy beef when you see the 'rip and stick' coupons on themQuote:
Originally Posted by debba1c
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/333033-...99-a-canada-2/
Loblaws - buy beef when you see the 50% off Manager's Special sticker on them
Use your Air Miles to pay for the Metro 'rip and stick' beef deals
Use your PC Plus and PC Points to pay for manager's special beef discounts. Plus use your PC debit or credit card when paying with your reusable shopping bags to get more points.
If you have PC Plus, you MAY get an offer with bonus points when you buy meat. That is when you combine the PC Plus offer with the 50% off Manager's special sticker to "make the beef, make you money":smartass:
If you have 95 Air Miles (=$10 at Metro), use the Air Miles when they have the bonus offer (spend 95 Air Miles and get 25 bonus Air Miles). So your 'rip and stick' beef helps you to earn more Air Miles, so you can buy more cheap beef.
Also have a freezer to store all your beef deals:cheesygrin:
If you have a friend that has a Costco membership, go with your friend when the beef has a yellow highlight on the label (save an extra $2 per package, example)
Right now, RCSS in Ontario has top sirloin steaks or roasts on for $2.99/lb. That's the price point at which I buy mine. I find it goes on sale at that price fairly often. I buy the larger family size packs, which are the ones that go on at that price, take what I need and freeze the extra. My local RCSS was out of stock, so I got a raincheck, which is good for 30 days.
I grill the steaks when I can, and use the leftovers for stir-frys, fajitas, quesadillas, etc. anything that requires strips of beef. In winter, I pan fry the steaks. If they are marinated for hours first, they turn out really well. And the roasts can be used in so many ways too, including cut down into steaks if wanted, or cooked as a roast and using leftovers in other recipes.
For me, the best way to save on beef (or any meat really) is to find the cut I like, that is versatile enough for my needs, and then watch the sales and get to know what is the best sale price that happens with some regularity. That way, I know at what point to buy, and don't bother when the price is higher.