This tends to be the Holy Grail quality people look for in meat.
To me, this is a backwards approach to quantifying the quality of meat.
This post originally appeared onCredit.com.
What we really should focus on is theflavorof meat.
Meatliterally, the muscle tissue, fibers, etc.has very little inherent flavor.
Tenderness comes, mainly, from two things: confinement and younger age.
I think you’re able to see which one plays into the hand of the commercial meat industry.
it’s possible for you to never infuse more of the meats natural flavor into the meat postmortem.
But, it would turn the current industry approach on its head.
(Not that that would be a bad thing.)
I address this in many of my workshops.
I bring all of this up because there is an irony in how meat is priced in this country.
Here are my tips for using these factors to your favor when it comes to spending less on meat.
Meat is often the most expensive ingredient we purchase.
Its also the one that we overindulge in more than anything else (except sugar).
When considering a portion size, choose 4 to 6 ounces.
Move away from the large format single-portion cuts, like thick-cut chops and steaks.
Instead, share them amongst multiple people, or purchase cuts that allow for smaller individual portions.
You also know more about where that meat has come from, if that concerns you.
Smaller animals, like poultry or rabbits, are purchased whole and easily butchered at home.
The carcass is butchered into manageable, recognizable cuts, then frozen for home storage.
This includes bones and fat, two of the most important ingredients in nutrient-rich and flavorful cooking.
Now, just because we canbuy a whole animaldoes not automatically mean that it is sourced from local farmers.
In pork and lamb, look for shoulder chops.
In beef, look to chuck, Delmonico or sirloin steaks.
And, above all else, skip tenderloin.
Its the most expensive cut, pound for pound, and its also theleast flavorful.
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The most flavorful cuts are those that have worked the hardest.
(Refer to my earlier point on what develops flavor in living animals.)
These cuts are often the ones that require lengthier, slower cooking times.
Think: shanks, hocks, brisket, breasts, drumsticks, etc.
dairy, fiber, offspring, etc.
In these cases youll probably end up purchasing a whole or half carcass (note tip No.
2 above), which may further reduce the cost.
Talk to your butcher about cheaper alternatives that can yield similar, if not better, results.
Your search can starthereorhere.
He teaches workshops and lectures nationwide for venues such as Stone Barns Center for Agriculture.
Adam lives in Ashland, Oregon.
Image byadeholdar(Shutterstock).
