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| As we have seen with other processed foods, there more processing involved, typically the lower the original quality of the ingredients. | |
| Easy Butchery
tip #1
Don't like cutting up raw chicken? |
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| Try using a sharp pair of
scissors. It's much easier and you can get close to the bone. It's also much safer and you probably won't cut yourself like you could with a knife. |
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| Here are some great chicken recipes from Uncle Buck | |
| With meat you get what you pay for. Beef, chicken or pork, it's all the same. Don't cut corners on the selection of meat for your meals. Cheaper cuts of meat tend to come from lower grade animals and may contain tenderizers to speed cooking. |
| Don't eat too many hotdogs | |
| Alarming reports like this, where a A study of 440 children in the Denver area suggested a higher incidence of brain tumors and leukemia among children who ate hot dogs once a week or whose mothers did during pregnancy may make you think twice about eating highly processed meat. |  |
| Got some boys? Get to know a butcher. | |
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Meat is like any other grocery item; there are stores that specialize in it. Just as you may go to the fruit market to get your greens, you may go to a butcher to get your meat. This is something foreign to most people the first time; but becomes important when you have more than yourself to feed. Sad but true, it's the boys that really devour the meat; and it's important to feed them the protein they need to grow and develop.
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If it is not convenient to visit a butcher your other option is visiting stores like Costco and buying full loins of pork/beef/etc. If you take a pork loin, you can easily make that into 2 roasts, some meat chunks for slouvaki, and a few chops; as long as you don't mind getting your hands dirty and doing some packaging for the freezer. Working with meat is not for everyone; but if you have a few boys; you start to try things you never imagined before; cutting up a few roasts could be the easiest thing you have done in awhile. |
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Most of use have cooked steaks on the
BBQ, but cooking a roast is something
And so we did.
We added a can of corn and some corn chips
and it's still a meal that he talks
about. So easy. 5 times the amount of
meat for the same money. You can use
beef, chicken, pork, anything at
all. Anyone can do
it. Now this guy has 2 kids and has a few roasts a week. His "special blend" of herbs and spices is a legend. It's amazing when all you do is take the time to cook a half a bag of potatoes and 4 cans of corn and then portion it into bowls; you have food for the week. Pounding nails is hard work and is easier if you have a full stomach. Of course it's not as simple as that, but it IS possible to prepare affordable meals for your family that include meat. Issues to consider when preparing red meat: Sear it first. When cooking beef you want to "sear" it on high heat on the outside; then cook on lower heat until done. Whether on the BBQ, in the oven or on the grill at McDonald's; most restaurants use this method when preparing their beef dishes. The outside is tasty and spicy; while the inside is tender and juicy.
Using
a cheaper cut of beef? Try
cooking slowly
in the oven. In a
roasting pan cover meat in water; add
some spice to your sauce by adding a bit of beef broth, a can of crushed
tomatoes, or some chopped
onion. Cook covered at 300 for 2-3
hours. Remove meat and make a
quick gravy: Cook it well - Conventional wisdom seems to say that to reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses you should heat the meat completely. For those of you who like very rare beef this may be a problem but is seen as a good precaution. |
| Cook
or freeze hamburger on the day it is
purchased. This meat may have
been freshly ground today and will go
bad quicker than a steak or roast.
Defrost quickly and cook immediately;
this can reduce the
formation of eColi bacteria; known to
cause serious illnesses in humans. Ground meat or sausage is low grade meat. I am not saying all hamburger is bad; but the chances of receiving lower grade material certainly rises quickly when you are getting a burger, fries and a drink for $3.99. |
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Pork Here are some of Uncle Bucks favorite pork recipes You can roast and serve pork "pink" in the middle these days without fear; although you should not overcook it as it becomes hard and stringy. Fruity. Everyone knows about pork chops and apple sauce. Why not try pineapple, prunes or plums? The white meat can really augment the fruit. Cook the pork first and then use a reduced sauce: In a saucepan cook the fruit with 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt until soft. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon cornstarch in mixed in 1/2 cup water, mixing constantly until boiled for 1 minute. Remove from heat and continue stirring for 1 minute. Let stand 5 minutes and serve over sliced pork. It's an interesting and healthy choice; protein and fruit. Pork is typically the most affordable of all meat and is available in entire loins or backs. It can be quite expensive when portioned out at the butcher. A sharp knife, an entire loin and a bit of work can create meals for the week at a fraction of the price. Here are some great pork ideas at Buck's Recipe HomePage |
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