Butchers share cheaper meat cuts to try when the steaks are high
- Budget-friendly fish and fresh produce swaps from the experts (plus recipes)
- Neil Perry's wagyu beef bolognese recipe
- Katrina Meynink's roast rump cap with fig jam and spices
"The price of beef is literally at an all-time high," says Harriette Greenhalgh, the director of Sydney's largest fresh meat market, Australian Meat Emporium.
"A couple of years ago we were selling everyday porterhouse steaks for $17.99 a kilo or something, and now it's around $30 a kilo."
Troy Wheeler, co-owner of Victorian specialty butcher MeatSmith, says he's seen prices rise up to 40 per cent over the past year.
The relentless increases forced the butcher to pass on roughly half of the added cost to his customers. But Wheeler insists there are still plenty of ways to shop at the butcher within a budget, especially for those willing to try new cuts.
Secondary beef cuts, such as oyster blades, rump caps and entrana skirt steaks are underrated alternatives for carnivores with a craving for steak.
If cooked correctly, rump cap can be "a really tender cut", says Greenhalgh.
A rump cap is the top piece of the beef rump, which has a thick cap of fat running across the top. That makes it a popular choice in Brazil and Argentina, where it's typically barbecued over a spit. As the skewers rotate, the fat acts to continually baste the meat.
Australian Meat Emporium currently sells rump caps for around $26 a kilogram, up from around $15 a kilogram last year.
"Two years ago we were selling them for almost nothing," Greenhalgh says. "But $26 a kilo is a lot better than $50 a kilo for a scotch fillet."
The Latin American influence continues, with the rising popularity of the entrana, or Argentinian skirt steak. It's a long, flat cut known for its rich flavour and tenderness.
"It's delicious barbecued over super-hot charcoal with a little bit of lime juice, then served with chimichurri," Greenhalgh says. "And it's just $23.99 a kilo."
As the price of premium wagyu beef soars to upwards of $290 a kilogram for the Rolls-Royce fillets, butchers have been forced to get creative. For the first time, Australian Meat Emporium has started to sell wagyu chuck.
"It's $28.99 per kilo so it's dirt cheap, but it's also super marbled," Greenhalgh says.
"The high fat content forgives that it's a tough cut. It's known as a stewing cut but I think it works either thinly sliced over charcoal or just barbecued with a tiny bit of olive oil and salt over the coals."
Andrew Vourvahakis, founder of Victorian butcher Andrew's Choice, recommends putting some pork on your fork when looking to feed your family for less. Pork chops are currently selling for about $14.99 a kilogram.
"Pork chops are still very good value for money," he says. "The best way to cook them is on the barbecue, or you can slow roast them, depending on what flavours you're looking for."
Wheeler says a whole chook is still the best value for money, given the meat can be stretched over two or three meals and the bones can be turned into a warming chicken soup.
But larger cuts of meat, such as the pork shoulder and the lamb shoulder, can be similarly economical with a bit of extra wow factor.
The butcher recommends braising pork shoulders then shredding them down to use in a ragout sauce, or in tacos.
Alternatively, Wheeler says your butcher should be able to break down shoulders into variable cuts, allowing for variety at a cheaper price point.
