meat can be fun again.

If you're looking for something to pass the time, here are some meat reads:

the new york times regarding cheaper cow cuts and discount bin meats
bbc news on why fat is good for you (if you're a rat)
and, just for fun, twilight... with cheeseburgers.

quick, get some good meat now

if you can afford to, eat some good meat now! prices on higher-quality cuts of meat have dropped, as demand has fallen. in this fun economic downturn, many people are turning to cheaper ground meat or lower quality cuts.

so, why not opt to spend a few more dollars on a tastier cut of meat and just eat a little less of it? then everyone wins-- those people who want you to eat less meat, and you, the lucky one with the yummier steak!

also, if you want an insider look into the world of meat, check out this fact-filled site--

cattlefax

bizarre to see statistics like "daily livestock slaughter" and "national direct hog price comparison."

recession-friendly steaks.

this is a must-try-- a simple way to turn a "choice" steak into a "prime" cut.

a birdie sent this along to me today after trying the recipe with pork. i tried a few samples of the pork and it was excellent! very flavorful and nicely (but not overly) salted. looking forward to preparing it with some cheap beef soon!

how to cook a wolf

this article is great! MFK Fisher was the original food-recessionista and her book "how to cook a wolf" is full of spunky advise on how to live and eat well in tight financial times. written in 1942, she really knew how to make due with less, dealing with depression-era food rations- and boy, was she clever and feisty! i think i need to buy this book immediately, though i suppose she would suggest i visit my local library.

these quotes just make me feel warm and fuzzy.

"...but anyone in the world with intelligence and spirit and the knowledge that it must be done, can live with her inspired oblivion to the ugliness of poverty. It is not that she wandered at night hunting for leaves and berries; it is that she cared enough to invite her friends to share them with her."

"...perhaps this war will make it simpler for us to go back to some of the old ways we knew before we came over to this land and made the Big Money. Perhaps, even, we will remember how to make good bread again ... For probably there is no chiropractic treatment, no Yoga exercise, no hour of meditation in a music throbbing chapel, that will leave you emptier of bad thoughts than this homely ceremony of making bread."

!!!

recession-proof your meats

a relevent discussion for today may be how to maintain a realistic food budget and still eat good-quality products... here's my eating/cooking/shopping tips of the moment:

eat in! why go out for a steak dinner when you can make a great one at home? even if you buy the best cuts of meat you can find, i guarantee it will be cheaper than paying for a mid-quality restaurant steak. steak cooking is so easy with just a few tools. i usually just marinate it for a few hours in red wine (or 100% cranberry or cherry juice), olive oil, garlic and onions, then sear it in my fabulous cast iron skillet while the oven preheats to 400ish, transfer to a baking dish and cook until the internal temperature reaches about 135 on your trusty meat thermometer for medium rare. while your steak is in the oven, reduce your marinade juices with the meat juices in the skillet for a tasty sauce. don't forget to let your meat rest before slicing! you'll have a perfect steak every time with almost no effort. (and look here! slashfood finally confirms that my dad did teach me the best way to season cast iron.)

stock up on stocks! not the store-bought ones- make your own. much cheaper if you do it frequently, and so much tastier! i buy cheap hunks of meat and boil them to death with onions, garlic, lemon, and whatever fresh herbs i have around. then, i freeze the stock in small containers and use it in soups for weeks-- and you also have lots of low-fat cooked meat to shread on salads or fill sandwiches for days! my favorites are the turkey thighs from whole foods-- huge hunks or organic turkey for less than $3 a pound (or 99-cents a pound if the butcher mischarges you like he did me this week)= yummy food for days. one more plug for whole foods: they also sell additive-free bacon. no nitrates for this lady!

don't disregard "big box" or discount stores completely! costco's meat sells for about a third of the price of grocery store meat- and often is higher in quality. not for the faint of heart- unless you're feeding multitudes of people or shop with meat-loving friends- dividing and freezing that ten-pound pork loin will be necessary. fresh and easy also has decent meats for cheap if you have one in your area-- just make sure to read the labels carefully. their sell-by dates can be tricky, and not all of their meats are happy.

simply eat smaller portions of meat! in meal prep, i try to fill half of our plates with fresh fruits and veggies and cheap, healthy staples like brown rice or sweet potatoes. then, we can be satisfied with little bits of the good stuff without breaking the budget. remember, meat portions need only be about four ounces, or the size of your palm or a deck of cards.

that's all for now! happy (cheap) eating!