Bulk buying of meat does save money

Press, 26 April 1983, Page 10

Bulk buying of meat does save money

Consumer watch

Anne Ingram

Meat forms a significant part of the weekly food bill, but you can cut costs by buying in bulk. Of course you will require a freezer, but this is one household appliance that will soon pay for itself through savings made by bulk meat purchases. The University of Otago’s Extension Department has calculated that by buying an 80kg side of beef you can save 17 per cent of the cost of retail cuts. This calculation includes the cost of running the freezer. You will need a 7 to 10 cubic foot freezer to store a side of beef and a 3 to 4 cubic foot freezer for a side of lamb or hogget. Side of beef My butcher charges $1.95 per kilogram for a side of beef. He also charges $25 for butchering the side and packing it in meal size portions. < If I bought a side weighing 100 kg, it would cost $220. I would only get about 66kg of meat from this as about one-third would be wastage — bones and fat.

However, the cost per kilogram of meat would still be low — about ?3.30 per kg. Even if I bought all the various cuts “on special,” I would still be paying at least $1 per kg more for these individual purchases. According to the Petone Technical Meat Industry Training Centre, a 100 kg side of beef will give 12.7 kg of frying steak, 24kg of roasts, pot roasts and corned beef, 20kg of casserole beef, 6.2 kg of mince and 2.5 kg of sausages. These are only approximate amounts. If you average out the prices paid for these cuts

when bought individually, you will find that you are paying $4.50 to $5 per kilogram over all. Another bonus of buying beef in bulk is that you will be able to eat certain cuts like rib eye steak and fillet steak that perhaps you otherwise could not afford.

On the subject of affording, $220 is obviously a hefty sum to find all at once.

One butcher told me that some of his customers used to share a side of beef. He would divide the meat slice by slice or roast by roast, so that each would get equal amounts as well as equivalent cuts. Another way to pay for a bulk purchase is to put aside a set amount each week until you have saved the required sum. Not too many of us can manage this, however. Some butchers offer credit card facilities and this may be a more convenient way to make such a meat purchase. You could then pay off your credit card account with the money you would normally spend on meat each month.

When ordering a side of beef, stipulate the portion sizes you require: for example, four-steak packs, 600 gm casserole meat, and l’/zkg roasts would be suitable for a family of four.

In winter, beef casseroles are great, but during the summer you may prefer more corned beef than casseroles. Discuss your requirements with your butcher.

Side of hogget A side of lamb or hogget, or prime grade mutton (marked with a single red stripe), is also a excellent buy. Depending on the size, and whether it is lamb, hogget or mutton, a side will cost between $ll and $lB.

From this you will get: 15 or 16 loin chops suitable for grilling; a flap which can be stuffed, rolled and roasted or minced; a leg which can be out in half to yield leg chops and a roast, or alternatively, two roasts; a forequarter which can be divided into stewing and grilling chops and a small roast.

A side of lamb or hogget will provide a family of four with about eight meals. A side of mutton is larger and will provide more than this.

The average cost then, of sheepmeat per meal for four persons would be between $1.70 and $2.50 at most.

On the other hand, if you bought the leg, forequarter and chops separately, you would be paying more like $3 to $3.50 per meal, even when buying these cuts “on special.”

Another advantage of buying a whole side of lamb, hogget or mutton, is that you know you are getting it all.

Some butchers and supermarkets advertise whole legs of hogget when, in fact, they are short legs, having had the leg chops removed. Similarly, forequarters often have a portion trimmed off. Besides being more affordable, a side of lamb, hogget, or mutton will also fit into a smaller freezer. The freezing compartment of an average size referigator, if 3 to 4 cubic foot or more, will be perfectly adequate. When you buy a side, it will normally be cut into three — leg, loin, and forequarter. ' Depending on how accommodating your butcher is, he may further divide the meat up to suit your requirements. If not, it is easily managed at home. Variety packs Most butchers also offer freezer packs made up of various cuts of beef, hogget and pork. These packs would be particularly suitable for owners of small freezers. Such variety packs also offer savings. One butcher maintains that his $99 pack saves the consumer $36 on retail prices, that his $64 pack saves $l5 and his $39.50 saves $5.55. , Look at what, your butcher’s freezer packs contain. Add up what you would pay if you bought each item separately and compare the total with the price of the freezer pack to see just what are the savings.