Sourcing cheap cuts of meat

My food fantasy involves a giant chocolate bar and marshmallows the size of cars. But if you run a busy kitchen your food dream will be a bit more practical - lowered food costs but increased profit margins are the ultimate goal.

In that respect, the trend for alternative cuts of meat is a licensee's best friend. Less popular cuts are cheaper but cooked correctly are no less tasty, meaning they command a good price.

There is plenty of advice on which cuts to go for and how they can be used. Both EBLEX - the English Beef and Lamb Executive - and BPEX, which represents pork producers, offer detailed information on which cuts to go for.

Under-rated but good value​

Tony Goodger, BPEX foodservice trade manager, recommends pork taken from the forequarter, such as shoulder, collar and belly, which he says are under-rated but offer good value. "It's extremely versatile, succulent and tasty especially when cooked slowly," he says.

"What's more, forequarter pork complements a wide range of ingredients from seasonal fruits and vegetables, to ales, ciders and even seafood for something extra special."

BPEX has developed a range of new specifications for caterers to follow including head, cheeks, tail, ears, trotters and offal, to download from www.porkforcaterers.com.

EBLEX can offer further help. Its newly relaunched website includes advice on cheap cuts by season. For example, during barbecue season, cuts traditionally used for roast dinners are cheaper due to falling demand. The Cut of the Month section on the site details which cuts to go for each month and provides step by step cutting specifications for you to use yourself, or pass on to your butcher.

The site also includes tried and tested catering recipes which can be downloaded to keep. You can also sign up to regular news alerts for details of promotions.

Seasonal advantages​

EBLEX foodservice project manager Hugh Judd says: "The seasonal nature of meat supply and demand means certain cuts are more widely available at given times, and therefore making use of quality cuts that are in plentiful supply will almost certainly offer economical advantages.

"There is also potential to exploit many alternative, lesser-used cuts of beef and lamb which, when cooked correctly, will deliver tasty meals without the premium price tag."

Beef bucco, brisket joint and daubes (chuck), lamb daubes (shoulder), rustic lamb chunkies and knuckle all offer great value, according to EBLEX. Cooked slowly, they will become incredibly tender, succulent and flavoursome - and for busy chefs, can be pre-prepared and then used as ready meal solutions. Portions can be reheated as required.

Roasting joints taken from alternative cuts using seam butchery methods can also be a cost effective option. Forequarter lamb cuts, including premium shoulder carvery roast and rustic lamb roasts will also perform well, being easy to cook, carve and full of flavour.

However, cheap does not mean inferior. Both EBLEX and BPEX are keen to stress the importance of going for meat of quality.

Quality assured pork carries the Red Tractor logo. This shows the meat was sourced from farms and processors that have met high independently audited standards of food safety and hygiene, animal welfare and environmental protection.

Quality assured beef and pork carry the Quality Standard mark which additionally provides eating quality assurance. n

• For further information go to www.eblextrade.co.uk ​ and www.porkforcaterers.com​