Meat can be one of the biggest expenses when hosting a dinner party, but that doesn't mean you have to cut it out completely if you're trimming your entertaining budget this year. In fact, cheaper cuts of meat are often juicier, more flavorful, and easier to make ahead, which makes them ideal for entertaining. And as the recipes below prove, they can be just as elegant and impressive as their more expensive counterparts.
Meat tends to be cheaper when it includes bones, connective tissue, or other bits that take a little more time to deal with. The reward for this time is extra flavor, both in the meat itself and, in the case of braised meat, the sauce it simmers in. Another plus: many of these recipes taste even better when made a day ahead and reheated before the party, leaving you with some extra time to actually hang out and enjoy the party.
POULTRY
Look for: Bone-in legs and thighs, ground meat.
• Braised French Onion Chicken with Gruyère (pictured)
• Duck Legs in Green Olive Sauce with Cracklings and Pappardelle at Sunset
• Chicken Lettuce Wraps at Rasa Malaysia
PORK
Look for: Shoulder or butt, ground meat.
• Pork Ragu with Semolina Gnocchi
• Slow-Cooked Hoisin and Ginger Pork Wraps with Peanut Slaw
BEEF
Look for: Chuck roast, short ribs, flank steak, shanks, ground meat.
• Peppered Beef Shank in Red Wine
• Port-braised Short Ribs with Ginger and Star Anise
• Slow Cooker Pot Roast at Martha Stewart
What are your go-to dinner party dishes with cheaper cuts of meat?
Related: What Are Your Best Strategies for Throwing a Party on a Budget?
(Image: Faith Durand)
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Those look great. It has been my experience that most non-foodie people are starved for good, homey dishes like grandma used to make (probably not mom, not mine, anyway). I have made lamb shanks or long-cooked beef stews for Sunday lunch parties (my personal favorite time to entertain) and you might have thought I'd cooked like Escoffier. More Sunday lunches, less restaurant meals, with friends!!
I like to make pulled pork. Easy peasy in the slow cooker, and people really like it. As I don't have a lot of table space, large gatherings at my place are generally plate - in - hand affairs.
I'm so tired of food shows/blogs saying that flank steak is a cheap cut of meat. I feel like their constant touting of its budget-friendliness has made the price skyrocket. It's definitely not a cut I can regularly afford on a modest income.
Agree with Midsummer.
I definitely love my pork shoulder/butt. Braising or slow roasting it takes little effort, you can do it in any flavor you want, plus it tastes better the next day and you'll have tons of leftovers. I really love beef short ribs, but they are getting so expensive in my area ($5+ per pound) that I would not do them for a larger group anymore. I can score pork butt for $3/lb or less.
I also love braised chicken thighs (skinless, bone-in). They get such a wonderful texture with a braise and really soak up the flavor of your liquid. I can get those for $1/lb.
I love short ribs and have also noticed them creeping up in price lately. Which actually means I'm saving them, ironically, more for special occasions than for "cheap" meals! They can end up pretty fancy, like here where I braised them for several hours and then used the (defatted) pan juices and vegetables to make a puree:
http://meatified.com/slow-braised-beef-short-ribs-with-pan-puree/
I always pick up skirt steak for a cheap cut. It's super flavorful and I love to throw it in a soy-citrus marinade. One of my family's favorites for a quick meal, since you can cook this super-thin cut in a hurry!
My go to inexpensive dinner party dish is slow roasted pork shoulder. Oh so easy: http://winebookgirl.blogspot.com/2010/12/birthday-pork.html