Cheaper food alternatives

[wishbone]

I've just worked out that a whole turkey leg that is on the bone has 360g of meat on it and cost me £1.61 (sainsbury's). Turkey steaks of a similar weight (just over) costs £4.00. Worth having cheaper meat cuts, me thinks.

I made a soup by putting the leg in a large wok with veg, tomato paste, stock cube, and water and cooked it and so now I have removed the leg and removed the meat and had some of the soup today. I have quite a few portions of soup and now I need to think what to do with the turkey meat.

[judithj]

sandwiches, stir-fry, add to pasta sauce, serve with salad - there's a few, hugs, Judith xxx

[belle]

Hi there.
I decided to get 2 chicken breasts to dice up and make a casserole effort.
The cost for them skinned was much more than taking the skin off myself - a 10 second job.
Saves a few pennies....!
xx

[judithj]

buying a whole chicken and cutting it up yourself can be even cheaper - you also have a carcass for making soup, hugs, Judith xxx

[belle]

I'm a bit sqeamish when it comes to raw meat, and have to confess I have never cooked a whole chicken!!
However, I remember my mum used to boil up the carcass with carrots, herbs and onion and make the most delicious soup when we were kids.
Maybe I need to buy a cookery book....
xx

[wishbone]

awe thanks for ideas of meals.

I know you can buy frozen chicken pieces quite cheaply and it is without water and salt injected in it too.

I've noticed my goats milk that I like buying is 6p cheaper today. I hope food prices are going to start to come down in general now.

[judithj]

20 minutes per pound + 20 minutes at 150 degrees C (1 pound is approx 500g) - just shove it in and leave it to cook. if you put the chicken breast-side down to start with and turn it the right way up for the last 30 mins, it'll stay lovely and moist. don't prod it too much or all the juices will come out and the chicken will be be dry. no need for oil, foil or anything else, hugs, Judith xxx

[belle]

Wow Judith.
OK....
I will print this off and when I feel brave have a go.
Mind you, I need to get a small one as I'm on my own and I will be eating if for ever otherwise!
Thank you!
xx

[judithj]

you can always freeze any meat you don't want immediately. make sure it's completely cooked by piercing the thickest part of the chicken (the thigh) and looking at the juices that come out - if they're clear, then it's cooked, if they're blood-stained at all then the chicken needs a bit longer.
you can roast veg round the chicken to eat with it - a couple of carrots sliced in half length-ways, maybe some baby sweetcorn or leeks and a few small new potatoes. just sprinkle over a little olive oil and cook for 30 - 40 mins depending how thick your veg are and how well done you like them, hugs, Judith xxx

[belle]

More ideas - thank you!
I find cooking a complete mystery and a big struggle - always have done, and it doesn't really interest me enough to make me try, especially as I'm on my own.
A 'pierce and ping' girl at heart, but it's not always very nice....!
I've made one cake in my life and it was awful - like concrete!!!
So, I will take heart and attempt to roast a chicken with vegetables at some point soon.
It didn't occur to me I could freeze left overs for another time.
How dim am I??!! Perhaps best not to answer that anyone!
Thank you Judith.
xx