If you’re looking to stretch the meal budget without giving up well balanced, delicious dinners, here’s a secret your local butcher already knows: cheaper cuts of meat taste great — they just need the right cooking method.
At Waipawa Butchery, we love helping customers find cuts that offer incredible value and serious flavour. Whether you’re cooking for one, feeding a family, or planning a cosy dinner for two, these budget-friendly options can become your new go-to favourites.
Cheaper cuts usually come from muscles that work harder, which means they can be:
More flavourful
Perfect for slow cooking
Tender and juicy when cooked properly
Great value per meal
The key is simple: low and slow, or quick cooking when sliced correctly.
Here are some of the most popular affordable cuts, and what they’re best for:
Best for: stews, casseroles, slow cooker meals
Chuck is rich, beefy, and turns beautifully tender after a long cook.
Best for: slow roasting, pulled beef, BBQ-style meals
Brisket is ideal when you want something impressive without paying steak prices.
Best for: slow braises and winter comfort food
Full of collagen, which creates a gorgeous thick sauce and melt-in-your-mouth meat.
Best for: roasting, curries, pulled lamb
A brilliant alternative to lamb leg, with loads of flavour.
Best for: pulled pork, roasts, tacos, meal prep
One cut can feed you for days — and it’s hard to beat for value.
Best for: fast dinners, tray bakes, pasta, BBQ
Affordable, versatile, and always a crowd-pleaser.
This is one of those meals that tastes even better the next day — and it’s ideal for meal prep.
800g–1kg Angus Beef Casserole Steak
2 tbsp flour (optional, for thickening)
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 carrots, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
1 cup mushrooms (optional)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups beef stock
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried thyme or rosemary
Salt and pepper
Brown the beef in a hot pot with oil (do this in batches if needed).
Add onion and garlic, cook for 2–3 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, and stock.
Add carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms.
Cover and simmer on low for 2.5–3 hours (or slow cooker 6–8 hours on low) until tender.
Serve with mashed potato, rice, or crusty bread.
Family dinner: serve as-is
Next day: turn leftovers into pies or toasted sandwiches
Freezer-friendly: portion into containers for easy meals
Lamb shoulder is a fantastic budget cut — and once slow cooked, it’s incredibly versatile.
1.2–1.5kg lamb shoulder
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves fresh garlic)
Salt and pepper
½ cup water or stock
Rub lamb with oil, spices, salt and pepper.
Place in a roasting dish with water/stock.
Cover tightly with foil and cook at 150°C for 3.5–4 hours.
Shred with forks and serve in wraps.
Wraps or flatbreads
Slaw or salad
Mint sauce, yoghurt dressing, or hummus
Here are a few simple tricks that make all the difference:
That golden colour adds depth and flavour.
Tough cuts need time to break down — and the reward is unbeatable tenderness.
Not everything needs to be steak. Slow cookers, ovens, and casseroles were made for budget cuts.
We can recommend the best cut based on:
How many you’re feeding
Your cooking method
Your budget
What flavours you like
Cooking on a budget doesn’t mean boring food. With the right cut and a simple recipe, you can create meals that feel comforting, generous, and full of flavour — whether you’re feeding yourself, your partner, or the whole family.
Pop into Waipawa Butchery or shop online and ask us about our best-value cuts this week — we’ll help you choose something delicious.
