Cooking Conservatively in Tough Financial Times

Vanity | Feb, 18, 2008 | JRandomFreeper

[JRandomFreeper]

This article is meant to stimulate discussion on cost savings and maybe provide some advice during these difficult times. There are quite a few freeper Chefs, food service professionals, and darn good non-professional cooks on this site.

A little about my food background; I am a graduate of the USAF Food Service Course in Lackland, and a graduate of Aims Culinary Academy in Dallas. I served my internship (slave labor) at some of the nicest restaurants in Dallas. I have cooked in dives, golf clubs bars, sports bars, and for servicemen and women around the world.

Thanks to all the folks that helped me edit this. I hope it can become a resource for freepers on a limited budget.

I will answer any questions that I can, or refer when I can't.

/johnny

[mnehring]

Grow all your herbs, cheap, easy, and way better than buying the jarred dried stuff.

[pandoraou812]

Thanks!

[JRandomFreeper]

Per your request. I don't have the ATRW ping list.

/johnny

[stylecouncilor]

ping

[mnehring]

Considering your background, I know you can attest to this, some of the absolute best foods are or where once considered ‘poor’ person food. Feijoada from Brazil pops to mind- pork scraps and black beans..

One cheap cut of meat that is a foodie secret is beef cheeks. Correctly cooked, and they are more tender than any roast you can find, they are similar to Wagyu at 1/10th the price.

[sportutegrl]

Our local grocery store had whole beef tenderloins on sale for 4.99/lb. So, I made fajitas. Best I ever had. My mom said I’m crazy, but wait till I make her some.

[JRandomFreeper]

I said on that other thread that the chefs on FR should do this, so I started the snowball rolling.

/johnny

[Lurker]

I am truly blessed in that Mrs. L is a professionally trained 4 star chef who has worked in some of the finest California Wine Country eateries.

Whatever happens, we ain't gonna starve.

[martin_fierro]

Squirrel recipes

[JRandomFreeper]

We grow what we can here, but I prefer dried oregano leaf (not ground) for some dishes. For garnish, very much fresh.

Dried for Italian, fresh and dried both for Mexican foods. Personal preference, obviously.

/johnny

[NewJerseyJoe]

I ordered a nice size order of grass-fed ground beef from Tallgrass Beef when there was a free shipping special. Add in the 20% coupon I had, and I yielded the highest quality ground beef at a cost of $3.19/lb, delivered. Individually vaccum sealed in 1-lb packs, and they all went into the deep freezer.

[Albion Wilde]

Pinging the “Surviving Socialism” listkeeper.

[JRandomFreeper]

LOL! I have squirrel in the reefer thawing for steamed dumplings tomorrow. We have LOTS of the little tree rats.

I don't generally present that face to the public when I'm being food serious, but all real Chefs know that if any culture eats it regularly, you should at least taste it.

/johnny

[rmlew]

I've been cooking more and making sacrifices. Some of the cheaper cuts of beef are great when pounded into submission and marinated. But I love my spices.
There are winter vegetables. Although they are environmentalists, the Sustainable Table actually has a good list of season stuff. Carrots, Cabbage, Winter Sqash, turnips, onions, potatoes, and apples are in season across the entire lower 48. Anywhere in the south you can also get spinach locally.

[Jim Robinson]

Woo hoo! We’ll be right up.

[JRandomFreeper]

I tend to grind my own. Yes, a KitchenAid(tm) is expensive, even used, and the grinder attachment can be, too, but I make my own ground beef, ground pork, sausage, etc.

I won't buy beef for more than $1.25US/lb. Which means brisket around here, or 7-bone (aich bone). Lose 30% in fat trimmings (I use that for other stuff like sausage). And you wind up with ground meat that you can count on to NOT have been dropped on a floor where someone has recently thrown up, and YOU control the fat content.

I use about 23% fat content for burgers, and 17% fat content for chili.

/johnny

[YellowRoseofTx]

Good info, thanks. I already grow a few herbs, and I've been thinking about foods to store up on and rotate to always have fairly fresh on hand. I've also been doing research on how long things like flour, beef jerky, rice, dried fruit, etc. last and how to store them.

PlainsRadio is going to have a weekly show on how to prepare for hard times. One last week was very informative.

[NEMDF]

Our store puts whole pork tenderloins on sale for $1.99/lb about every 6 weeks. These are usually about 8-11 lbs, but the store will cut and wrap. We get these cut into some small roasts, and some chops. There is almost no waste, and can be cooked many ways, delicious! Also, I try to buy whole chickens when they are $.79/lb or less. While we did not have a garden or farm, my mom sure did a great job of feeding 5 children on minimal money when I was growing up. I hope FReepers share their stories of creativity!

[Syncro]

I’m in!

I may have tasted her cooking talents.