Curry Recipes Online

Supplementary Recipes (Curry Powders, Curry Paste, Restaurant Spice Mixes) => Supplementary Recipes Chat => Topic started by: sp on June 26, 2012, 09:52 PM

Title: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: sp on June 26, 2012, 09:52 PM
As you all know a penny saved is a penny earned in business, and I'm sure an indian restaurant is no exception.  Long ago as a naive 17 year old I worked in one of the big supermarket chains and was always intrigued by the number of people of Chinese origin who stocked up on special-offer frozen chips and such like, figuring (probably wrongly) that they may be running takeaways to need that many and that they knew a bargain when they saw one.

Anyway, to the point... to my palette the supermarket frozen beef is definately not as tender as the even the cheapest equivalent fresh variety, but is it worth the not-insignificant extra outlay when the local BIR probably don't bother?

Maybe I'm missing a trick and side-stepping my "local friendly butcher", perhaps wrongly assuming that they are naturally more expensive?  I can't find fresh or frozen lamb at any sensible price in the supermarkets (Asda/Tesco/Sainsburys - no Waitrose up here!)

Your thoughts please...
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: 976bar on June 26, 2012, 10:04 PM
Hi Stephen,

Whereabouts are you placed?

I have a Makro Cash & Carry near me, which happily stock fresh Halal Mutton legs (Sheep) at around
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: sp on June 26, 2012, 10:11 PM
Hiya, I'm Fochabers in Moray, Scotland (famous for Baxters soup, and that Ken Bruce sometimes mentions on his Radio 2 show http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fochabers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fochabers)), nearest Makro is in Aberdeen, but next time I'm through that way I'll definately stock up if they have any (hope my card is still valid!) - thanks for the tip  :)
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: 976bar on June 26, 2012, 10:18 PM
Long Drive, but as you say if you are passing through well worth the visit :)

And it being fresh not frozen will keep until you get home to prepare the meat then freeze as you wish :)
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: sp on June 26, 2012, 10:27 PM
Great idea, long drives aren't a problem for a hobby - you're conversing with a man who did a 90-mile round trip attempting to source Kashmiri Masala paste, ended up ordering online and paying
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: curryhell on June 26, 2012, 10:33 PM
There are some advantages to living in a less pleasant part of the country down south then, if only the convenience of having so many places to shop ::).  I get my chicken and mutton for curry from my local halal butchers at a
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: Unclefrank on June 27, 2012, 10:32 AM
976bar your local butchers meat can be traced to what farm, how old, where born and what farmer raised the animal, my local butcher had a customer that purchased a whole leg of lamb, then about 2-3 weeks later received another visit from the food inspectors and his meat products all passed, you see butchers can sell "cheap" meat if they wish to do so but many of them tend to sell meat that can be traced to give the customer a better cut of meat and quality of meat.

I buy in bulk chicken breasts from my butcher and i get each chicken breast (which serves two people) for around the 1.25 GBP each all depends on how many i buy.

Keep well clear of Farmfoods frozen cubed chicken, bland, even in a curry, just no taste what so ever.

I also get my lamb mince from Halal butcher at Sandhars in Dudley 4.99 GBP for 1kg, perfect for kebabs and keema recipes and chicken thighs 3.50 GBP for 1kg perfect for tikka and kebab recipes.
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: Malc. on June 27, 2012, 05:08 PM
I've always used the local supermarkets but I am now starting to source from butchers and local farms. I've been quite surprised how competitive they are now, or is that, how rip off the supermarkets have become! Do you have any local markets that have butchers, often a really good bargain to be had there too.
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: sp on June 27, 2012, 10:19 PM
"farmers markets" seem very trendy and popular, we even had one in the old assembly hall of the school where i work (i'm the it tech there), but no bargains to be had sadly, maybe just the ones i've looked round but the prices are very high in comparison and seem to appeal to the well heeled and organic/eco folk - reassuringly expensive, as the makers of Stella Artois used to say...
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: RubyDoo on November 20, 2012, 09:52 PM
Direct from Smithfield Market for me but only as it is reasonably accessible even if you do have to get up early. Half the price of supermarkets and even bigger savings than local butcher who gets it from same place.  :P
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: uclown2002 on November 20, 2012, 10:16 PM
I've usually been happy to pay for 'quality' chicken breast but I was surprised at some  price differences recently:-

I normally get Asda 'Butchers Selection' - no added water at ?7.77 per kilo pack.  Sainsburys is even more expensive.  I've not checked out local butchers as I assumed they wouldn't be competitive but I'm probably wrong about that!

My Asian Grocers sells chicken breast for ?4.50 a kilo, yet I'm reluctant to try  :(  Just don't want it sitting in the car for minimum of 40-45 mins until I get home.

Doubt my local take-aways shop at asda though!!

Where do other members get their chicken from and how much do they pay per kilo?
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: Naga on November 21, 2012, 07:17 AM
Hiya, I'm Fochabers in Moray...

I get Tesco frozen chicken breast at GBP3.99/kilo. I find ASDA's equivalent is rather slimy when defrosted.

Off topic, I know, but "Fochabers" is my favourite swear word in polite company - it can be uttered with real feeling! :)
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: Kashmiri Bob on November 21, 2012, 08:28 AM
Used to get everything from supermarkets at one time but no more.  Crazy prices.  Prime chicken breast fillet form my local butcher who has a long-term deal at 2 lb for 3.99.  Mutton leg and lean mince from a Halal butcher also nearby at 5.00 per kilo or less.  Recommend avoiding cheap lamb mince from supermarkets.  I bought some once and the white (saturated) fat content was staggering compared to leaner produce.

Rob  :)   
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: beachbum on November 21, 2012, 08:30 AM
Dunno what beef prices are like in the UK but I get whole rumps from the local butcher for around GPB 8 a kilo. the full rump has a tougher end and a more tender end, so I get the butcher to slice off from the tender end for about half way, then just get the tougher end as a single lump.

Then I remove fat and tendons etc and turn it into one inch cubes and freeze in a couple of batches. I marinate and precook a batch for around an hour and a half and it's ideal for beef recipes.
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: Gav Iscon on January 24, 2013, 07:37 PM
We get either 5kg of chicken breast for about
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: Naga on January 24, 2013, 07:46 PM
...I get Tesco frozen chicken breast at GBP3.99/kilo...

Well, good old Tesco hiked the price of frozen chicken breast from
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: RubyDoo on January 24, 2013, 09:08 PM
...I get Tesco frozen chicken breast at GBP3.99/kilo...

Well, good old Tesco hiked the price of frozen chicken breast from
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: Gav Iscon on January 24, 2013, 09:26 PM

Farmfoods has now become my firm favourite with 1kg of frozen chicken breast for
Title: Re: Where do YOU source the meat for your curries?
Post by: Naga on January 25, 2013, 06:57 AM
...We've had the smoked haddock from there which is reasonable and the missus makes a really nice Kedgeree with it.

+1 :)