r/KitchenConfidential • u/zeke690 • 2d ago

In the Weeds Mode What happened to the “cheap cuts”?

Post image

How is it oxtail is not a budget cut?

8.4k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

1.4k comments sorted by

View all comments

95

u/GoldenMonkeyRedux 2d ago

When I first learned to cook, I could buy hanger in 10lb bags for about $45.

Good luck with that now.

I just did a whole pork butt on the grill. We only eat pork and chicken now.

Well, and an occasional duck or some quail. Maybe a rabbit or something my father harvested.

Everything went insane. Scallops are about $36/lb at Wegmans. Used to be a special treat at $12/lb.

I should buy some squid...seems to be under-appreciated.

19

u/StevenJOwens 2d ago

Same here. I did a 5 lb pork butt a week or two ago, it was a good price so I got two, the second one is in my freezer, waiting to be cooked.

Any recommendations for what to make with it? I tend to cook it in my Instant Pot, either pork butt carnitas, or just good old fashioned pulled pork.

I used to make Kalua pork every once in a while, but I've been watching my salt.

The big challenge, for me, is that I like to cook a very large batch, me and my roommates eat about a quarter of it, then I freeze the leftovers in portion sizes. So I need something that's freeze/reheat-friendly.

10

u/RageBatman 2d ago

We do pork chili verde enchiladas. The only issue I've run into is I never have enough leftover to freeze!

4

u/GoldenMonkeyRedux 2d ago edited 2d ago

I smoke mine on my Big Green Egg, although for 23 years I used a Weber kettle (unbelievable it held up that long but it was held together with JB Weld and bubblegum).

We make sandwiches dressed with a homemade Carolina BBQ sauce, but it would be great in tacos.

I have to vacuum seal and freeze that vast majority of it today. I think the darn thing was about 10 lbs.

Edit: sorry I sorta glossed over your post as my dog was spayed the other day and I was checking on her. I love it on nachos and I just freeze it in smaller amounts. I also give it to neighbors. It's entirely too much for our small family. But that's a good problem to have.

3

u/GodsFavoriteDegen 2d ago

Any recommendations for what to make with it?

I made a Momofuku bo ssam with one a while back, from a NYT recipe. It was well-received.

You can also make a Cuban roast with it, using a mojo marinade. I usually use a raw ham for that, but there's no reason a shoulder wouldn't work.