Optimize Your Barbecue: Find the Cheapest Cuts of Meat and Where to Buy Them

With the National Holidays around the corner, the barbecue is preparing to be the protagonist of the celebrations. To enjoy a delicious barbecue that fits your budget, it’s essential to check where the cheapest meat is and which are the most affordable cuts.

This year, the celebration will be big, with at least five days of celebration, and the grill will be on more than one night. To make the most of it, we’ve gathered some expert advice on the cheapest cuts of meat and where to buy them.

What are the Cheapest Cuts of Meat?

Álvaro Martínez, Commercial Manager of Doña Carne, notes that “Chile’s favorite meats are usually red ones like Lomo Liso and Vetado, but equally tasty and cheaper options are often overlooked, such as Sobrecostilla, Punta Paleta, and Palanca.”

Experts advise buying:

• Overrib: a versatile and economical cut that, with a good marinade and slow cooking, achieves the ideal flavor.
• Paddling Tip: This cut is famous for its tenderness and juiciness when cooked slowly. Its concentrated flavor makes it an excellent option for barbecues.
• Lever: This cut is an economical option that, when prepared well, can be very tasty. Its fibrous texture requires slow cooking at a low temperature to obtain tender and juicy meat.

Supermarket or Butcher Shop?: Where is the Cheapest Meat?

The Office of Agricultural Studies and Policies (Odepa) conducted a study that compared the price of meat in supermarkets and butcher shops. The results were as follows:

Beef

• Grocery: $8,014/kg in supermarkets versus $9,126/kg in butcher shops.
• Butcher’s Roast: $8,100/kg in supermarkets vs $8,929/kg in butcher shops
• Huachalomo: $8,313/kg in supermarkets versus $8,864/kg in butcher shops.
• Lwyn Llyfn: $13,599 in supermarkets versus $13,608/kg in butcher shops.
• Lomo Vetado: $14,598 in supermarkets versus $14,362/kg in butcher shops.
• Malaya: $8,657 in supermarkets versus $8,171/kg in butcher shops.
• Liver: $11,520 in supermarkets versus $10,871/kg in butcher shops.
• Punta Picana: $11,016 in supermarkets versus $10,873/kg in butcher shops.
• Sobrecostilla: $8,371 in supermarkets versus $8,787/kg in butcher shops.

Chicken and Pork

• Pork ribs: $8,993/kg in supermarkets versus $6,980/kg in butcher shops.
• Boneless pork pulp: $5,532/kg in supermarkets versus $5,316/kg in butcher shops.
• Cut grilled: $5,347/kg in supermarkets versus $4,844/kg in butcher shops.
• Boneless chicken breast: $6,178/kg in supermarkets versus $5,701/kg in butcher shops.
• Whole chicken: $3,259/kg in supermarkets versus $3,140/kg in butcher shops.