Cutting Up in the Kitchen: The Butcher's Guide to Saving Money on Meat and Poultry

by Merle Ellis

Not many years ago--certainly no longer ago than when Grandma was a girl--the butcher played a totally different role in the consumer's marketing experience. In those days, you could go to the meat counter, recipe in hand, and ask your friendly butcher, "What's the best cut to use for Beef Bourguignon?" or, "How long should I cook a three-rib prime rib?" If he knew anything about his trade, he would know. 

Today's consumer, and certainly tomorrow's, needs to learn (or to relearn) some of what grandmother knew to function effectively and for less than a fortune in a market place more complicated than grandmother could have imagined. You need to know, as you approach today's meat counter, the best cut to use for Beef Bourguignon, and if that's too expensive, what the alternatives are. 

And if you have six kids and your husband is out of work. You need to know which cut is a "real good special today" and how best to take advantage of it.

Armed with a little basic knowledge about meat and a willingness to spend a little time in the kitchen doing a "little cutting up," it is possible to eat extremely well--and economically--even in this "high cost of living" world we live in.

Genres: Cookbooks

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Rick Segers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I inherited this book from my mother-in-law when she downsized her house. I still use it frequently. Plus it has some great stories. I today learned that Merle Ellis died last month after a lengthy illness. Imagine a career made out of cutting meat on television and teaching people how to dit and what to do with it once you cut it.

[Hepe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old but useful if you eat meat.

I got this book because I've only recently started cooking meat at home again and things just aren't called what I remembered. Although the point of the book is to help you save money by buying a big chunk of meat and cutting your own steaks and roasts out of it, my freezer won't keep a pint of ice cream frozen, so I'm not going to be doing any bulk buying and home butchering. Instead I used it to learn how to how to actually ignore the labels and recognize the cut of meat, its value and the way to cook it. So now if I see, "Cordelico Sirloin" I know it's really "flap meat" and more appropriate for Beef Burgandy or carne asada than a steak. And if I can find it labeled as "flap meat" it will be cheaper, even if it is the exact same quality at the same store.

Since it was written in 1975, you won't see the newest marketing names in this book. You can find plenty of web sites that will translate - "Cabrosa Steak" = "Ball Tip" - for a handy guide and that's probably more than enough for most people. But being a) a cheapskate, b)a total nerd and c)a remedial student of edible flesh who didn't know any more what to do with a ball tip than a cabrosa, this book was perfect for me.

And really, if you are interested, the explanations here are clear and the concepts aren't hard to grasp if you are willing to relate the meat back to the animal. For instance, with beef, there are only 9 basic "Primal" cuts of meat and if you understand where they come from and their basic properties, all the smaller cuts make total sense.

[Marieli · Rating 5 out of 5]

read this book when I was a new homemaker, it has saved me tons of money and even better I know how to choose meat and cook it right.

[Mikey M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a cookbook. It's a comprehensive reference tool about some of the raw materials you prepare in your kitchen--meat and poultry. Ellis used to be on television locally and his regular features always left you entertained and knowing more about meat and poultry than you knew before. If only you could write it down and keep it as a reference. Well, here it is: Merle Ellis in print and it's almost as enjoyable reading as seeing him on screen.

I bought a roast recently. It was labeled 7-bone chuck, but in reality it was blade cut chuck. Merle Ellis taught me to spot the difference. And to divide that blade cut chuck roast into three sections: a good sized flatiron steak, a nice chunk of stir fry beef, and a third piece suitable for stews or pot roasts. Getting a tender, juicy steak and stir fry beef out of a chuck roast? That's a nice trick. But it's an old one and one Merle shared on the air and in this book. Back in the day.

Cutting Up in the Kitchen is out of print. If you can find this book, it doesn't have to be in great condition. If you cook meat and poultry you'll be using it often. The wear and tear it's already showing isn't all it will have. Too bad there isn't an app. :)

I'm leaving the "date finished" blank.

[Sheril · Rating 5 out of 5]

I looked for this book for years before I bought a copy. Now for several years I have really enjoyed owning a copy. I refer to it occasionally when cooking and I have a few times poured over it and made notes and really utilized it when preparing for a particular moment such as speaking to the processor when the farmer takes in the animal that I have purchased for the freezer. This book has been invaluable.