Asian Beef Noodles

Who doesn’t know someone who has lost a job recently? We are all tightening our belts. This for us means we changed our meal planning. Not only are the changes we made better for our bank account, but we create less food waste and are enjoying more interesting meals.

Here are some tips to help you get the most for your meat.

• Buy steaks that are at least one inch (2.5cm) thick.Thick steaks grill better than thin ones – plus they don’t overcook or dry out as easily. And, since we are penny-pinching and not going out to our favourite steakhouse as often they make a terrific show – especially when we use the beef medallions.
• Choose steaks with “marinating” in the name, as these steaks are a great budget beef option. For best results, buy them thick, marinate and don’t cook beyond medium-rare. We did some testing and for the best results, pierce meat all over with a fork and marinate for eight to 24 hours.
• Slice-and-serve helps steaks go further. Carve steak into thin slices on an angle for the most tender meat. With Flank Steak you can carve steaks across the grain which shortens the long muscle fibres, making the meat melt with each bite. This method also lets me enjoy my favourite meat more often because it’s properly portioned (for my wallet and my waistline!).

Here is a great recipe for Asian Beef Noodles that I often use as the inspiration to make a “what’s left in the fridge” dinner. We are big grillers in our house so if the dog hasn’t been lucky enough to get it, we usually have some leftover sliced steak to add in with all the great vegetables.