Save on Meat for Labor Day
Want to save on meat? Are you grilling for Labor Day? Planning your party and worried about the cost of meat? Instead of cooking multiple hamburgers and hot dogs, try something less expensive (and definitely easier) to feed your holiday crowd.
In this article, we look at how to save on meat for Labor Day with large pieces of meat like pork butts, briskets, chicken, and turkeys that are typically less expensive. Not only will they often cost you less because grocers often put them on sale for the holiday, but it’s much easier to cook a bigger piece of meat than it is 20 hamburgers!
Pork Butts
You can always save on meat when you cook one or two pork butts for your Labor Day feast. Pork butts are also known as pork shoulder or a Boston butt. This is the meat from the upper part of a pig’s front shoulder.
The pork butt is not only inexpensive, but it’s a super forgiving piece of meat that’s easy to cook low and slow. We like to serve it as pulled pork on a fluffy bun.
Once you’ve cooked your butt low and slow, you want to add some barbecue sauce for a delicious meal that’s easy on the wallet.
A crowd pleaser, all you need is some coleslaw, chips, and dessert to round out your Labor Day party!
Brisket
When you buy untrimmed brisket, you’ll usually find it’s one of the least expensive cuts of beef you can purchase.
Our favorite method of cooking brisket is low and slow. So, do remember that it will lose about half its weight when it cooks. Plan accordingly when you’re feeding a crowd.
Look for brisket that has a good layer of fat that isn’t too thick. It may seem contrary to buy meat with a lot of fat, but it’s really necessary for a good smoked brisket. Don’t go overboard, though, as you’ll waste money purchasing brisket that’s too fatty.
You can always go to the counter to talk to your butcher and ask them for advice. They may have the perfect cut that’s just right for your Labor Day BBQ!
When flavoring your brisket, try our favorite trio of Mack’s BBQ Paint. It’s second to none!
Turkeys
Some people forget about turkeys after November and December. At Townley, though, we love a good grilled or smoked turkey any time of the year.
Turkey is another inexpensive cut of meat and a great way to feed a crowd. You are always better buying a whole turkey and then cutting up.
Ask us about our favorite ways to cook turkey on the Big Green Egg!
Chicken
Another great choice for your Labor Day BBQ, chicken is inexpensive, and it lends itself to so many ways of cooking. Grill it, smoke it, fry it, and bake it! Whatever you do, though, lather it in BBQ sauce for extra flavor.
Like turkey, you definitely save money when buying whole chickens and cutting them up yourself. It gets quite expensive when you try to buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts for a big group.
Almost everyone loves BBQ chicken, so you can’t go wrong!
Final Thoughts to Save on Meat
In our inflationary world, it is possible to have a party and save money.
Look for the big cuts of meat and steer away from single pieces of meat. In addition, you can always save on meat by cutting it up yourself.
We love grilling on the Big Green Egg, and if you don’t have one, we have seven sizes for you to choose from! In addition, stop by and you’ll find BBQ sauces and rubs from a number of companies. They are all tested, tried, and true, and we love each one!
