KEY POINTS:
Tightening budgets and soaring meat prices are fuelling a revival in the cheaper, old-fashioned cuts that granny used to cook.
Butchers say requests for ox and lamb hearts, ox livers, spare ribs and neck glands and offal are on the rise.
Pork hock, similar to a lamb shank, and pork mince are becoming more popular for price reasons, with the latter $4 cheaper per kilo than its beef counterpart, according to industry board NZ Pork.
The past two months have seen beef and lamb prices increase by an average of $2-$3 a kilo for most cuts and an industry source said the price of chicken was tipped to rise again next month.
Taranaki Master Butchers Association president and owner of New Plymouth's Kiwi Butcher, Peter Morrison, said more people were seeking cheaper cuts and specialist advice unavailable at supermarkets.
Whole pig heads weighing 6-7kg were selling for $7, while wing rib roasts, at $14.95 a kg, were a cheaper alternative to porterhouse.
Beef cheek was the "most succulent" meat, but if cooked incorrectly tasted like "old leather," he said.
People were even buying brisket, or beef chest, and sweetbreads, but there was a long way to go before shin overtook eye fillet - despite the $24 a kg price difference.
He said: "A lot of the young ladies don't know what skirt is - aside from the one worn around the waist - even though there are four varieties when it comes to beef, and it's the best meat you can buy for stews."
Morrison sold beef skirt for $8.99 per kilo, much cheaper than the most expensive cut - eye fillet - which is $32.99 per kilo, but could fetch up to $7 more at a supermarket.
Cheaper cuts didn't mean the meat was unhealthy, he said. "It's all very nutritious - it's just so many people aren't aware of what's available."
Jeremay Viall of the Aussie Butcher in Auckland's Birkenhead said the price of most meats had shot up.
Even "proper" sausages were expensive, due to increases in hog intestine casing - though he still sold flavoured snags for $5 a kilo.
Viall had noticed customers cutting down on the amount of meat they bought and others were saving by stocking up on mince.
Hadleigh Smith of NZ Pork said buying old-fashioned cuts was a fun way to experiment with food.
The cheaper cuts often came from tougher parts of the beast and required slower cooking.
Beef and Lamb New Zealand nutritionist Fiona Greig said customers on a budget should consider going for mince, lamb shoulder chops, beef topside steak and chuck steak to save money. She said many Kiwis were now returning to traditional cooking methods such as making casseroles and using slow cookers, which were ideal for cheaper cuts of meat.
