RED ALERT!

’Tis nearly the season for meat prices to shoot up so here’s advice on better buying, clever cooking and smarter storage WHAT TO BUY

THE sun’s out, the drinks are cold, the snacks are disappearing fast – and from the fire wafts the smell of sizzling steaks and succulent chops that have been lovingly marinated in dad’s secret sauce. From time to time the kids sidle up for a sneaky piece of wors straight off the grill, then skip off happily, juices running down their chins. This is summer South African style, and whether it’s a kettle braai in the backyard or a makeshift barbecue on the beach, it’s braai time.

Trouble is, meat prices are going up so steeply that many consumers will find themselves unable to afford their favourite beef and lamb cuts. Seasonal increases, the crippling drought and a limping economy are all conspiring to force you to dig deep at the butcher’s till.

The price of red meat is expected to rise by at least nine to 15 percent from now until December because of tight supply and increased demand from conhealth sumers over the holidays, according to Paul Makube, senior agricultural economist at FNB.

“We’re heading into a seasonal price increase of between R3,40 and R5,70 a kilogram for Class A beef,” Makube says, while lamb-lovers can expect to pay between R5,60 and R9,40 a kg more for class A cuts.

But there are ways to shop and eat smarter. Clever buying, sensible storage and creative cooking can help to make your money – and your meat – go further. Consumers shouldn’t limit themselves to beef and lamb on the braai or in the oven. Opt for pork, chicken or fish more often.

Pork is a high-quality meat because it’s lean and the fat sits on the outside, says Louw Hoffman, professor of meat science at the University of Stellenbosch.

“People used to worry about pork containing parasites but today’s stringent inspections make sure this doesn’t happen,” he says.

Consumers would be wise to buy pork now and freeze it until the festive season, advises Marieta Human of the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (Sappo). “Prices will start to go up from mid-November.”

Fresh, unsmoked pork leg is the biggest bargain, she says. But this doesn’t apply to cuts sold in marinade, because retailers charge for the extra labour.

YOU food editor Carmen Niehaus maintains chicken is still one of the best, most affordable options for entertaining. “Roast a chicken or braai a spatchcock chicken over the coals. Or consider serving chicken schnitzel.

“Chicken and pork are wonderful because they suit any flavour profile,” she says. “You can prepare them with Eastern or Mediterranean accents.”

She says cheaper cuts of meat are best cooked using moist heat methods such as stewing or cooking in a potjie.

It’s important to remember cheaper