Filet Mignon dinner under $5

[LuluLovesDisney]

I just bought a large whole beef tenderloin. Normally it is 7.99-8.99/lb but they were on sale for 4.99/lb this week. The cut I bought was $26 and change- a little over 5 lbs before I did all my trimming (cutting off fat and silver skin).

I followed these instructions to cut it up-
http://2frugalfoodies.com/general-tips/basics/frugal-beef-tenderloin/

and I just put away in my freezer- a "head roast" which looks like it could make two meals for us and 4 bags of filet mignon- each enough for a dinner for two- so 6 wonderful dinners for two for $4.33 or $2.17 per person (adding a veggie and baked potato or a salad is pretty cheap!) They are really easy to marinate and grill or pan sear with a little wine and herbs. This isn't even counting the little bag of "chain meat" which can be used for tacos or cheesesteak!

Anyway, I wanted to share because it was a lot easier than I thought to cut it up on my own and if you see whole tenderloins on sale, don't be afraid, even if you are a small group!

 

[Malibustyle23]

Just to let you know my husband is a meatcutter at Safeway and they will custom cut any package/kind of meat they sell. Im not sure if that includes chicken though. They did have seperate food safety rules on chicken where they weren't allowed to open chicken packages but that may have changed.

Now they may grumble and moan to their coworkers about it from time to time but they still do it and put on a happy face for the customers.

This really works well when the pork loin is on sale for $1.99 but the chops are $3.99. So just ask them to cut the loin into chops and a roast for you and voila a $2 savings. Even better when the 72% hamburger is "on sale" for $3.49 a pound but the london broil roast is sale priced at $1.99 per lb. Ask the meat cutter to ground the roast into hamburger and still charge you the roast price. Also part of the custom meat service offered and that london broil burger is more like 97% lean. So excellent savings and even healthier for you!

I don't know if all meat departments do this but definitely worth asking plus it'll save you the time at home.

 

[robinb]

We get ultra cheap tenferloins here all the time. I like to use tenderlions in shish kabob. I'll cut the filets off the tenderloin and then marinate the rest.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

If you've got a Costco nearby, they sell the whole loin for a good price, too. I'll chop that baby up and we're good for a while.

 

[ilovejack02]

I will have to keep an eye out on tenderloin prices. I usually buy a whole ribeye when it hits 3.99 lb, would love to buy a tenderloin, I am getting a bit tired of ribeye LOL. Who would have thought I would ever say that , but with only three of us the house a whole one can last up to 6 months in my freezer since we don't eat it but maybe once or twice a month and my little guy and I share a steak.

 

[Mom21]

I just noticed today in my local flyer for grocery store that it is on sale for 9.99/lb and yes that is sale price. How do you all get it so cheap? Said it was a whole beef tenderloin, but they did say they would cut it for free

 

[punkin]

I just noticed today in my local flyer for grocery store that it is on sale for 9.99/lb and yes that is sale price. How do you all get it so cheap? Said it was a whole beef tenderloin, but they did say they would cut it for free

I think prices (particularly meat and fresh fruit) are very regional. I can never get anything as cheap as some of the people on the board can.

 

[MarilIncredible]

I haven't seen a whole tenderloin for less than $8.99 per lb on sale in my area for at least the past 2 years. Regualr price is something in the range of $12 - 15 per pound.

 

[mjkacmom]

Our shoprite has it on sale this week - I have the butcher cut it up for me, wrap each piece individually, and put in a freezer bag.

 

[daughtersrus]

One of our local chains has boneless rib-eye roasts on sale for $2.99/lb quite often. I stock up on them and freeze them. If we're having a large crowd, we'll cook it on the grill as a roast(it's really good with Canadian Steak Seasoning on the outside) and then slice them into steaks and sear them. I usually take a few roasts and slice them into steaks before freezing. Can't beat rib-eye steak for that price!

 

[robinb]

One of our local chains has boneless rib-eye roasts on sale for $2.99/lb quite often. I stock up on them and freeze them. If we're having a large crowd, we'll cook it on the grill as a roast(it's really good with Canadian Steak Seasoning on the outside) and then slice them into steaks and sear them. I usually take a few roasts and slice them into steaks before freezing. Can't beat rib-eye steak for that price!

We have the tenderloins for about $6 per pound quite often but not cheap rib-eyes. Maybe they are just not on my radar ... I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for them

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

It is definitely a regional thing. I am near NYC, if that helps at all. Usually we don't get anything cheap, though lol and it is rare to have a "butcher-sighting" although because I teach and go to grad school I am an evening shopper. The sale is at Shop Rite, for anyone who lives near one.

 

[TinknBellesMom]

Wow, that is a great price. The cheapest I can get a whole tenderloin around here for is $7.99/lb. Still not too bad, though. We've gotten really spoiled and we only use tenderloin for our steaks. We can use other cuts for kabobs and stuff, but it must be tenderloin for steaks.

 

[ilovejack02]

We have the tenderloins for about $6 per pound quite often but not cheap rib-eyes. Maybe they are just not on my radar ... I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for them

Whole rib-eyes are on sale around here because of Labor day. Should be a good time to check prices this week.

 

[CherylA]

It is definitely a regional thing. I am near NYC, if that helps at all. Usually we don't get anything cheap, though lol and it is rare to have a "butcher-sighting" although because I teach and go to grad school I am an evening shopper. The sale is at Shop Rite, for anyone who lives near one.

They are on sale for 6.99 at our shop rite. I think I'll stick with the london broil that is 1.49 a lb at our shoprite this week!

I have seen the tenderlain roasts for 4.99 around here (CT) though, just not this week. I'll have to keep an eye out for it and bookmark those instructions for cutting up the tenderloin.

 

[girli565]

My local Costco always has beef tenderloin on sale for $4.99-$7.99 a pound and bc it's costco it's 7lbs+ packages (the smallest weight I've seen was 6.5 but we normally buy the 10lbs+ packages), but still a great deal!! We bring it home, butcher it and have at least 5-8 meals of filet mignon for 3 people, and 4-5 meals of fajitas/steak sandwiches. Great deal and tenderloin fajitas are AMAZING!

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

My local Costco always has beef tenderloin on sale for $4.99-$7.99 a pound and bc it's costco it's 7lbs+ packages (the smallest weight I've seen was 6.5 but we normally buy the 10lbs+ packages), but still a great deal!! We bring it home, butcher it and have at least 5-8 meals of filet mignon for 3 people, and 4-5 meals of fajitas/steak sandwiches. Great deal and tenderloin fajitas are AMAZING!

Do you use the chain meat for fajitas and steak sandwiches? I've never used the chain meat before, but I have it in the fridge for tomorrow's dinner. Any advice?

 

[hipchickie]

I just noticed today in my local flyer for grocery store that it is on sale for 9.99/lb and yes that is sale price. How do you all get it so cheap? Said it was a whole beef tenderloin, but they did say they would cut it for free

I was going to say the same thing Normal price around here is $12-15/lb, a good sale is $8-9. I caught them on special once at Sams for $6, and I bought all they had, but that was a one time thing

 

[punkin]

Do you use the chain meat for fajitas and steak sandwiches? I've never used the chain meat before, but I have it in the fridge for tomorrow's dinner. Any advice?

What is chain meat?

 

[princessmom29]

We get tenderloin tips here cheap (about $2 a pound) and they gill and taste just like the fellets.