Aldi Has A Meat Cut You Won't See At Many Other Grocery Stores

Aldi may be known for its no-frills shopping environment and affordable grocery basics, but that doesn't mean you should sleep on its meat selection. For instance, the chain's steak offerings may actually be better than Costco's in terms of the bang for your buck and because they're minimally processed, usually locally sourced, and vacuum sealed to stay fresher for longer. However, beef isn't the only thing worth picking up from the store's meat aisle. 

While you won't find an on-site butcher at your local Aldi, you might come across a few rare butcher's cuts, including lamb breast plate. Aldi stocks one from Thomas Farms, an Australian brand that claims to pasture raise and feed its livestock without the use of antibiotics or hormones. While it may not be available at all locations, some folks have found it at their store for less than $4 a pound. The cut has certainly won over some Aldi shoppers. As one buyer wrote in a thread on Reddit, "[I]t is amazing! It's basically lamb spare ribs. Very rich, fatty, and decadent."

The breast is an often overlooked and underrated lamb cut you're less likely to spot at your local grocery store. Its normally mild-tasting meat is naturally high in fat. In cooking terms, that means that it has some seriously flavorful potential if you know the best way to prepare it.

A big mistake you could make when cooking lamb breast would be to go for a quick and high-heat sizzle. Instead, this fatty meat should be approached low and slow, allowing the fat to render, the meat to tenderize, and the skin to achieve a crispy, bark-like crust. If you're flipping through different lamb recipes for ideas, look for ones that involve braising and roasting for a longer time. You'll probably want to place it on a rack over a tray to catch all that dripping fat.

If you need more inspiration, a few Aldi-frequenting Redditors have shared ways they've taken the store's exact lamb breast to delicious heights. One user recommends spicing it up with Middle Eastern spices, like za'atar, cumin, coriander, paprika, and ground fennel, popping it in the oven for up to two and a half hours, then giving it a final sear on the grill for a crisp finish. If you do choose to go the Middle Eastern route, serving it with a bright yogurt sauce like tzatziki and some harissa chili paste is a great idea.

However, you also can't go wrong with a good old fashioned Dutch oven braise. Throw in some red wine, herbs, and veggies like carrots, onion, and celery, and slow cook to tender, fall-apart perfection. Given that it's cheap, yummy, and relatively versatile when it comes to flavor pairings, Aldi's lamb breast is definitely worth the buy if you happen to spot it in stock.