To be clear, Nino’s has one awesome bunch of butchers working behind (and at) the counters in all of our stores.

They love what they do (and they’re great at it too). They also love you, our customers, which is why we provide so many services to make you happy you come to Nino’s.

Of course, as wonderful and skillful as our butchers are, they can’t always predict what you might like to create with your meat and butcher-shop products.

Thus, it’s helpful (and in many cases profitable) to learn some basic meat-cutting skills to see you through while you’re away from our stores. And if you love to cook, why not pick up a few tips? They might just inspire your creativity!

Where do I start?

Most everyone knows how to peel and core an apple or segment a grapefruit, and skinning a chicken breast or cutting it into eight pieces isn’t really any different. Ok, a chicken is bigger than an apple, but you get the idea.

A whole chicken is the perfect place to start saving money when you consider that chicken breasts cost nearly two times as much per pound as a whole bird. You almost get the dark meat for free not to mention the bones and trim you can use to make a delicious soup or sauce.

How about beef?

On the higher end, buying whole beef tenderloins and cutting the majority into steaks and the trim into stir-fry is another great way to save a bundle. In some cases, up to 40%!

Even better, if you buy a whole tenderloin at Nino’s, we’ll cut it into steaks for FREE and give you all of your trim as a ground. What could be better?

Generally, buying whole of anything and cutting it into smaller portions for later use is a great way to save money. The additional benefit is that you can cut it the thickness you want and the amount you want, freezing each portion for its intended use later on.

In a society of convenience, being your own butcher can pay off with savings and the additional benefit of portions and cuts tailored to your individual recipes and tastes.

Want to see more?

Check out my video and SEE just how easy it is to cut a whole chicken for many different recipes. I’ll show you how a sharp knife can really help trim your weekly grocery bill.