As much as I enjoy dining out, I don't always feel that the price I pay is justified. And when I feel like that, it takes all the fun out of it! Throughout my restaurant career, I worked in several restaurants, and owned a couple, so I am more than familiar with the daily stresses and expenses of making it run. It is very expensive! But as a consumer, my money only goes so far, making it important to carefully choose how I spend.
The menu item I chose is from Outback Steakhouse. I made the Outback Sirloin, 12 ounce cut, with a side of Fresh Steamed Broccoli, and a Hot Baked Potato. The cost of this meal at Outback is $18.99.
$18.99 meal
3.49 soda
1.81 8% tax
4.00 tip
$ 28.29 Total per meal cost
I bought a 2.5 pound Certified Angus Beef from the grocery. It was on sale for $4.99 a pound. It gave me 40 ounces of meat. That's a little more than I needed for 3-12ounce steaks, so I had a little extra and some gets lost in the cooking. I also bought 3 potatoes, and broccoli.
$3.73 Beef
.43 1/4# broccoli
.25 potatoes
.25 soda
4.66 Total per meal cost
Of course, I know that there are advantages to eating out. You don't have to clean up and do dishes, you get to get away, enjoy yourself, and have someone wait on you. You also get certain things extra. At Outback, it's that special, yummy bread they serve you. The purpose of this new series is not to talk you out of eating out, but to show you how you can eat at home like you can eat out, but for a lot less!
Steak, Baked Potato, and Broccoli
1 Baked Potato
Garlic Powder
2.5 pound Boneless Beef Sirloin, Certified Angus Beef
1/2 cup Broccoli, cut apart from stalk
Butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place potato in oven.
Cut meat into 12 ounce portions.
Tenderize meat by poking holes in it with forks.
While the steaks are cooking, place the broccoli in a steamer, with a little water in the bottom of the pot. Place a lid on the pot, open just enough to allow steam to escape. Bring the water to a boil. and let cook until it is tender. Make sure there is enough water in the pot so it does not touch the broccoli, but doesn't run dry while boiling.
Plate your meal and enjoy!
Thanks for joining me today! I hope you enjoyed this new series and if you would like me to feature a particular restaurant, just send me an email, or leave a comment below and I will try to do it!
I eat less out and more at home. Because most of the time I'm disappointed in the meal and then the price I pay for it. So I agree, buy a decent cut of meat, your favorite veggies and sides and best meal ever. It doesn't have to be time consuming.
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